New Play Makes Shakespeare's 400-Year-Old Works Relevant To Today's Audience

For it's 10th anniversary, ARTFARM artistic director Marcella Trowbridge, of Middletown-based theater group, wanted to do something a little different. Instead of creating a traditional Shakespearian play for the annual performances, she began with a theme.

Actors explore one central question: "Why is Shakespeare so special?" A professor, an actor, a producer and an audience member (groundling) all argue their answer in a 90-minute outdoor show in the scenic field behind Middlesex Community College.

To prove their point, each person performs scenes, songs and soliloquies from over a dozen Shakespeare plays, including "Hamlet," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Measure For Measure," "Macbeth" and "Julius Caesar."

"Shakespeare's Argument" performers are Trowbridge, Annie DiMartino, Ken O'Brien and Jesse Gabbard with a musical score performed live by the ARTFARM Orchestra under the baton of Joseph Getter.

The show runs tonight through Sunday and July 21-24 at 7 p.m. on the campus of Middlesex Community College on Training Hill Road. If raining, shows are moved inside. Donation is $20.

Live musicians begin at 6 p.m.

July 14: Sirius Coyote
July 15: Phil Rosenthal
July 16: Chuck Costa
July 17: Lorena Garay
July 21: They Might Be Gypsies
July 22: Nancy Tucker
July 23: The BC3 (Bill Carbone Trio, jazz)
July 24: Tom Callinan

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