This Friday, the American Shakespeare Center (ASC) will be performing William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. As part of our community outreach program, we have invited local high school students to a private morning performance to enrich their learning experience.
Executive Director of the Academy, Geoffrey Kershner , is excited to share the ASC’s performance with students. He says, “In solely reading Shakespeare’s work, there is a chance that students will detach from it; but experiencing the works in the way Shakespeare intended will enhance students’ connection to Shakespeare and literature as a whole.” The ASC is based in Staunton, Virginia, and we are thrilled to make this performance accessible to students who might not have the opportunity to see it otherwise.
Heather McCormick, a teacher at E.C. Glass High School, introduces Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet every spring. In the past, McCormick has taken her students all the way to Staunton for the ASC’s performance. “Magic happens when the play is brought to life,” she says. “It is incredible for the students to witness professional actors perform Shakespeare’s work. It gives students a tangible way to experience it.” A total of 200 students from E.C. Glass will be attending Friday’s performance at the Academy.
Lynchburg will be in the spotlight, as the ASC will be using the Academy stage in their promotions for upcoming shows. Friday’s presentation of Romeo and Juliet by the ASC has unique connections to the Lynchburg community. Local Randolph College theatre professor, Stephanie Earl, recently toured with ASC and even choreographed a dance number for Friday night’s performance. The production will also feature a new two-story set, perfect for the beloved balcony scenes.
While Romeo and Juliet is one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays, the ASC’s performance is distinguished, as it is internationally renown for its adherence to staging conditions of the Elizabethan Era. Everything from costuming to lighting and set design will bring you back to the late 1500s.
With its ravishing language and uproarious comedy, Romeo and Juliet celebrates love’s triumph and its trivialities. Verona’s walls embrace the volatility of youth as well as the wisdom and restraint that often escape young and old alike. Thumb biting, dance, and swordplay share the stage with sonnets, bawdy wit, and soul-searching speeches in this profoundly human and always surprising treasure. Come downtown to enjoy the enrichment of Lynchburg’s art and culture through Shakespeare’s classic tale.
American Shakespear Center: Romeo & Juliet
Friday, Septermber 23 at 7:30
Get tickets here academycenter.org/romeoandjuliet
or call our Box Office at (434) 846-8499
