Message from The Shakespeare Theatre Company

Received by e-mail this morning:

Dear Friend,

I am writing to you today to let you know about a legal issue we are currently addressing in regard to the Lansburgh Theatre, our home for the past 20 years.

For some time now we have been in negotiations with the management company that oversees the Lansburgh Theatre regarding our rent. Thus far we have been unable to resolve the issue and therefore, as a last resort, have filed a lawsuit this week including a request that the court issue an injunction so that we may continue to perform at the Lansburgh Theatre.

The particulars of the issues are complicated, so I’d like to offer a bit of detail about the creation of the Lansburgh Theatre. In 1992, the developer of the Lansburgh apartment building gained the development rights from the city of D.C. in exchange for building and donating the Lansburgh Theatre for use solely by the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Also established was Lansburgh Theatre, Inc (LTI) a specialized non-profit charity that only exists to support STC and serve as our landlord. By law, as long as the Shakespeare Theatre Company performs its charitable purpose, LTI lacks the power to terminate either STC’s status as the supported organization or STC's/our right to occupy the Lansburgh Theatre.

In the current dispute, LTI has demanded a rent increase of 700%, a demand that we feel is unfounded given the unique relationship of an organization that exists only to support STC. Additionally, through these discussions, it has become very clear that LTI is not operating and abiding by the charter by which it was created and the best course of action was to allow a court to resolve these matters.

We are very confident that a judge will honor STC’s long standing and clear rights to perform at the Lansburgh Theatre. Please be assured, this will not affect any of our current performances and the best thing for you to do is support STC in the same ways you have for the past 25 years. If you are a theatre-goer, keep subscribing and attending performances and if you are a donor (or want to become one), we are grateful for your continued contributions.

We will update our website with any new information and will be sure to send out updates to you as we progress in resolving this matter.

Thank you for your continued support.

Chris Jennings
Managing Director
Shakespeare Theatre Company

How to Read Shakespeare (and a Little Bit of Why)

First, let's get the "why" out of the way. Why read Shakespeare?

I can't answer for anyone but myself. I read Shakespeare because I need to focus my mind on just one thing after being cognitively pulled in skeighty-nine different directions all week. And after listening to everyone else, it's nice to be able to use my own voice.

Why Shakespeare in particular? I just have great affection for thoughts that are well constructed and distinctly delivered (though a young, uninitiated reader may wonder why there are so many cliches in Shakespeare. Heh).

Shakespeare's principal characters are fully human, even when they merely exist to advance a plot. Why was Don John, the Bastard Brother in Much Ado about Nothing, so irrationally villainous? Because Shakespeare needed him to create obstacles for a couple of too-perfectly perfect sweethearts.

Anyway, I read Shakespeare for fun. And you can, too! Here's how.

First, find your text.

(click image to enlarge)








Many of the members of Shakespeare Readers use large, beautifully bound volumes of the collected works, treasured and tended as lovingly as a family Bible over the course of a lifetime. Others bring along a cheap or even used paperback of whatever play is scheduled for our monthly reading. Some editions include helpful notes that put plots in context or offer clearer definitions for ancient terms.

So far, I am the first member to go the e-book route for our readings. Amazon offers free Kindle apps for PCs and it was very easy to install the app on my Acer Netbook. The ability to enlarge the type was a very welcome bonus for me.

In the Kindle store, search for your selected play or the collected works. There are many free editions, but the Complete Plays that I purchased was only three bucks.

Here is what a page looks like, from Much Ado About Nothing. (I highlighted a couple of my favorite lines. And I drew on the picture, not on my computer. *g*)

(click image to enlarge)









You do, of course, have the option of purchasing a recording. My voice certainly can't compare with those of great actors and actresses like Vanessa Redgrave or John Gielgud.

But being read to isn't the same as reading. It's also more dangerous, because if you are read to in your car, Shakespeare will have transported you to another time and place. Your fellow travelers sharing the road may not be so tolerant of your distraction.

If you wish to have Shakespeare read to you, I recommend getting the full treatment in a theater, whether live and in 3-D or on a nice big high-def screen.

You can certainly read Shakespeare the way you read any book, but Shakespeare intended his words to be spoken aloud. If you read aloud by yourself, I recommend using the Kindle app on a device that lets you to pretend you are talking on a phone. *g*

Alternatively, find a nice group of friendly people (like us!) to read along with you. Even a small group can work very well. At Shakespeare Readers, we have tried assigning parts when we have big groups, or just reading around the table with small groups (we had just four readers yesterday).

I admit I sometimes read too quickly. For a play that is as close to my heart as Much Ado is, I know the feelings that are behind the words and feel very comfortable acting a little bit. With a forgiving group of fellow readers, I'll muff up my share of words, but we all sally forth and read on. It is an afternoon well spent.

Next up, The Scottish Play!

love, hosaa
a little mirth, a little matter

assorted links:
Much Ado About Nothing on screen
Folger Shakespeare Library
The Shakespeare Theatre Company (Washington, D.C.)
Plot Summaries, Shakespeare Online
Maryland Shakespeare (Jamie's site)
Shakespeare Explorers (Meetup group, membership required)

And, because I have a few other interesting interests:
Hosaa's Blog

Shakespeare Readers 2011-2012 Season

Continuing in the proud tradition of the Washington Shakespeare Reading Group, the SHAKESPEARE READERS of the Washington, D.C., metropolitan region will meet once a month to read aloud one entire play. No memorization required; simply bring your own standard copy of the scheduled play and use your voice! All players take turns reading, so no one is left out.

Where: American University’s Bender Library, Room 306 (parking in the lot at Nebraska and New Mexico avenues is free on Sundays)
-- Directions
-- Campus Map

When: 1-5 p.m., on “second Sundays” (exceptions noted)

Coordinator: Cindy Wagner, hosaajoy 'at' gmail.com

Schedule:

September 11, 2011: Much Ado About Nothing
October 9, 2011: Macbeth
November 13, 2011: Two Gentlemen of Verona
December 11, 2011: Henry VIII
January 22, 2012: Twelfth Night
February 12, 2012: Romeo and Juliet
March 18, 2012: The Tempest
April 15, 2012: Richard III
May 6, 2012: Taming of the Shrew
* June 10, 2012: Love’s Labour’s Lost canceled

Please RSVP to Cindy at your soonest convenience (e-mail preferred). I will also e-mail reminders before each scheduled reading.

In Bard We Trust!