Dmae talks with three artistic directors who represent three companies working at diversity and changing Shakespeare offerings during the summer. We’ll hear from Asae Dean of Salt and Sage Productions, Paul Susi of Portland Actors Ensemble and Jennifer Lanier of OPS Fest.

(Aired 11am 7/31/18 on KBOO 90.7 FM or always on stagenstudio.com and always on  iTunes)

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Paul Susi & Asae Dean
Paul Susi & Asae Dean

Salt and Sage Productions offers an evening of scenes from Shakespeare’s greatest love stories: Romeo and JULIET, Troilus and CRESSIDA, and Antony and CLEOPATRA. This sampling is a culmination of a summer long workshop in preparation for performing the plays in rotating repertory next year.

The lens of the project is the phases of a woman’s life and the growth of patriarchy. Cressida is a young woman whose precarious social standing stems from her father’s betrayal of Troy. Cleopatra is a queen of infinite variety who along with the equally mythic Antony presides over a world that is transforming out from underneath them into the Roman empire. Juliet is newly a woman, in many ways still a child, and Verona resembles a still patriarchal world.

Lover’s Project by William Shakespeare
August 1st and 2nd at 7:30 PM
All shows are at: Shout House Theatre, Cost: $5 to $25 For more information: (503) 332-5945; www.saltandsageproductions.com;

“The Lover’s Project” will be performed August 1 – August 2 at 7:30 pm at Shout House. Tickets are $5 – $25, available online at https://www.artful.ly/events/15725 or by cash or credit card at the door. The Shout House Theatre is home to hand2mouth theatre and is located at 210 SE Madison, Ste 11 Portland, OR 97214 under the Hawthorne bridge. Street parking is available.
___________________

Each Summer, OPS Fest brings no-cost Shakespeare to the Portland Public Parks. “The Tragedie of Othello” and “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” are the new plays on the roster this season. August 10th and 11th, the company travels to Nehalem Bay State Park to perform these two shows. To close out the season, OPS Fest continues the tradition of an All Gender/Identifying Double-Header, this year at Mt. Tabor. An all male/identifying “Comedie of Errors” will be performed at 2PM and an all female/identifying “The Tragedie of Othello” at 7PM.

About Original Practice Shakespeare Festival:

OPSFest brings no-cost repertory Shakespeare to parks and venues all over the Portland Metro area. The company uses the original practice techniques of Elizabethan England: limited rehearsal, scrolls in hand, audience interaction, and an onstage prompter.

Learn more at opsfest.org  and opsfest.org/tour-calendar

Remaining Summer OPS Fest shows:

Friday, 8/3, 7pm – Romeo & Juliet – Laurelhurst Park (WIL FEST #13)
Saturday, 8/4, 2pm – Comedie of Errors – Laurelhurst Park (WIL FEST #14)
Saturday, 8/4, 7pm – Hamlet – Laurelhurst Park (WIL FEST #15)
Sunday, 8/5, 2pm – Twelfe Night – Laurelhurst Park (WIL FEST #16)
Sunday, 8/5, 7pm – A Midsommer Nights Dreame – Laurelhurst Park (WIL FEST #17)
Friday, 8/10, 7pm – Othello – Nehalem Bay State Park
Saturday, 8/11, 7pm – Two Gentlemen of Verona – Nehalem Bay State Park
Sunday, 8/12, 4pm – A Midsommer Nights Dreame – Gateway Discovery Park
Saturday, 8/18, 2pm – Much Adoe About Nothing – Say Ciao! Shakesbeer Festival
Sunday, 8/19, 2pm – Two Gentlemen of Verona – Say Ciao! Shakesbeer Festival
Saturday, 8/25, 2pm – The Gentlemen’s Show: Comedie of Errors – Mt Tabor
Saturday, 8/25, 7pm – The Gentlewomen’s Show: Macbeth – Mt Tabor

_________________________

Portland Actors Ensemble presents

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [Revised]
Touring Show – Through Labor Day

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Performed as you’ve never seen them before . . . all at once, in 90 minutes! This is the Sparks Notes version of Shakespeare, with all the fun stuff in there. Join PAE in the parks, wineries, and universities as they play with the Bard like never have before!

Touring Schedule:
Concordia University Green, Portland, July 27 – 29th, 7PM
Stoller Family Estate, Dayton, August 3rd and 4th at 7PM, August 5th at 6PM
Montinore Estate, Forest Grove, August 10th and 11th at 7PM, August 12th at 6PM
Willamette Valley Vineyards, Turner, August 17th and 18th at 7PM, August 19th at 6PM
Meinig Memorial Park, Sandy, August 25th at 7PM and 26th at 6PM
Reed College Lawn, Portland, September 1st, 2nd, 3rd at 3PM

Every performance is free. Bring a picnic blanket, folding chairs, and layers against this strangely changeable summer season. More info and a complete schedule of shows at:  www.portlandactors.org. You can also  pre-order picnic baskets for sale.