Artistic Director Tony Simotes joined Alan, Joe and Sarah on the Roundtable last week to talk about his new job, how he got here and what he plans to do. John Douglas Thompson (Othello) and Eric Tucker (director of Pinter’s Mirror) were also on hand to chat about their projects at Shakespeare & Company this summer. Clocking in at 20 minutes, this is one of the most in-depth Roundtable interviews we’ve had. Check it out at WAMC’s website, or listen below.
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Founding Artistic Director Tina Packer (now on stage as Gertrude in Hamlet) is the subject of a profile that aired today on WBUR (Boston’s NPR station). Andrea Shea speaks with Tina about her roots in England, her intentions for starting Shakespeare & Company and her future plans. Artistic Director Tony Simotes and Company actress Elizabeth Aspenlieder also speak about Tina and her impact.
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Listen to the story above, or check out the story at WBUR.org.
At the time she was obsessed with Shakespeare, but she wanted to approach his texts her own way. This ran against the genteel delivery style most teachers and directors embraced.
“Enunciating, pushing the vowels to the front of the mouth — especially for the women,” Packer says. “It’s all nonsense; Shakespeare’s dirty as hell and full of life and full of vivacity.”
So Packer abandoned her career as an actor in England, raised some money in the U.S., and founded her own company in the Berkshires. She was one of the first women to direct Shakespeare professionally. Packer says it’s a natural fit.
If you’re looking for something to tide you over before the new season begins, have a listen to this Roundtable interview with Artistic Director Tina Packer and Company actor Elizabeth Aspenlieder which aired a few weeks ago.
Tina and Elizabeth discuss the upcoming season titles, returning to Shakespeare & Company’s creative roots and Joe Donahue’s wish to be Tina Packer when he grows up. Listen below or visit WAMC’s website.
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This weekend’s 20th Annual Fall Festival of Shakespeare came to a close yesterday after five hundred students performed ten plays for an audience composed of thousands of friends, family and supporters—in just seventy-two hours.
Director of Education Kevin Coleman and Associate Director of Education Jenna Ware were interviewed on WAMC’s Roundtable for this milestone event (along with Ashley, a Lenox High School senior who played Hamlet in this weekend’s Festival). Read and see more about the Fall Festival here and here.
And check out this article in The Independent on Chatham High School’s Hamlet.
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Shakespeare & Company’s new Director-in-Residence Irina Brook recently appeared on Stephanie Abrams’ radio show “Traveling Feet” (with Press and Marketing Associate Jeremy Goodwin). She talked about her love for the scenery of the Berkshires and the cultural opportunities afforded here, the joys of Oscar Wilde and the imaginative work behind the upcoming production of The Canterville Ghost.
Download the show here or at Stephanie Abrams’ website (look for hour one of the August 23rd show — the interview with Irina Brook begins about 34 minutes into the show).
The Canterville Ghost begins previews September 19. Buy tickets now.
Joe and David of WAMC’s Roundtable welcomed artistic director Tina Packer and associate artistic director Michael Hammond yesterday to discuss the upcoming season: how the plays are chosen, how Tina manages it all, and where Michael Hammond gets his hair cut.
You can listen to the segment at WAMC’s website.
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The Production and Performing Arts Center construction project was profiled today by Carrie Saldo on WAMC. Managing director Nick Puma and architect Stephan Greene were interviewed for the story, which was broadcast multiple times throughout the day.Click here to listen to the story at WAMC’s website, or listen below.
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