Rivertowns Playhouse to Present ACTING SHAKESPEARE INSIDE AMERICA'S WILDERNESS

Rivertowns Playhouse, the professional secular theater company of Irvington Presbyterian Church, is inviting you to join in this summer for a theatrical performance of a lifetime: Acting Shakespeare Inside America's Wilderness. They will debut their new permanent theater on the beautiful, historic, and easily accessible campus of the Irvington Presbyterian Church.

Several performances will take place throughout the summer with the New Rochelle Council on the Arts and the Village of Tarrytown at their Sunset Stages right on the water. Special thanks to Theresa Kump Leghorn of NRCA. Big thanks to Tarrytown's Alissa Fasman, Thomas E. Mitchell, Becky McGovern, Richard Slingerland, Dan Walczewski, and Jim DeSimone for their help and support in bringing Shakespeare to a wider Rivertowns audience. Exciting news!

Acting Shakespeare Inside America's Wilderness is an innovative and compelling 90-minute performance that artfully blends stand-up comedy, music, and drama into an extravagant night of theater. This half-length, full-person play creatively adapts Ian McKellen's Acting Shakespeare (who gave his blessing to Saliani to revive), drawing inspiration from James Shapiro's Shakespeare in a Divided America, and is intricately woven with the parody style reminiscent of Bo Burnham's Inside and Make Happy.

Set against the tumultuous backdrop of early American history, the play delves into the profound impact of William Shakespeare's works, as interpreted by two iconic figures: Abraham Lincoln and John Wilkes Booth. Their divergent understandings of Shakespeare's texts lead them on a collision course to one of the most pivotal moments in history - Lincoln's assassination.

Lincoln, a figure of unity and hope, sought guidance in the wisdom of Shakespeare during his presidency, while Booth, an actor consumed by Confederate ideologies, drew differing inspiration from the same plays. This contrast sets the stage for a gripping exploration of how literature can influence the course of events and the minds of those who shape history.

The play's unique narrative is further enriched by an eclectic mix of songs from Stephen Sondheim and Molly Lewis, adding a musical depth that echoes the emotional and thematic complexity of the story. Through a dynamic blend of drama, humor, and music, Acting Inside Shakespeare's American Wilderness not only recounts historical events but also offers a reflective commentary on the power of interpretation and the indelible impact of art on society and individual destiny.

Acting Shakespeare Inside America's Wilderness is an innovative and compelling 90-minute performance that artfully blends stand-up comedy, music, and drama into an extravagant night of theater. In this "half-length, full-person" format, the audience is invited to journey through the early American wilderness of ideas, thought, and sentiment, witnessing how Shakespeare's themes of power, love, betrayal, comedy, and tragedy were instrumental in shaping both our nation's fascinating identity and its most defining moments. Family-friendly for all ages!

This epic dramedy will come to life with a cast & crew featuring local talent from Irvington, Dobbs Ferry, Mount Vernon, Tarrytown, White Plains, as well as, NYC and Connecticut.

Nicole Hardson-Hurley (she/her) Actor
Momo Burns-Min (she/they) Actor
Rachel Gatewood (she/her) Actor
Andrew Smith (he/him) Actor
Kamran Saliani (he/him) Actor/Producer
Ane Cortez (she/her) Assistant Director

Duration: 90 Minutes

Genre: Stand-up, Concert, Dramedy (Family-friendly for all ages!)

FREE REGISTRATION: rivplayhouse.org/onstage

Where: Rivertowns Playhouse Backlawn Theater at Irvington Presbyterian Church, 25 N. Broadway - 25 N Broadway, Irvington, NY, 10533, USA

When: July 2024

Previews:

• July 7: Preview #1, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

• July 12: Preview #2, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

Performance Schedule:

• July 13: Performance #1 (Opening ?), 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM (Pierson Park, Tarrytown)

• July 14: Performance #2, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

• July 19: Performance #3, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

• July 20: Performance #4, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

• July 21: Performance #5, 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM (Hudson Park, New Rochelle)

• July 26: Performance #6, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

• July 27: Performance #7, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

• July 28: Performance #8 (Closing ?), 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM

For more information, visit rivplayhouse.org, call/text 1 (845) 770-8218, or email info@rivplayhouse.org.

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