Dear Discerning Viewers-
We at Actors’ Shakespeare
Project are positively worked up to bring you a smashing year for our ninth
season, one whose various initiatives trace the theme of turning toward home.
Home for us connotes that which is central in our lives and we are so very
grateful to the Boston area and its neighborhoods for coming out and supporting
us as we continue to celebrate the language of Mr. William S.
We jump bang on into the year
with the bloody classic Macbeth, who
comes home to a host of surprises and wreaks havoc with his karma and his house
guests. We’re pleased to lean into this favorite under the historic roof of the
Chevalier Theatre in Medford Square. Haven’t been to Medford lately? It’s time.
Come on up and chomp into a juicy steak before settling down in those hallowed
halls for a comforting tale of betrayal, revenge, and murder. As the winter
settles in you can then slide over to Davis Square and feel all hip, and at
home, especially when you descend the staircase of the Davis Square Theatre for
Two Gentlemen of Verona, telling your
date y’all are about to enjoy what might be the first play of the greatest
playwright known to mankind. Forget about what could happen after that, you’re
already lucky to be exposing yourself to this comedy. In the even more blustery
months of winter, let us wend our way over to the warm town hall feel of the
YMCA Theatre in Central Square, for a new play by a ripping hot playwright,
Will Eno, Middletown, a darkly
twisted and sublimely funny rendering of what could be your hometown. You might
recognize yourself- there’s a creepy thought! Come spring we bounce back downtown to the Modern
Theatre at Suffolk University in Downtown Crossing for the mournfully graceful
tones of one of Shakespeare later plays, Pericles,
an enchanting tale of misadventure and reunion.
All of the characters in
these stories carry with them a different relationship with their home, whether
it’s coming home or leaving home or finding a home or watching home disappear
over the horizon. As an itinerant company we like to make a home in various
ways, and we do that all over this city, or cities if you consider town lines.
We’re working from home in having all our productions next year directed by ASP
company members, Paula Plum on Macbeth,
Robert Walsh on Two Gentlemen of Verona,
Doug Lockwood on Middletown, and
myself on Pericles. And we like to create an artistic
home for the youth with whom we work to find the power of language and stories,
from schools such as the Boston Arts Academy, Charlestown High School, and
Boston Day and Evening Academy to the Incarcerated Youth at Play Project.
And finally, we find home through a sense of communal resonance
with you our audience, and for that we are very, very grateful. Enjoy the
shows!
Allyn Burrows
Artistic Director
Actors' Shakespeare
Project
