One of the happier developments of the past five years or so was Mamaroneck’s ability to keep Dee O’Brien’s wonderful Semi-Royal Shakespeare Company going after she retired.
Dee (pictured above with some of the kids from last year’s “Macbeth” and “The Taming of the Shrew, in a photo by Aman Ali) is one of those theater folks whose passion is infectious and she has been instilling that passion in Mamaroneck’s kids for generations now, presenting two shows in repertory each March. Producers say it’s the “oldest continuous high school Shakespeare troupe in the United States.”
So it was great to see her stay with Semi-Royal Shakespeare after she retired, with the help of a parents group who formed a non-profit to ensure it.
Semi-Royal Shakespeare has just announced its 37th season at the Hommocks Middle School in Larchmont: “King Lear” and “Twelfth Night” will run March 10 through 13.
“King Lear,” which will get a contemporary setting, has never been performed by O’Brien’s crew. The comedy “Twelfth Night,” full of cross-dressing good fun and a shipwreck, will be set in the 1970’s.
This year’s edition will involve 80 Mamaroneck High School students.
If you appreciate the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival and their amazing work under a tent in Garrison, consider Semi-Royal Shakespeare “HVSF: The Next Generation.”
(The seniors in the cast and crew are: Evan Amber, Julia Bellis, Zoe Berman, Gabe Bernstein, Christina Bishop, Bernardo Brandt, Kelly Cadden, Dinah Cherkasky, Charlotte Cwikowski, David Janoff, Jenna Danoy, Jolie DeFeis, Yuan Feng, Kyle Giddon, Jason Harris, Jason Hellerstein, Russell Masone, Gabriel Samach, Alissa Slater, David Thomson, Zach Upton-Davis, Matt Wolf, and Sarah Yalowitz.)
Performances of “Twelfth Night?” — 7:30 p.m., March 10; 8 p.m., March 12; 1 p.m., March 13.
Performances of “King Lear” — 8 p.m., March 11; 2 p.m., March 12; 7 p.m., March 13.
Tickets are $10 for all performances and can be purchased in advance using the order form found at the Mamaroneck School District website or at the door starting one hour before each performance, and depending on availability.
Photo by Evy Ruggieri: Zach Upton-Davis and Kyle Giddon rehearse a scene from “King Lear.”
