SHELTON - Valley Shakespeare Festival continues its innovative ways to bring the fun and excitement of live classical theater to an ever-growing Connecticut audience by sponsoring a six-hour, free “activity spree” from 2-8 p.m. May 3 at Plumb Memorial Library, 65 Wooster St.
The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven’s 36-hour Great Give annual online fundraising campaign for local nonprofits begins May 3.
Valley Shakespeare Festival is doing its part to raise interest in its organization by giving the community a free sampling of its “wares.”
First up for the day is “Afternoon Tea with the Queen” at 2 p.m. in the lovely Reading Room of the Romanesque Revival building, which is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Guests of Her Majesty, the Queen, and her Jester will be treated to a light repast typical of an Elizabethan afternoon tea, including assorted sweets and teas, while learning about the life and culture of 17th century England.
Then, as an introduction to the company’s summer production, “The Taming of the Shrew,” the company will present a very special vocal performance of selections from the musical version of the play, “Kiss Me, Kate” by local favorites Gary Harger and Tom Simonetti.
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| From 'Pericles, Prince of Tyre' |
Then, as an introduction to the company’s summer production, “The Taming of the Shrew,” the company will present a very special vocal performance of selections from the musical version of the play, “Kiss Me, Kate” by local favorites Gary Harger and Tom Simonetti.
At 5 p.m. Valley Shakespeare Festival’s very own Fool will emcee “Jester’s ‘Jeopardy!’”, his wacky version of the perennially popular television game show.
Guests will have time to relax and enjoy free pizza while the contestants, a team of representatives from the Shelton school system, prepare to compete to find out who is the District’s foremost expert on everything Bard.
But these brave contestants will, no doubt, find their greatest challenge not in the Jester’s questions, but in their ability to maintain a straight face as he does his best clowning to throw them off their games!
At 7 p.m., the company will head back up to the library’s Reading Room to present a full performance of their 2016 touring production of “Pericles, Prince of Tyre,” an adventure yarn set in the Greek isles.
This is the same performance which will be presented to Shelton fourth, fifth and sixth grade students as part of Valley Shakespeare Festival’s Education Initiative Program this spring.
This is the same performance which will be presented to Shelton fourth, fifth and sixth grade students as part of Valley Shakespeare Festival’s Education Initiative Program this spring.
All three events are free and open to the public and guests are invited to attend any or all as they wish.
Valley Shakespeare Festival representatives will be on hand to assist any guests who are interested in donating to the company via the Great Give during the events.
Valley Shakespeare Festival representatives will be on hand to assist any guests who are interested in donating to the company via the Great Give during the events.
This is a press release from Valley Shakespeare Festival, a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) theater company dedicated to bringing free and affordably-priced theater to the communities of the lower Naugatuck Valley.
