Annual Shakespeare Festival returns to Penn State Fayette
The National Players, including Walter C.A. Riddle as Moth, Melanie A. Lawrence as Peaseblossom, Ariya Hawkins as Mustardseed, Savannah Gomez as Titania, Taylor Ryan Rivers as Puck and Lorenzo Miguel as Oberon in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will perform at the annual Shakespeare Festival at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, running Nov. 8 to 12.
The National Players, including Sabrina Lynne Sawyer as Snout, Walter C.A. Riddle as Starveling, Taylor Ryan Rivers as Puck, Jason King Jones as Bottom, Ariya Hawkins as Snug, Melanie A. Lawrence as Peter Quince in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" will perform at the annual Shakespeare Festival at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, running Nov. 8 to 12.
The Shakespeare Festival is returning to Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, and will celebrate its 49th year of bringing The Bard无毛视频檚 work to the stage.
In 1972, Dennis Brestensky, a now-retired English professor at the Lemont Furnace campus, started the festival knowing that William Shakespeare wrote all his plays to be performed because many find read reading the works somewhat intimidating.
无毛视频淚 thought if I can get a good acting group to come in and perform Shakespeare, maybe I can convert some people,无毛视频� said Brestensky, who is the festival chairperson.
For 22 years, the National Players, which is the longest-running touring company in America, have performed at the Shakespeare Festival, a free event open to the public.
无毛视频淚f you see them perform, you无毛视频檇 want to see them perform again,无毛视频� Brestensky said of the company, based at the Olney Theatre in Olney, Maryland. 无毛视频淭hey are a young, professional, dynamic acting company with a cast of 10 that appeals to all ages. They can do Shakespeare really well.无毛视频�
This year marks the debut of the Nitwittany Players, a cast of four alumni of the campus-run organization of The Lion Players, all of whom Brestensky knows.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e seen all of them act, and they无毛视频檙e fantastic,无毛视频� he said.
The schedule for the festival includes:
Nov. 8 through Nov. 12: Shakespeare displays at the library and the Maggie Hardy Magerko Auditorium Lobby;
Nov. 9 from 10 to 11 a.m.: 无毛视频淐ommand the Room: Movement无毛视频� demonstration from the National Players at the Maggie Hardy Magerko Auditorium Community Center;
Nov. 9 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.: 无毛视频淪peak the Speech Shakespeare无毛视频� demonstration from the National Players at the Maggie Hardy Magerko Auditorium Community Center;
Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.: 无毛视频淎 Midsummer Night无毛视频檚 Dream,无毛视频� a 90-minute performance followed by a question and answer session with the National Players at the Maggie Hardy Magerko Auditorium Community Center. Reservations are suggested;
Nov. 10 at 11 a.m.: 无毛视频淎 Raisin in the Sun,无毛视频� a 90-minute performance followed by a question and answer session with the National Players at the Maggie Hardy Magerko Auditorium Community Center. Reservations are suggested;
Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.: 无毛视频淐lassics I: Shakespeare, God, and Demons and Angels Between Heaven and Hell,无毛视频� a 60-minute performance by the Nitwittany Players followed by a question and answer session.
无毛视频淚 think people like to have opportunity to see Shakespeare performed live by a good company,无毛视频� Brestensky said. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a top-knotch cultural event in Fayette County, where we normally don无毛视频檛 have the opportunity.
Brestensky said the cost to put on the festival is about $4,000, but the festival is free to attend because of grants from co-sponsors Maggie Hardy Magerko Foundation Fund and the Casteel Family Advised Fund held by the Community Foundation of Fayette County.
He also gave credit to the campus无毛视频檚 director of student affairs, Chad Long, for his work, adding that Long has been indispensable for the festival to both occur and succeed.
The festival was canceled last year due to COVID-19, and Brestensky said people who attend the festival are required to wear a mask due to campus regulations.
For performing events, reservations are suggested by contacting Holly at 724-430-4271 or hlh5158@psu.edu.