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Under the direction of associate artistic director Peter Barbieri, Jr., this year's outing marks the organization's foray into Shakespearean tragedies. "After doing four years of great comedies, Peter (Barbieri) wanted to 'ease into' the tragedies with one of the best-known literary works of all time, and I was all for it," said Curtain Call executive director and producer Lou Ursone. "Romeo and Juliet is as much about hate as love," Ursone noted. The play opens with a scene of conflict between the two feuding families and ends with their reconciliation. Nonetheless, the play is considered one of the greatest love stories of all time, complicated by the interplay of fate and repeated misfortune in timing. "The juxtaposition of light and dark, the injection of comic moments, and the beauty of the language of love further enhance the play and make it a classic for all time," Ursone said. "Romeo and Juliet love each other passionately as only teenagers can," Ursone noted "while their families, addicted to hatred, embrace a culture of endless violence. To be united with her Romeo, Juliet dares to face the terrors of the tomb and not even the best of plans can change the inevitable course of disaster. Romance, laughter and tragedy add up to the greatest love story of all time." Scholars generally date the writing of Romeo and Juliet to 1595–96, near in time to the composition of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Shakespeare based the plot on several sources, including Arthur Brooke's Tragicall Hystory of Romeus and Juliet. Romeo and Juliet was published as a quarto in 1597. A fuller text of the play, which has served as the basis of all subsequent editions, appeared in quarto in 1599.
"Outdoor Shakespeare is a terrific way to introduce audiences to the works of The Bard," Ursone said. "The casual atmosphere makes the entire event less intimidating - more accessible - and ultimately more enjoyable," he added. "From Shakespeare aficionados to those hearing his words for the first time, young and old alike will enjoy this production," he said. "This is a truly terrific, full-family event," Ursone said, noting the many families in attendance over the past four years. This year we travel back to the 12th century during the Crusades," Barbieri said. "The struggle of two lovers trying to unite among the turmoil of a religious war ties in quite well with Shakespeare's story," he said. "As a director, this is a device that allows me to tell a story that would have just as much impact today. By turning back the clock I can effectively hold a mirror up to current events and make the statement that conflicts will always plague the human condition but love finds a way," he noted. Working with Barbieri to create this time period are Costume Designer Christine Mallardi, Lighting Designer Aaron Meadow, Stage Manager Jan Ursone and Props Mistress Diane Arditti. Featured in this year's production are: Randy Bucknoff, Minou Clark, Joe Cordaro, Jeanine DeFalco, Dominick Lettera, Marcy Mattison-Vega, Raul Meruelo, Carol Shwidock, Zoe Shwidock (Juliet) and Kevin Thompson – all of Stamford; John Atkin, Joan Barere, Donna Glen, Paul Kyrmse, Mickey Mallardi, Rob Nichols, Kyle Runestad and J. Kevin Smith – all of Norwalk: Cathleen Cameron and Paul Ciasullo(ROMEO) of Darien; Steven Kelly, Lacey Friedman and Kari Sweeney – all of Greenwich. Elizabeth Meny and Mathew Zilinyi of Fairfield; Nearby New York state residents include: Port Chester - Mario Fuentes; White Plains - Evan Christiano; Dobbs Ferry - Suzanne Ochs; Manhattan - Rebecca Judelson; and Carmel - Joe Efferen "Free outdoor Shakespeare is a summer ritual all around the world, but hadn't been a part of the Stamford cultural landscape until we kicked off this program in 2004," said Ursone. "We're thrilled to be joining other great area presenters in adding to the wonderful opportunities in the arts that Fairfield County is known for. As Stamford's longest-running community-based non-profit theatre, this program was a natural extension of our expanding base of programs" Ursone added. Barbieri said "I cannot believe that this is our fifth year. It seems like only yesterday that we were building the actual pieces of the globe. Our audiences have continually grown with many new people showing up each year to enjoy the experience." This program, the brainchild of Barbieri, is the result of a major collaboration on the part of Curtain Call, The Stamford Golf Authority and The Royal Green Restaurant. "It's an absolutely amazing time for all of us here at Sterling Farms," Ursone noted, adding that for many years people talked about having free Shakespeare in Stamford and now, five years into it, it's a summer tradition for man. "We are thrilled to be able to provide this annual event free to area residents through the generous financial support of several sponsors like The Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism, The Garden Homes Foundation, The Fairfield County Weekly, The Royal Green Restaurant and many individuals," he said. As part of the collaboration with The Hammond Museum in nearby North Salem, NY, Curtain Call will be bringing this production to their Japanese gardens for one performance on Friday evening, July 25. More in formation is available at www.curtaincallinc.com or by calling 203-329-8207. Curtain Call is the non-profit community-based theatre company in residence at The Sterling Farms Theatre Complex, 1349 Newfield Avenue in Stamford. Year-round productions and workshops are presented by and for area residents in The Kweskin Theatre and The Dressing Room Theatre. It was voted BEST LOCAL THEATRE GROUP 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 in the Annual Readers' Poll of The Fairfield County Weekly and most recently BEST LIVE THEATRE by the readers of StamfordPlus magazine. © Copyright by NorwalkPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of NorwalkPlus.com, Norwalk Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. Related Articles: Agatha Christie masterpiece opens Curtain Call season - Sep 2, 2008 - 3:57:21 PM Seussical the musical comes to life at The Kweskin Theatre - Jul 24, 2008 - 7:51:00 AM Town players of New Canaan’s summer show is Tom Jones & Harvey Schmidt’s musical "The Fantasticks" - Jul 15, 2008 - 6:38:33 AM Historical drama filmed at Hoyt-Barnum house - Jul 2, 2008 - 11:29:25 AM CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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