Shakespeare at the Castle

“But if the while I think on thee, dear friend, all losses are restored and sorrows end.”

                                                                                                                    Sonnet #30
                                                                                                                        William Shakespeare

Dear Friends,

I don’t know how you folks spend the first few days of the new year, but I can tell you that for me, this January was a reflective time.  While I was excited about all this year will bring, including a collaboration with the Alliance Symphony in April, and a very special production of The Tempest, I couldn’t help but think about all the people that have come before.

I reflected on the many talented actors that have passed through Shakespeare At The Castle, blessing us with some truly remarkable performances.  I thought about our brave designers, working with ever-shrinking budgets and ever-increasing prices, who managed to create beautiful pictures on our stage.  And of course, I thought about our directors and stage managers, bringing fascinating ideas and new ways of working to our castle, helping us find the best way to tell the old stories.

But more than all of those, I thought about you – our audience.  You stuck with us, year after year, making S@TC a part of your summer plans.  You’ve told friends, you’ve brought your children and grandchildren, and you posted our pictures all over social media.  How grateful I am for your support!  The best way I know to thank you is to continue to tell the old stories in interesting and provocative ways, and that’s what we have planned.

On April 13 at 3 p.m., the Alliance Symphony will perform William Walton’s famous score for the Lawrence Olivier film version of Henry V.  They have graciously asked me to perform some of the great speeches in the play during the concert.

Then, on July 31 – August 10, director David Kaye (Hamlet ’22) returns to direct The Tempest for us.  We are thrilled to welcome actor, director, screenwriter, and three-season Survivor contestant Jonathan Penner as Prospero.  Yes, you read that right.

And, we received a grant to create Shakespeare Adventures!, a Shakespeare summer camp for our young people in grades 5 – 8.  This one-week camp will culminate in a performance on the S@TC mainstage prior to a performance of The Tempest.  Watch the S@TC social media sites for more information.

So, these are the things I’ve been thinking about.  I look forward to seeing you folks soon; we’re going to continue to make you proud.

Kevin P. Kern
Artistic Director; Shakespeare At The Castle