Now in its 33rd year, Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival — the oldest professional theater company in continuous operation in Palm Beach County — is getting around to some of its namesake playwright’s less popular works. Plays like Measure for Measure, a dark comedy of judicial and sexual politics, categorized as a comedy chiefly because it concludes with couples sorted … [Read more...]
Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival mines dark comedy for current truth in ‘Measure for Measure’
Now in its 33rd season, The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival reaches deep into the Bard’s folios for a less frequently performed dark comedy, Measure for Measure, a particular favorite of the company’s artistic director, Trent Stephens. “I might have a bias. I might seek these less frequently produced plays out,” he explains. “There are many works of Shakespeare’s that … [Read more...]
PB Shakespeare Fest’s ‘Richard II’ persuades with strong lead performances
As my high school history teacher once drummed into my head, the only reason to study history is if it has something to say about contemporary times. The rule applies well to Shakespeare’s Richard II --- the first history play that Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival has tackled in its 32 years of existence --- a tale of malevolence. power and the uneasy transition of power. So … [Read more...]
PB Shakespeare Festival takes on ‘Richard II’ in its first history-play foray
For 32 years, the Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival has been exploring the works of its namesake playwright, but has avoided his history plays. Until now. From July 7 through the 17th, at Jupiter’s Carlin Park Seabreeze Amphitheater, and again at Royal Palm Beach’s Commons Park Amphitheater, July 21–24, the Festival will present the Bard’s Richard II, his first history play … [Read more...]
Shakespeare Fest sticks to basics in impressive ‘Twelfth Night’
I never thought I would be able to use this word to describe a Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival production, but its latest take on Twelfth Night – the company’s fourth version – is “conventional.” In a good way. Perhaps producer/director Seth Trucks had no interest in setting the plot-initiating shipwreck on Mars or turning it into an air crash on a South Pacific island, as … [Read more...]
Arts briefs: Smith wins Frank Prize, ANSG appoints director, and more
WEST PALM BEACH — The 2020 Randolph A. Frank Prize for the Performing Arts was awarded June 25 to Ballet Palm Beach founder and artistic director Colleen Smith during a ceremony streamed live. “In addition to being a brilliant choreographer, Colleen has taught more than 5,000 Palm Beach County students and awarded in excess of $200,000 in scholarships to deserving dancers … [Read more...]
Theater: The 2019 Summer Season
Summer used to be a time when local theaters went on vacation and area performers, directors and designers recharged their batteries. Nowadays, many South Florida theaters run year-round or at least have one hot weather show and/or showcases for its student training programs. So consider avoiding the summer superhero movies in favor of live theater, like the following … [Read more...]
PB Shakespeare’s ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ entertains, falls shy of tragic depths
For 28 years, The Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival has operated on the theory that its namesake playwright needed some assistance to entertain a contemporary audience. So, in addition to drastic editing of each script, the company frequently relocates the action to a different time and/or place. In the case of PBSF’s current show, Antony and Cleopatra, it also adds a … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: July 14-16
Art: Allons, enfants, to the Norton Museum of Art in West Palm Beach on Saturday for a celebration of all things French (for Bastille Day, which is today). Beginning at noon Saturday and running until 5 p.m., the free festival offers French-language instruction from Natacha Koblova of the Multilingual Language and Cultural Society, classic French film (The Red Balloon), music … [Read more...]
At the theater: A whimsical ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost’; ‘Old Broads’ mines creaky jokes
Having gone through the Bard’s more popular plays in its first 26 years, Palm Beach Shakespeare Festival opts for less familiar territory this summer with an early comedy by its namesake playwright, Love’s Labour’s Lost. In it, the King of Navarre decrees that he and his three close pals will have no contact with women for three years, devoting themselves instead to their … [Read more...]