It is certainly prime season to visit Trumansburg and the surrounding areas! The festivals are in full swing, farmers’ markets are open for business, and area parks are showing their summer beauty. And for the theater lovers? Why it’s summer performance season for the Ithaca Shakespeare Company is poised to begin! Why not take in a show during your bed and breakfast getaway here at the Inn at Gothic Eves?
Once a student group at Cornell University (the Red Bull Players – named after what was once a very rowdy European theater), the organization was expanded into a community-wide organization, welcoming actors from any location and background (which of course, provided more diverse casting options in both age and experience). Once expanded the group produced an exciting indoor production of The Tempest in 2002 which provided an exciting show in the form of experimental fast-pacing and overlapping dialogue. The performance brought rave reviews, and the stage was set (so to speak).
From there, the group took their acts outside, finding a location that was ideal for productions using only natural light and live music. Over the years, the group offered yearly outdoor productions (moving to a larger outdoor space when it became clear that it was needed), and has grown in method and skill.
The troupe took its current name of Ithaca Shakespeare Company (ISC) just a few years ago in 2010, when it became a formal nonprofit organization. Their goal is to offer quality productions of William Shakespeare’s work (and his contemporaries) to a variety of audiences, with emphasis on audience understanding, dynamic acting, and staging that is true to each story. Like any good acting company, the group wants to bring the audience into the production in both emotion and believability. The organization also offers educational programs for students, the public, and even their own personnel.
The current outdoor stage at the F.R. Newman Arboretum, just 13 miles from the Inn at the beautiful Cornell Plantations, offers a stunning, wooded setting for the summer outdoor productions. And as of 2012, the ISC has been able to offer cold-weather productions indoors at the Fall Creek Studios. This summer, the ISC is offering two theatrical offerings:
- July 11-14 and 18-21, 2013 at 6:00 pm: Much Ado About Nothing
It’s a trip to the alter by two completely different means… or is it? Will Benedick and Beatrice be able to overcome their shyness? Will Claudio and Hero be able to overcome the antagonist’s horrible plot to end their relationship? Find out in this comedy of wit and joy. - July 25-28 and August 1-3, 2013 at 6:00 pm: Othello
Scheming and jealousy surround this story of Othello, his wife Desdemona, the treacherous Iago, Roderigo the pawn, and the man thrust into the controversy: Cassio.
If you decide to take in a performance, prepare to be impressed, as this “small town” company offers impressive acting, intricate staging, innovative techniques, and a dynamic spirit. So plan your bed and breakfast vacation and get your tickets to one of these Shakespearean classics!
