{"id":247852,"date":"2014-10-10T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-10T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sdnews.com\/bringing-the-bard-to-the-masses-2\/"},"modified":"2014-10-10T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2014-10-10T07:00:00","slug":"bringing-the-bard-to-the-masses-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/test.sdnews.com\/es\/bringing-the-bard-to-the-masses-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Bringing the Bard to the masses"},"content":{"rendered":"

Shakespeare\u2019s works to be performed in unconventional venues\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

por Alex Owens<\/p>\n

\u201cBard\u201d means \u201cpoet,\u201d and in his day, William Shakespeare was named \u201cThe Bard of Avon\u201d and known as the national poet of England. In the centuries since, his name has become arguably and inexplicably linked with the nickname \u201cthe Bard.\u201d<\/p>\n

This fall, The Old Globe is turning the Bard into a bargain with a new program called \u201cGlobe for All.\u201d<\/p>\n

Between Oct. 28 and Nov. 5, the Balboa Park-based theater company will perform free versions of the classic comedy \u201cAll\u2019s Well That Ends Well\u201d at seven different locations that might be considered unconventional by normal theatrical standards, including homeless shelters, detention centers, military bases and senior centers.<\/p>\n

The idea, according to Old Globe Artistic Director Barry Edelstein, is to bring Shakespeare and live theater to people and places that may have never experienced it.<\/p>\n

\"Artistic<\/a>
Artistic Director Barry Edelstein (Courtesy The Old Globe Theatre)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cWe will be using available lighting, but no sets,\u201d Edelstein said. \u201cWe\u2019re just bringing costumes, props and live musical instruments.\u201d<\/p>\n

It might seem low-tech, but it actually harkens back to the Elizabethan era when the performers at the original Globe Theatre in England didn\u2019t have the advantages of modern theaters \u2014 they just had good material.<\/p>\n

Edelstein is excited about taking Shakespeare to people who haven\u2019t had the opportunity to see the work in a live setting. He believes audiences will respond to the universal themes in the works.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe at the Globe realized we needed to do more community outreach,\u201d he said. \u201cOur audience that attends the shows and the community demographics don\u2019t match. We have an obligation to be more inventive and serve more San Diegans.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people don\u2019t come to the Globe because they don\u2019t know what it is.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edelstein did a similar program when he was director of The Public Theater in New York City between 2008 and 2012. The theater\u2019s \u201cMobile Shakespeare\u201d brought the Bard to residents of homeless shelters, rehab centers, prisons, and other underserved audiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s transformative,\u201d he said. \u201cIn many cases, [audience members] have bigger concerns than watching a play, but these people\u2019s lives can be dark and this can bring light. We did a show and one woman, a senior citizen, said it was the first time she\u2019d seen a live performance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edelstein believes \u201cAll\u2019s Well That Ends Well\u201d is a good choice as the first play in what he hopes to be an ongoing series.<\/p>\n

\u201cFirst off, I like the play,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s a comedy and a romance, and it\u2019s easy to follow. Later on, we may experiment with tragedies. Or doing shows in Spanish.\u201d<\/p>\n

The performances on Nov. 2 and Nov. 4 are open to the public. The others are for special audiences.<\/p>\n

The \u201cGlobe for All\u201d tour will wrap up with three low-cost live performances available to the general public at the Globe\u2019s Hattox Hall, Nov. 7 \u2013 9. Tickets will be $10.<\/p>\n

Edelstein is looking forward to reaching these new audiences.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe military is a big part of San Diego that is underserved by the arts,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

In addition to the performances for active duty members at the naval base, one of the shows will be performed for homeless veterans at Veterans\u2019 Village of San Diego.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a marvelous opportunity to experience live theater,\u201d said Marilyn Cornell, clinical director of Veterans\u2019 Village. \u201cMany of our veterans are interested in the arts, and this will be a sober [alcohol free] experience.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edelstein said that while \u201cAll\u2019s Well That Ends Well\u201d is easy to follow, he will go the extra step to make sure his audience understands the play and the context in which it was written. An hour before each show, there will be one-hour pre-show workshop, where the Globe\u2019s teaching artists introduce Shakespeare to the audience.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe introduce the characters and the plot and the language and offer ideas how to listen to it,\u201d Edelstein said.<\/p>\n

Although the current audience for Shakespeare tends to lean more on the wealthy side, Edelstein hopes the \u201cGlobe for All\u201d program reminds people that, in his day, Shakespeare was as mainstream as you could get.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe original audiences for these plays was from the whole social spectrum,\u201d he said. \u201cTheaters were controversial because of that. Some people have this sense that its overblown poetry, but very little is high-falutin.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Globe is looking for other organizations to partner with for the \u201cGlobe for All\u201d program. If interested, contact Roberta Wells-Famula at rwellsfamulat@TheOldGlboe.org<\/a> or call 619-231-1941 x 2144. For more information visit TheOldGlobe.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u2014Alex Owens es un escritor independiente con sede en San Diego. Se le puede contactar en alexowenssd@gmail.com.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGlobe For All\u201d schedule\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n