African-American Shakespeare Company 2010-11 Season

San Francisco's African-American Shakespeare Company proudly announces the lineup for its 16th season. The season marks African-American Shakespeare Company's first season under the new artistic leadership of acclaimed actor and director L. Peter Callender. The season opens in September with IPH..., Colin Teevan's stunning adaptation of Euripides' classic Greek tragedy; Dylan Russell directs this co-production with Brava Theater. The company continues its season in December with an enchanting holiday production of CINDERELLA; this new take on the timeless fairytale has become a seasonal favorite for families and children of all ages. Closing the season in April is Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT, directed by L. Peter Callender and featuring an original score by renowned local jazz composer Marcus Shelby. Productions will be staged at Brava Theater and at the African American Art & Culture Complex, both located in San Francisco. For tickets and information, the public may visit African-AmericanShakes.org or call 1-800-838-3006.

"African-American Shakespeare Company is an invaluable resource for accessible classic and contemporary theater in the Bay Area, as well as the ongoing revitalization of the Fillmore District and Western Addition," said incoming Artistic Director L. Peter Callender. Continues Callender, "I envision this theater as a vibrant gathering place where audiences of all ages and backgrounds can be exposed to great dramatic literature and see their own experiences reflected back to them, where a diverse community of talented artists and artisans practice their craft at the highest level, and where dedicated and focused leaders work together towards The Common goal of creating exciting art that moves, inspires and uplifts audiences. The inspiration for this season - new journeys, unlimited possibilities - will surely set the stage for a new period of artistic excellence at African-American Shakespeare Company."

In chronological order, African-American Shakespeare Company's 2010-11 season is as follows:

IPH...
In collaboration with Brava Theater
By Euripides
Translated and Adaptated by Colin Teevan
Directed by Dylan Russell
September 25 - October 16, 2010
Press Opening: September 27

IPH..., acclaimed playwright Colin Teevan's edgy adaptation of Euripides' Greek tragedy Iphigeneia at Aulis, opens African-American Shakespeare Company's 16th season. Set at the beginning of the Trojan War, General Agamemnon has a difficult choice to make - should he sacrifice his daughter Iphigeneia or condemn his entire army, and nation, to defeat? The gifted cast assembled for this co-production with Brava Theater (Artistic Director Raelle Myrick-Hodges) features L. Peter Callender as Agamemnon, Bay Area favorite C. Kelly Wright as Klytaimnestra, and up-and-coming talent Traci Tolmaire as Iphigeneia. Director Dylan Russell, inspired by the dreamscapes of Salvador Dali for staging IPH..., said of the play, "it meets at the intersection of the ancient and the contemporary...it is part religious rite and part rock concert, at once an intimate piece and a contemporary drama where brutal family dynamics rip one soul from another."

CINDERELLA
December 3-19, 2010
Press Opening: December 3

Back by popular demand, San Francisco's African-American Shakespeare Company presents an enchanting new production of CINDERELLA. This timeless tale, brought to whimsical, magical life just in time for the holiday season, is an uplifting re-telling of the classic fairytale, featuring all of the pageantry, hilarity, and charm of the original, but with a soulful twist. This heartwarming story finds Cinderella, a young, beautiful dreamer, toiling away as a lowly scullery maid for her evil stepmother and (oddly masculine) stepsisters. With the help of a fabulous Fairy Godmother who makes the magic happen, Cinderella finds her Prince Charming and learns that anything is possible, even miracles.

TWELFTH NIGHT
By William Shakespeare
Directed by L. Peter Callender
Original Music by Marcus Shelby
April 1-May 1, 2011
Press Opening: April 1

Closing African-American Shakespeare Company's 16th season is a swinging take on TWELFTH NIGHT. Filled with music, magic, and mischief, this glorious new production of Shakespeare's most musical comedy gets a song-filled re-setting in the early 1940s. This clever re-imagining combines Shakespeare's poetry with an original jazz and big band score by renowned Bay Area jazz musician and composer Marcus Shelby and his orchestra, transporting the madcap tale of mismatched lovers, mistaken identities, and melancholy fools to the era of Zoot suits, gangsters, and sultry songstresses.

African-American Shakespeare Company was introduced in 1994 to create an opportunity and a venue for actors of color to hone their skills and talent in mastering some of the world's greatest classical roles. The company is dedicated to producing classic stage works from an African-American cultural perspective, providing opportunities and accessibility for minority artists and their communities to view these works in a manner that is inclusive of their cultural heritage. African-American Shakespeare Company has produced over 30 productions, toured to over 97 schools, and reached over 105,000 patrons through its mainstage productions and arts education program.

TICKETS: For tickets ($20 student/seniors; $30 general) and information, the public can call
1-800-838-3006 or visit www.African-AmericanShakes.org.

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