Stratford Festival

Taking Shakespeare Extended Again

To meet popular demand, the Stratford Festival has scheduled a second extension of its production of John Murrell's Taking Shakespeare, featuring Martha Henry and Luke Humphrey and directed by Diana Leblanc.

Two matinée performances have been added to the 2013 schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 24, and Friday, Sept. 27. Tickets are now on sale to the general public.

“Audiences have been so eager to see Taking Shakespeare that early demand for tickets caused us to add two performances to our schedule before the show even began previews,” Executive Director Anita Gaffney said in a press release. “It officially opened at the end of July and quickly became an even hotter ticket, with many performances selling out. I am delighted to offer our patrons additional opportunities to catch this outstanding production.”

The play centers on an aging and disenchanted professor who begrudgingly agrees to tutor the university president's son, Murph, who is floundering in his freshman English course and in his life. The professor is ready to give up before the end of the first session, until Murph asks for help with Othello, a play with special meaning for her. As they explore the text together, both draw new strength from Shakespeare's extraordinary insights.

“The high demand for Taking Shakespeare is not only a testament to the incredible group of people involved in this production, but also proof positive that Shakespeare remains as appealing, relevant and valuable today as he was hundreds of years ago,” Artistic Director Antoni Cimolino said in the release. “This play offers fascinating insight into Othello's complex exploration of human nature, and it is my hope that audiences will take advantage of this extension as an opportunity to see both plays and draw connections between them.”

Taking Shakespeare runs until Sept. 27. Othello runs through Oct. 19. For tickets, contact the box office at 800-567-1600 or visit stratfordfestival.ca.

August 19, 2013

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