Shakespeare – Salem Happenings

Women in Shakespeare

Shakespeare’s plays contain a number of female characters, and the roles of these characters have been analyzed, reanalyzed, dissected, and discussed for over 400 years. In fact, the depiction of characters like Beatrice (Much Ado About Nothing), Hermione (A Winter’s Tale), Juliet (Romeo and Juliet), and Katherina (The Taming of the Shrew) are still discussed today by students and scholars alike. However, one of the things that many people forget is that all of the female characters on stage were actually played by men during Shakespeare’s time. As a result, the portrayal of women in Shakespeare has become a fascinating topic for discussion not only for the way Shakespeare originally described his characters, but also for the way that male performers have traditionally portrayed them. Fortunately, there is no longer a taboo against women performing on the stage, and there are now a number of theatre troops that would be more than happy to provide you with a very different, and quite possibly a much more true-to-life, depiction of the women in Shakespeare’s plays.

First, if you’re looking for a Shakespearean comedy that is on the darker side and addresses issues like cruelty, gender politics, and gender roles, the Brown Box Theatre Project has you covered. This is because the Brown Box Theatre Project is performing The Taming of the Shrew from now until September 20th. This show, which is performed by an almost entirely female theatre troop (there is one man and nine women in the troop) will allow you to see a re-imagined version of Shakespeare’s play about a nobleman tricking a tinker into thinking he’s a nobleman watching a play about “taming” the strong-willed but often difficult Katherina. For more information on the Brown Box Theatre Project’s production of The Taming of the Shrew, which will be performed free of charge at 7:30 P.M. in Andover tomorrow night (Saturday, August 22, 2015) and at 7:30 P.M. in Boston on Sunday (August 23, 2015), please visit the Brown Box Theatre Project’s website.

Secondly, if you’re looking for a Shakespearean comedy that drastically shifts from dark drama to lighter comedy at different points throughout the play while, at the same time, depicting a number of strong, intelligent women facing many of the same family issues and societal problems that women face today, the Maiden Phoenix Theatre Company has the show for you. This is because the Maiden Phoenix Theatre Company is performing The Winter’s Tale from now until August 30th. This show, which is performed by an entirely female theatre troop, will allow you to experience a re-imagined version of Shakespeare’s play about the families of two kings caught up in the arrogance, paranoia, and jealousy of their patriarchs. For more information on the Maiden Phoenix Theatre Company’s production of The Winter’s Tale, which is scheduled to take place free of charge at Nathan Tufts Park in Somerville at 2:00 P.M. and 6:00 P.M. tomorrow and Sunday (August 22 and 23, 2015), please visit the Maiden Phoenix Theatre Company’s website.

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The Best Things in Life Are FREE

Chances are, you’ve probably heard the old line, “the best things in life are free”, and you may have even heard it in one of the many different versions of the song with the same name. In fact, there are at least ten different versions of the song that was originally written by Lew Brown, Buddy DeSylva, and Ray Henderson for the musical Good News in 1927. Some of the well-known artists to cover the song with or without drastically altered lyrics include the Ink Spots, Dinah Shore, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Jo Stafford, Hank Mobley, Sam Cooke, Lou Donaldson, and Janet Jackson. As a result, there certainly hasn’t been a shortage of artists trying to convey the importance of the free things in life, but finding things that are free to enjoy can be a lot more challenging than it should be. It is, therefore, fortunate that there are a number of free activities in the Boston area this weekend that are sure to put a smile on your face without forcing you to touch your hard-earned cash.

First, if you are a Shakespeare fan, you may want to head over to the Fairbanks House in Dedham, MA this weekend. This is because the Fairbanks House is hosting the Dragonfly Theater’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at 5:00 P.M. tonight and tomorrow (June 26th and 27th, 2015) and at 2:00 P.M. on Sunday (June 28, 2015.) This production will allow you to see Shakespeare’s classic comedy about a group of ancient Greeks caught up in fairy mischief from the comfort of this historic house’s lawn. For more information on the Dragonfly Theater’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, which is completely free and open to the public, please visit the Dragonfly Theater’s website.

Secondly, if you’re not really a Shakespeare fan or you would prefer wandering around an air-conditioned building to sitting on a lawn, there are a number of museums and historic locations offering free admission today. In fact, the MIT Museum in Cambridge, MA; the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, MA; Tanglewood and the Mount in Lenox, MA; the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester; and the Peabody Essex Museum and the House of the Seven Gables in Salem, MA are all offering free admission today as part of the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays. For more information on these locations and other locations that are offering free admission to everyone as part of the Highland Street Foundation’s Free Fun Fridays, please visit the Highland Street Foundation website.

Finally, if you’re looking for some free information on Norman Rockwell or any of the other artists that created the magnificent works of art that you may encounter at the museums above, you should definitely check out Artsy.net. In fact, Artsy will not only give you the opportunity to read biographies and articles on over 50,000 artists but will also give you the opportunity to see some of the amazing works of art that these artists have created.

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Shakespeare: Alive and Well?

There’s been a lot of talk this week about the possibility that someone has finally found the literary holy grail, an actual portrait of Shakespeare. In fact, the supposed discovery has been reported in almost every major publication and has been touted as the “literary discovery of the century” and “the greatest discovery in 400 years.” There is, however, just one small problem. Every bit of evidence points to the fact that the individual in the portrait, which is found in John Gerard’s The Herbal or General History of Plants, is actually a portrait of Dioscorides and not Shakespeare.

Don’t believe me? Just check this article in the Huffington Post. It describes every problem with the idea that the drawing found in the frontispiece is Shakespeare, including my personal favorite, the fact that the second edition of the book actually has the name “Dioscorides” printed under the image in question and not Shakespeare’s name. Now, if you would like to enjoy something that is actually related to Shakespeare, you’re in luck because while Shakespeare may not be alive and well, his works are certainly alive and well in the Boston area this weekend.

First, for all of the fans of tragic love stories out there, there’s always Romeo and Juliet and if you’re looking for Romeo and Juliet, the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company has you covered. This is because the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is performing Romeo and Juliet at the Strand Theatre in Boston at 7:30 P.M. tonight (May 29, 2015) and 2:00 P.M. tomorrow (Saturday, May 30, 2015.) These performances, which will actually feature the company’s early-career actors, will allow you to see Shakespeare’s classic tale of two lovers caught between two feuding families for a measly fee of $5. For more information on the Romeo and Juliet performances at the Strand Theatre, please visit the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s website.

If, on the other hand, you’d prefer a love story that isn’t quite so tragic, you may want to check out the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) Institute’s presentation of Much Ado About Nothing. The A.R.T. Institute for Advanced Theater Training at Harvard University will be performing Much Ado About Nothing at the Loeb Experimental Theater (Loeb Ex or the Ex for short) at 9:30 P.M. tonight (May 29, 2015.) This show, which will feature graduate acting students from the A.R.T. Institute, will give you the opportunity to experience Shakespeare’s sense of humor as you watch the pandemonium that can arise any time there’s a wedding but especially when the lovers are betrothed. For more information on the A.R.T. Institute’s presentation of Much Ado About Nothing, please visit the A.R.T. Institute’s Shows & Events page.

Finally, if you’re not really a fan of love stories or you’re just more of a history buff than a love story aficionado, the Bridge Repertory Theater (or Bridge Rep for short) may have what you’re looking for. This is because the Bridge Rep is performing Shakespeare’s historical play, Julius Caesar, at the Calderwood Pavilion at the Boston Center for the Arts at 8:00 P.M. tonight (May 29. 2015), 2:00 P.M. tomorrow, and 8:00 P.M. tomorrow (May 30, 2015.) This production, which has taken some liberties with the dialogue to make it more accessible to modern viewers, will let you witness the tale of one of the most powerful men to ever live in the Roman Empire. For more information on the Bridge Repertory Theater’s production of Julius Caesar, please visit the Bridge Rep website.

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Adding Some Art to Your Summer

As the end of July approaches, the list of summer events often begins to dwindle. Unfortunately, I have to admit that I’m really not sure if the lack of scheduled events is a result of the fact that everyone is on vacation, that all of the kids seem to be going back to school earlier and earlier each year, or if it’s just that all of the event coordinators feel that if you can smell something cooking every time your bare feet hit the pavement, it is just too hot to do much of anything. However, regardless of the reasons behind the sudden decrease in the amount of things to do, there are still a couple of events that are sure to entertain you this weekend.

First, if you’ve always been a big fan of Shakespeare or it’s been your lifelong goal to figure out what the lines in a Shakespearean play actually mean, there are a series of performances on Boston Common from now until August 10th that may interest you. This is because the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is performing Twelfth Night every day for the next two weeks (except for Monday the 28th of July and Monday the 4th of August.) These performances, which are typically at 8:00 P.M. (7:00 P.M. on Sundays with a special 3:00 P.M. Matinee on this Saturday, July 26, 2014), will allow you and your friends and/or family to witness an extremely unusual love story told in a way that only a Shakespearean Comedy could pull off. Best of all, the entire performance won’t cost you a dime (unless you decide to go out and eat in which case it will probably cost you significantly more than a dime.) For more information on Twelfth Night and the Free Shakespeare on the Common series, please visit the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s website.

Secondly, if you would prefer to see a group of artists and performers that are a little more modern than a bunch of people who look like they just left the 17th century, you may want to check out the Rose Kennedy Greenway this weekend. This is because the Rose Kennedy Greenway is hosting Figment Boston from 11:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. on Saturday (July 26, 2014) and 11:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Sunday (July 27, 2014.) This event will allow you and anyone else you decide to bring along to see a variety of artwork while you enjoy street performances and dance to the music of a number of different musicians. For more information on Figment Boston, which is completely free (although donations are greatly appreciated), please visit the Boston Figment Project website.

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Friday Fun: It’s a Retro Weekend

Unless your life has been absolutely perfect or perfectly boring from day one, there’s probably been at least one point in your life where you really wish you could go back in time and do it all over again. In fact, there might be an awkward conversation that you had with a guy or a girl you really liked in high school that you would like to hit the reset button on, a day back in college where you partied a little too hard that you would like nothing more than to delete entirely, or a day that you would give almost anything to relive. Unfortunately, no matter how much you would like go back in time, there’s really no way to get your hands on an actual time machine and there’s really no way to undo the past. However, you may be able to relive the memories of your past through some of the retro activities that are happening in the Boston area this weekend and beyond.

If the mid sixties and early seventies are the era that you would really like to relive, the Citi Performing Arts Center may have exactly what you’re looking for. The Citi Performing Arts Center is hosting “A Midsummer’s Night with the Monkees” on Tuesday, July 16, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. This one-night concert will allow you to hear a number of the band’s famous songs from the 1960’s T.V. show and new songs sung by three of the band’s original members, including Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith, and Peter Tork. For more information and to order tickets for “A Midsummer’s Night with the Monkees”, please visit the Citi Performing Arts Center’s website.

If, on the other hand, reliving your childhood seems like more fun than reliving the sixties, you may want to check out the Salem Toy Museum. The Salem Toy Museum, which is located in the Museum Place Mall in Salem, MA, features over 2,000 toys that were originally released somewhere between 1950 and now. As a result, there’s really no better place to go if you want to see all of the toys from your childhood again or you just want to show your kids that you weren’t making them all up.

Finally, if you prefer your retro to be really retro, like 400 years before your time retro, you may want to head on over to Boston Common some night over the next couple of weeks. The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company is performing the Two Gentlemen of Verona as part of their Shakespeare on the Common Series from now until July 28, 2013. This show, which is performed almost every night, will give you the opportunity to see one of Shakespeare’s famous comedies for free. For more information, please visit the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s website.