Present Company Theatre’s performance of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing opened last weekend and exceeded my expectations.
For those not familiar with Present Company, it’s a non-profit theater collective that makes theater fun and accessible to everyone. Instead of performing within the confines of four walls, the group brings art to “the heart of the community: the marketplace,” says actor Jennifer Coy. After all, everything is better when done outdoors: eating, drinking, watching movies and even theater.
April marks Shakespeare’s 450th birthday and, while the idea of going to watch a live performance may seem daunting to those who haven’t watched Shakespeare since Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo and Juliet with Leonardo DiCaprio, Present Company is a group of extremely talented individuals who make Shakespeare fun and entertaining.
There is even a pre-show that will teach you just enough about the man, iambic pentameter, and modern-day idiomatic phrases from Shakespearean plays that you won’t feel ignorant or lost. [Read more…]