Shakespeare For Kids Debuts at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival 7/22-8/1

Shakespeare comes in a variety of flavors at the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival this summer, including a new production: Shakespeare for Kids. Children ages 4 to 12 can experience Shakespeare at their level and help Team Shakespeare tell the story of A Midsummer Night's Dream.

"If Shakespeare had a television show for children, this would be it," says Erin Hurley, PSF's education director who wrote and directed the production. Shakespeare for Kids opens Wednesday, July 22 at 10am, and runs through August 1 on the Main Stage. Tickets are general admission and cost $9 for all ages. Performances are 10am Tuesday through Saturday. For tickets call 610.282.WILL [9455] or online at www.pashakespeare.org/

"As a professional company devoted to producing Shakespeare's plays, we wanted to provide families with an opportunity to introduce their children to Shakespeare in a welcoming, kid-friendly atmosphere," says Patrick Mulcahy, producing artistic director.

The one-hour production tells the story of A Midsummer Night's Dream using contemporary language, puppets and audience participation. The story is repeated inventively, so there are several opportunities to understand the characters and the plot. "Our first goal is to make sure that kids have fun," Hurley says. There's no pressure to participate, although audience members will have the opportunity if they choose.

Melissa Egan, Andrew Kane, and Zach Kleinsmith make up Team Shakespeare. Egan is a DeSales University senior, while Kane returns to PSF for his fourth season. Last season he appeared in PSF productions of Twelfth Night and Cyrano de Bergerac. Kleinsmith's previous PSF credits include Don John in Much Ado About Nothing (2008 Will Power Tour). Together, the trio tells an accessible, kid-friendly version of one of Shakespeare's most beloved comedies.

Shakespeare for Kids is abbreviated from the original A Midsummer Night's Dream and runs about an hour. It's a great opportunity to warm up to the real thing; families are encouraged to bring children ages 6 and up to PSF's production of A Midsummer Night's Dream (through August 2). Children of all ages are also invited to attend Cinderella (running through August 1, in the Schubert Theatre). Also playing is Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra (through August 2, on the Main Stage).

Dr. & Mrs. Frank J. Szarko are the 2009 season sponsors. Associate season sponsors are Harry C. Trexler Trust, The Morning Call, and Service Electric Cable TV and Communications.

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University operates under an agreement between the League of Resident Theatres and Actors' Equity Association, the union of professional actors and stage managers in the U.S. PSF is a constituent of Theatre Communications Group, the national service organization for not-for-profit American theatres. PSF is a member of the Shakespeare Theatre Association of American, Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley Arts Council.

PSF is the official Shakespeare Festival of The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

ERIN CLARE HURLEY (Director) is PSF's Education Director in her tenth summer as a company member. This season she directed Cinderella and directed/choreographed The Green Show. She appears as Charmian in Antony & Cleopatra. Directing credits include: Much Ado, Macbeth, Hamlet (WillPower Tours) The Jungle Book, Winnie the Pooh and Green Show. Acting credits include: Viola in Twelfth Night, PSF, Anne of Green Gables (Barrymore nomination Outstanding Leading Actress) People's Light and Theatre Company, and The Cleveland Play House. MFA: Case Western Reserve University, B.A.: DeSales University. Erin also teaches theatre at DeSales.

MELISSA EGAN (cast) a DeSales University senior, Melissa has recently returned from the magical city of Prague where she spent a semester studying at Univerzita Karlova.

ANDREW KANE (cast) returns to PSF for his 4th season. He also appears as Menas/Thidias in Antony & Cleopatra. A graduate of DeSales University, previous PSF credits include Twelfth Night, Cyrano de Bergerac, The Taming of the Shrew, Othello, and The Green Show among others. Philadelphia credits include Laertes in Hamlet (Lantern) The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) (Theatre Horizon), Cinderella (People's Light), and the Barrymore-nominated cast of Go, Dog. Go! (Arden).

ZACH KLEINSMITH (cast) previous PSF credits include Don John (Much Ado About Nothing, 2008 Will Power Tour). Regional: A Nice Family Gathering (Dixie Theatre, FL), Peter Pan (Actors Theatre of Louisville). New York: Camino Real, Waiting for Lefty, Veritas, Orson's Shadow. Other Shakespeare includes: The Merchant of Venice, Hamlet, Pericles, The Winter's Tale, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Henry V. He has also taught Shakespeare workshops for the Classic Stage Company in New York City. Zach has spent the past few months co-founding a new theatre company in New York City called The Key Party. B.F.A.: Otterbein College.

 

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