Fresno Famous

For 2006, the Woodward Shakespeare Festival Presents
a Summer of Magic and Madness
A Midsummer Night's Dream and Macbeth Highlight
2nd Season of Central California's Own Shakespeare in the Park

The 2nd Annual Woodward Shakespeare Festival (July 20-September 16, 2006) will present dynamic, thought-provoking new productions of William Shakespeare's classic plays A Midsummer Night's Dream and Macbeth.

"The theme for the 2006 Woodward Shakespeare Festival is 'The Summer of Magic and Madness,'"? said Christien Sweeney, artistic director of the Woodward Shakespeare Festival. "Both Midsummer and Macbeth are about individuals reacting to extreme situations created by supernatural intervention and their own inner psychological pressures."?

The two productions of the 2006 season present an exciting contrast of theme and mood. A Midsummer Night's Dream presents a magical world of transformation and possibility, symbolized by playful use of masks, costume and make-up. Macbeth is set in a dark, post-civilization future mired in a new feudal age.

"In Midsummer, love is a magical madness that transforms the characters' personal lives. In Macbeth, one man is driven by fate and ambition to overturn a whole social order. We're presenting a comedy and a tragedy, but they are both magnificent portrayals of human character,"? said Sweeney.

(For full descriptions of both productions, see the accompanying director's notes for each play.)

The Woodward Shakespeare Festival has an extremely tough act to follow this year — its own inaugural season in 2005. Last summer, the festival attracted 8,000 members to Much Ado About Nothing and Romeo and Juliet, instantly putting the fledgling festival on the map as one of Fresno's most important and successful arts groups. Festival organizers project that the 2006 season will attract a total audience of 16,000.

The Woodward Shakespeare Festival's high production values and quality performances have set a new standard for how Shakespearean drama is presented in Central California.

"We definitely showed that there is an audience in the San Joaquin Valley for original productions of authentic Shakespearean drama,"? said S. Eric Day, managing director of the Woodward Shakespeare Festival.

"For 2006, we intend to continue to increase our unprecedented audience from the first season, by presenting two high-quality productions of two of Shakespeare's most important and best loved plays. We also will expand community involvement and create an in-depth Shakespearean experience through the Shakespeare Faire,"? said Day.

The 2006 Woodward Shakespeare Festival opens July 20 with A Midsummer Night's Dream, directed by Christien Sweeney, running July 20 through August 12.

Following Midsummer, the Festival continues with Macbeth, directed by S. Eric Day, managing director of the Woodward Shakespeare Festival, running August 24 through September 16.

Both productions use all-local cast and crews, including some of the most experienced and talented members of Fresno's theater community.

All performances will be held Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at the Rotary Amphitheater in Fresno's Woodward Park. (There will be no performance of Macbeth on Thursday, August 31. For all performances, the Rotary Amphitheater will open for seating at 6:30 p.m., and the performance will begin at 8:00 p.m.

All performances are free to the public, in keeping with the Woodward Shakespeare Festival's mission of presenting Shakespeare's classic works to the entire community. There is, however, a $3 park entry fee for vehicles entering Woodward Park.

A limited number of reserved seats at the Rotary Amphitheater are available; to reserve a seat, please visit the Woodward Shakespeare Festival Web site at www.woodwardshakespeare.org.

In addition to the plays A Midsummer Night's Dream and Macbeth, the Woodward Shakespeare Festival's 2006 season will present a Renaissance-themed Shakespeare Faire at Woodward Park on July 29 and 30.
In between the 2005 and 2006 seasons, the Woodward Shakespeare Festival has been an active part of the Fresno arts community, producing staged readings of Shakespeare plays at local libraries, participating in the Fresno County Public Library's The Big Read program, and presenting an original collaborative work, "The 24-Hour Shakespeare Experiment, at the 2006 Rogue Performance Festival.

About the Woodward Shakespeare Festival
The Woodward Shakespeare Festival presents new productions of William Shakespeare's classic plays for the education, entertainment and inspiration of the community of California's Central Valley. All productions feature the talent and skills of local directors, actors and technicians. All performances are free or charge, to ensure that the entire community can enjoy the poetry, drama and inspiration of the English language's greatest playwright.

Thanks to the generous support of the City Fresno and Fresno Rotary, the Woodward Shakespeare Festival is able to perform in Woodward Park's stunning Rotary Amphitheater.

In addition to presenting free Shakespeare in the Park, the Woodward Shakespeare Festival has formed partnerships with local libraries, schools and government agencies to provide year-round cultural and educational programs, including: staged readings of classic Shakespeare plays; educational workshops on Shakespeare appreciation, acting technique, stage combat, and everyday life in Shakespeare's time; and the Page to Stage school program.

Location: Rotary Amphitheater in Woodward Park, 1500 Friant Road, Fresno
Starts: 2006 Jul 17 - 2:49pm
Ends: 2006 Sep 16 - 2:49pm
Website: http://WoodwardShakespeare.org