Fall 2007 PSF Newsletter
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Newsletter • Fall 2007 PSF Announces 2008 Season ������������� THE STUFF OF LEGENDS Lear. Cyrano. Dracula. each through its own lens illuminates this �������������������� � profound and immutable struggle, within All are literary legends that will come to and between us. life on PSF’s stages next summer. The 2008 season features Shakespeare’s piercing master- King Lear, considered one of piece King Lear and beloved comedy Twelfth Shakespeare’s greatest masterpieces, tells the ��������� Night, as previously announced. Cyrano de story of an aging king of Britain who divides � ���������������������� Bergerac and Dracula: The Journal of Jonathan his kingdom amongst his daughters, whose Harker are new to the season line-up, though betrayals, real and imagined, lead to the they have long topped a ‘short list’ of mas- destruction of family and kingdom. terworks considered by Producing Artistic Director Patrick Mulcahy and Associate While Shakespeare’s exploration of ������������� Artistic Director Dennis Razze. For the chil- human frailty juxtaposed with insatiable hun- ger for power and adulation is wrenching in � ���������������������� dren’s show, a musical adaptation of The Jungle its destructiveness, in this play, “Shakespeare’s Book has been selected. art is at its apex, exquisitely executed, unmis- The process of choosing the plays takable in its beauty,” Mulcahy says. “It is no for each season always begins with PSF’s accident this is considered one of the greatest ������ mission: to enrich, inspire, engage, and plays ever written.” entertain. Mulcahy says that along the way � ����������� to providing some great entertainment, On a different note, opening with one by Edmund Rostand the 2008 season “will explore the primal of Shakespeare’s most lyrical lines—“If music fault lines between the heart and the ego: be the food of love, play on”—Twelfth Night humanity’s innate desire for love and con- offers a vibrant counterpoint to King Lear. nection collides with an equally powerful Mulcahy says, “Balance is a key to every suc- quest for supremacy and sway.” Each of cessful season: romance, comedy, tragedy. ��������� these plays delves into this territory, and � ��������������� continued on page 3 � ��������������� � ���������������� � ����������������������������� ��������������� � ����������������� ����������������������� � ������������������ ������������������ ������������ ����������������� Anthony Lawton, pictured right, in The Winter’s Tale. Photo by Lee A. Butz. PSF Thanks 16th Season Celebrates The Joys of Discovery and Renewal The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival subscriptions received a resplendent bouquet of accolades represented the from patrons over the course of the 2007 highest number 2007 Festival summer season. “It is impossible to com- of subscriptions pliment PSF enough,” wrote one patron sold in five years. SponsoFESTIVAL HOST attending The Taming of the Shrew on the Attendance audience survey. “Every year is better than for the season the last. Your productions are stupendous. totaled 28,500. Your comedians are masters of their art. “High atten- Keep up the fine work.” dance, a com- pany of artists “Unlike a statue or painting,” says proud of their Patrick Mulcahy, producing artistic director, SEASON SPONSORS work, a balanced “the art object we create is not complete until budget and Linda Lapos & it resonates in the hearts and minds of our excellent reviews Grace Gonglewski as Katherina patrons. So, it is a joy to hear that resonance in The Taming of the Shrew. point to the Photo by Lee A. Butz Paul Wirth reflected in words so complimentary to our Festival’s overall efforts.” A total of 150 artists and artisans success,” Mulcahy says. “But it is the individu- ASSOCIATE SEASON SPONSORS from 20 states were employed by the Festival, al experiences and stories people tell us that let Harry C. Trexler Trust and 176 volunteers contributed 3,375 hours. us know we’re on the right track.” The Morning Call In nine weeks, from June 2 through August Service Electric Cable TV & 4, PSF offered 91 The individual stories Communications performances of “Thank you for the truly life-saving are often told through four plays, plus 42 PSF’s bi-annual audi- PRODUCTION SPONSORS Green Show per- work of the arts community!” ence survey. “The Alvin H. Butz, Inc. formances and 46 - Audience Survey Respondent commitment of the Steve & Jane Auvil performances of the PSF actors is unpar- Breslin Ridyard Fadero Architects children’s show. alleled. They return Dr. & Mrs. Frank J. Szarko year in and year out to light up the stages Target Select Cable Advertising Two of the Festival’s 23 Equity actors, at Labuda; they give 150% always,” accord- Christopher Patrick Mullen and Greg Wills Hall Oblate Community ing to a respondent attending The Mystery of Wood, performed in their twentieth produc- Irma Vep. “Thank you for the truly life-saving PRODUCTION CO-SPONSORS tions. Mullen, who played multiple roles work of the arts community!” Capital BlueCross in Irma Vep—“an extraordinary comedic The Century Fund talent” according to Philadelphia critic The 2007 season featured several addi- Keenan-Nagle Advertising, Inc. Jim Rutter—once again astonished audi- tions in programming, including the intro- Lutron Electronics Company, Inc. ences with his skills. Wood performed as duction of Prologues, free pre-show talks Kathleen Kund Nolan & King Leontes in The Winter’s Tale and as with a member of the artistic staff held prior Timothy Nolan Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, win- to every performance of a Shakespeare play. Orlando Diefenderfer Electrical ning raves in both productions. An estimated 1,200-1,500 patrons attended the Prologues for The Winter’s Tale and The Contractors Thanks in large part to an 18% increase The Rider-Pool Foundation Taming of the Shrew. “We were very encour- in subscription sales over 2006, the 1,543 aged by the high level of partici- ACTOR SPONSORS pation,” says Mulcahy. Lee & Dolly Butz PSF also initiated a “Season Richard & Sandy Straube Kick-Off ” event featuring scenes and songs performed by mem- OFFICIAL PHOTOGRAPHER Lee A. Butz bers of the company in advance of the season opening. “We OFFICIAL HOTEL expanded our programming Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites, based on responses from the Bethlehem survey we conducted in 2005,” says Casey William Gallagher, The Pennsylvania Shakespeare general manager. Conducted bi- Festival receives state arts funding annually, the survey “gives the support through a grant from the audience an opportunity to tell Pennsylvania Council on the Arts, a state agency funded by the Com- us what’s working and what we monwealth of Pennsylvania and the can improve on, and gives us the National Endowment for the Arts, a Aaron Galligan-Stierle as Hortensio and Rachel Joffred as Bianca in opportunity to respond in our federal agency. The Taming of the Shrew. Photo by Lee A. Butz. programming,” he says. ❑ 2 • The Quill, Fall 2007 610.282.will LEGENDS, continued from page 1 And the tragic King Lear balances perfectly A Change of Season with the hilarious and poignant Twelfth With the shift Night.” Another work of genius from the from summer to fall Bard, Twelfth Night, for so many, is a trea- came a shift in PSF’s sured favorite. Its humor stems from the plans for 2008. We ridiculous antics of some very colorful char- were very happy acters, warbling over unrequited love. Along with the season we the way, the insights into human follies are originally announced, refreshing and compelling,” says Mulcahy. which included The Fantasticks and Sublime and poetic, the quintessential Shakespeare Unleashed. romance Cyrano de Bergerac has inspired These are exciting plays and we will return films, ballets and operas. Based on the life to them shortly. of an actual 17th century French nobleman Brad DePlanche (left) as Lady Enid and Christopher and soldier, the play was written in 1897 by Patrick Mullen as Lord Edgar in The Mystery of Our new season reflects some signifi- Irma Vep. Edmund Rostand. “The first time I read this cant developments here at the Festival: play as a young student, I wept at the end, experience the magnificent poetry, adventure, our new strategic plan took its final shape it was so beautiful,” says Associate Artistic and romance of this work of genius.” at summer’s end and gave us the encour- Director Dennis Razze. “Like so many, I fell agement to make some very bold choices. in love with the character of Cyrano and I Adapted from Bram Stoker’s novel by Cyrano and Lear have been on the short have wanted to direct the play ever since. Jim Helsinger—a long-time PSF direc- list for years. Given the scale of these I am thrilled that our audiences will get to tor and actor—Dracula: The Journal of magnificent plays, tackling both in the Jonathan Harker, is a one-actor tour-de- same season speaks volumes about the force. Originally performed by Helsinger in Festival entering its full maturity. 1995 and 1996 at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre where he serves as artistic direc- Please look forward to an opportunity tor, and subsequently revived there with to see Shakespeare Unleashed in workshop Christopher Patrick Mullen in the role, the form in 2008 with an anticipated open- play won raves for its originality, literary tra- ing in 2009. The irresistible musical The dition and inventive theatricality. “Jim’s adap- Fantasticks will also be back another season. tation eliminates all the silliness of flying We could not be more excited about shar- bats and cuts straight through to the chilling ing the season to come with you. center of this great story. It’s very suspense- ful, a wonderfully stimulating evening of theatre,” according to Mulcahy. Subscription tickets for 2008 will go on Patrick Mulcahy sale to members and renewing subscribers in Producing Artistic Director December. Look for more on PSF’s upcoming season on the website at pashakespeare.org. Steve Burns in the title role of Amadeus.