Flatwater Shakespeare Brings *Much Ado* to Lincoln!

The award-winning Flatwater Shakespeare Company's Summer 2013 open-air production, William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, loves the 1980s.

Directed by Becky Key Boesen, Much Ado About Nothing runs June 6 - 9 and 12 - 16, 7:00 p.m., at the Lincoln Community Foundation Garden, located on “N” Street, between 14th and Centennial Mall, in downtown Lincoln. The show will then play Thursday through Sunday evenings, June 20 - 30 at eight Lincoln area parks and other outdoor venues. Performances are free, although a donation of $10 is suggested. Call 402-473-2897 for performance information.

Much Ado About Nothing demonstrates how appearances can deceive, how music can mislead, and how two people who claim they can't stand one another can fall in love. In the eyes of Benedick, the lady Beatrice appears to be a Hall-and-Oates-style “Maneater,” and at the same time Beatrice looks at Benedick and is convinced that she would rather hear her dog bark at a crow than hear a man – especially him – swear he loves her. Those convictions will alter, delightedly.

Director Becky Key Boesen has brought together a wonderfully comedic and musical ensemble. Sasha Dobson and Brad Boesen play the battling Beatrice and Benedick. Emma Gruhl is Hero, beloved and unwittingly belied by Alexander Jeffrey as Claudio. Richard Eishoeffel is the well-meaning Don Pedro and Tyler Hale the malignant Don John. Tom Crew is the lovably bumbling Constable Dogberry. Other Flatwater Shakespeare veterans include Scott Herr, Christian Novotny, Paul Pearson, and Margy Ryan. Other newcomers are Eli Brown, Margery Dunkle, Karen Freimund Wills, Erik Gosnell, Ian McKercher, Ethan Ness, Lisa Elle Steiner, and Cale Yates.

Joining the creative team are Kat Cover, costumes; Richard Schroeder, lighting; Richard Imig, set construction; Michelle Zinke, stage manager; Jarrod Paitz, production assistant; and Stephen Buhler, dramaturg. The production is supervised by Artistic Director Bob Hall and the tour is coordinated by Andy Dillehay.

The production and tour have received generous support from the Lincoln Community Foundation and the Woods Charitable Fund and are being presented in cooperation with The Lincoln Department of Parks and Recreation, Wyuka Cemetery, Ivanna Cone, Henry's on South, and The Haymarket Theatre. In keeping with our mission to engage new audiences for classic theater, we are offering admission to all performances of Much Ado About Nothing free of charge. We suggest a freewill donation of  $10 to help keep Shakespeare in the parks and under the stars, but our policy is – donate what you can.

The Production and Touring Schedule:

June 6-9 and 12-16 – Lincoln Community Foundation Garden (near 15th and N)

June 20 – Henry Park (S. 44th and Prescott)

June 21 – Havelock Park (N. 64th and Ballard)

June 22 – Densmore Park (6761 S. 14th)

June 23 – Irvingdale Park (S. 20th and Van Dorn)

June 27 – Wyuka Pond (36th and O)

June 28 – Wyuka Pond (36th and O)

June 29 – Belmont Park (N. 12th and Judson)

June 30 – Bethany Park (N. 65th and Vine)

On July 25, 26, and 27, Flatwater Shakespeare and Nebraska Youth Theatre will stage a Youth version of the play, directed by Jordan Deffenbaugh. Performances will take place at The Haymarket Theatre, 803 “Q” Street. Showtimes are 7:00 pm all three dates, with a 2:00 pm matinee added on July 27. Call 402-477-2600 for more information. This production has been supported by Humanities Nebraska.

For additional information, visit flatwatershakespeare.org and haymarkettheatre.org.

A Culture of Professionalism

"The work he’s done here is very, very good. That he’s sustained a Shakespeare company for more than a decade in Lincoln, Nebraska, bringing truly high quality productions to thousands of people is very, very good. Throw in the fact that he’s committed to always paying his actors, and you’ll understand why he’s earned a level of respect. He dreams of bigger things for Lincoln, however. Bob Hall wants to change the whole attitude toward regional art." 

Read Lauren Silverman Durban's fine profile of Flatwater Shakespeare Artistic Director Bob Hall here:

http://www.crazytownblog.com/crazytown/2013/05/the-money-still-matters.html

Special Event May 29 with NET Radio!

A Concord of Gaiety and Sweet Sounds

A Shakespeare Uncovered Special Event

Wednesday, May 29^th, 7-8:30 p.m.

NET Studios, 1800 N. 33^rd Street in Lincoln

To R.S.V.P. for this free event, call 402.472.6788
or email radio@netnebraska.org by Monday, May 27th

"Methinks ye shall join your cousins for merriment and mirth" – the program will feature the Nebraska Shakespeare Festival's hilarious circus of Two Minute Shakespeare and the Flatwater Shakespeare Company's musical tour of Shakespeare and popular song, including a preview of this summer's show, Much Ado About Nothing.

For more details on this event, visit netNebraska.org/shakespeare

To hear Flatwater Shakespeare Education Director Stephen Buhler's NET Radio “Shakespearience” on Free Shakespeare, visit

http://netnebraska.org/interactive-multimedia/none/net-radio-shakespeariences-free-shakespeare-now

Dost Thou Not Suspect My Place? (A revised Much Ado schedule)

The Production and Touring Schedule for Much Ado About Nothing has changed!  Here's the new line-up:

June 6-9 and 12-16 – Lincoln Community Foundation Garden (near 15^th and N)

June 20 – Henry Park (S. 44^th and Prescott)

June 21 – Havelock Park (N. 64^th and Ballard)

June 22 – Densmore Park (6761 S. 14^th)

June 23 – Irvingdale Park (S. 20^th and Van Dorn)

June 27 – Wyuka Pond (36^th and O)

June 28 – Wyuka Pond (36^th and O)

June 29 – Belmont Park (N. 12^th and Judson)

June 30 – Bethany Park (N. 65^th and Vine)

Stay tuned for more details -- and see you next month!

Support the Flatwater Shakespeare Company on Give to Lincoln Day!

Your gift to the Flatwater Shakespeare Company supports not only our mainstage shows – including Much Ado About Nothing FREE this summer – but also our Youth productions. Here's a testimonial from one of our past participants:

“The program provides an introduction to acting for Shakespeare’s plays. The director and a dramaturg worked with us on understanding the importance of differences between verse and prose, the structure of iambic pentameter, and the meaning behind the Bard’s words . . . I continued to participate in the youth productions each summer through my junior year of high school. I became more and more comfortable with the plays and the language. I gained a foundation to build on that also helped me to excel in Shakespearean English classes in high school.

Eventually, Shakespeare became not just something I was comfortable with but something I loved. I admire how Flatwater Youth aims to instill passion for Shakespeare in the youth theater community of Lincoln.” 

 

Flatwater Youth Shakespeare continues this fun and important work in collaboration with Nebraska Youth Theatre at The Haymarket Theatre. Your contribution helps more than you know!

On May 16, the community again comes together for 24 hours of giving from 12:00am to 11:59pm. Gifts can be made online and will also be accepted in person during regular business hours at the Lincoln Community Foundation, 215 Centennial Mall South.

All donations on Give to Lincoln Day will be matched with a proportional share of a $200,000 challenge match pool of funds. The challenge fund is provided by the Lincoln Community Foundation and its partnering sponsors. In addition, the top three organizations that have the greatest number of donors making gifts on May 16 will receive bonus grants of $2,500, $1,500 and $1,000 respectively.

Just follow this link:

http://givetolincoln.razoo.com/story/Flatwater-Shakespeare-Company

For more information, visit the Lincoln Community Foundation website: http://www.lcf.org/ and click on the Give to Lincoln Day graphic.