Shakespeare lovers are in for a treat. The annual St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival is happening this summer on the bank of the river in Prescott. It will include the world premiere of the new musical R&J and Joni July 16-August 8 at the Kinsmen Amphitheatre, a walk-about production of Macbeth at the Tower July 24-August 7 at the Maitland Tower, and a showcase of local talents with the Spotlight Series July 21, 28 and August 4 at the Kinsmen Amphitheatre.
R&J and Joni, an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet, brings Shakespeare’s words together with the music of Canadian icon Joni Mitchell in a fully staged musical. Audiences will experience a new way of seeing and hearing one of the most famous plays in the English language, with a unique musical perspective.
A walk-about production of Shakespeare’s Scottish tragedy, Macbeth at the Tower is a one-of-a-kind, immersive production with the story of Macbeth happening all around, as audiences change locations for sections of the play, experiencing Shakespeare up close and personal in an epic historical setting.
The cast for both R&J and Joni and Macbeth at the Tower will feature Hilary Adams, Jillian Mitsuko Cooper, Nick Dolan, Andrew Iles, Richard Lam, and Cara Pantalone in various roles.
The Spotlight Series opens July 21 with JOSIAH. Directed by Jim Garrard and performed by Cassel Miles, JOSIAH illuminates Josiah Henson’s journey from the shadows of enslavement to the dawn of freedom in Canada.
July 28, the Spotlight Series features Clowns Reading Shakespeare, a family-friendly performance featuring a troupe of red-nosed clowns auditioning for a diva director and her yet-to-be-determined Shakespeare show.
The Spotlight Series closes August 4 with Echoes Down the River, starring five beloved local performers: Joey Herbison, Allison Hess, Seanna Kennedy, James King, and Rebecca Rodley. This show weaves together the 175-year history of the Brockville Arts Centre with the actors’ own stories from within its walls. stlawrenceshakespeare.ca
