Folger Theatre & Capitol Riverfront BID to Celebrate Shakespeare Birthday with Film Screenings

Folger Theatre and the Capitol Riverfront BID celebrate Shakespeare's birthday this April with three free screenings of some of the most beloved film adaptations of the Bard. From April 24 through April 26, free screenings of Kenneth Branagh's Much Ado About Nothing, Baz Luhrmann's Romeo + Juliet, and Franco Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew will begin at sundown, between 7:30 and 8pm each night. Actors from Folger Theatre's production of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead (on stage May 12 through June 21) will be present to introduce the screenings and area vendors will be on hand to provide refreshments. Bard in the Yards represents an exciting collaboration between Folger Theatre and the Capitol Riverfront BID in a burgeoning area just south of Capitol Hill.

Friday, April 24th: Much Ado About Nothing (1993)

An all-star cast (Emma Thompson, Denzel Washington, Keanu Reeves, Michael Keaton, Robert Sean Leonard, and Kenneth Branagh) brings a fresh, hilarious take to this romp of mistaken identity and intrigue. As two young lovers prepare to marry, a group of friends set a "lover's trap" for arrogant bachelor Benedick and the feisty Beatrice. All the while, the evil Don John sets a plot of his own to stop the wedding and break up this merry band of friends.

Saturday, April 25th: Romeo + Juliet (1996)

The director behind Moulin Rouge and The Great Gatsby presents Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes as the timeless "star-cross'd lovers," with a modern twist. Set in Verona Beach, this now classic from 1996 features beautiful visuals, breathtaking performances, and a kinetic energy that introduced Shakespeare's timeless play to a new generation.

Sunday, April 26th: The Taming of the Shrew (1965)

Famous for their stellar acting and tumultuous off-screen romance, Hollywood legends Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor light up the screen in a comedy of sibling rivalry, fortune-hunting, and lessons learned. The portrayal of the sharp-tongued Katherine and the determined Petruchio remains charming, wry, and energetic in its 40th year.

Bard in the Yards will take place in The Yards Park, 355 Water St SE, conveniently located by the Navy Yard Metro.

For directions and venue information, please visit http://www.capitolriverfront.org/getting-around

For additional information on Bard in the Yards, visit http://www.folger.edu/events/bard-the-yards or http://www.capitolriverfront.org/calendar/do/bard-yards. If you need additional information, please contact Peter Eramo, Jr., Publicity & Marketing Manager at Folger Theatre at 202-675-0344 or peramo@folger.edu.

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