Davidson College Hosts Royal Shakespeare Company Residency
The world's foremost interpreters of the works of William Shakespeare--Britain's Royal Shakespeare Company--will bring the Bard to life at Davidson College during a twelve-day residency from February 18 through March 2, 2002.
Following performances in the RSC's London and Stratford-upon-Avon home theaters, more than 50 members of the troupe will be on hand to produce, in association with Davidson College, 11 performances of the Royal Shakespeare Company's "The Merchant of Venice." Performing in the college's new 600-seat Duke Family Performance Hall, the residency will also include an extensive series of educational events. This will be the Royal Shakespeare Company's only North American production of "The Merchant of Venice" this year.
Loveday Ingram makes her RSC debut as director of the production. Loveday began her career for the RSC as research assistant to Honorary Associate Director John Barton. One of a new generation of theater directors, Loveday was recently made Associate Director at Chichester Festival Theatre, where she directed the British premiere of Gershwin's hit Broadway musical "My One and Only" and Brian Friel's version of Chekhov's "Three Sisters" this past summer. Loveday's recent theater work includes her acclaimed production of "The Messiah" for the National Theatre of Brent (Bush Theatre 2000/1), "The Blue Room" (Chichester 2000) which later transferred to the West End, "Hysteria," "Pal Joey" and "Insignificance" (Minerva Studio Theatre, Chichester 2000 and 1999). She has worked as a staff director at the Royal National Theatre alongside Phyllida Lloyd, Richard Eyre, Howard Davies and Patrick Marber. She also assisted Phyllida Lloyd on the smash hit musical "Mamma Mia!"
Ian Bartholomew plays Shylock. Ian recently appeared in the RSC's celebrated world tour of Goldoni's "A Servant To Two Masters." Hermione Gulliford returns to the RSC to play Portia. Hermione previously appeared with the Company during the 1999 Summer Festival Season in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" and "Antony and Cleopatra."
The cast also features Jim Creighton (Salerio), Carl Ferguson, Michael Gardiner (Duke/Arragon), Ian Gelder (Antonio), Paul Hickey (Bassanio), Chris Jarman (Morocco), Gemma Larke, Eliza Lumley (Nerissa), Robert Mountford (Solanio), David Peart (Old Gobbo/Tubal), Isabel Pollen (Jessica), Ben Turner (Lorenzo), Darren Tunstall (Launcelot Gobbo) and Dickon Tyrrell (Gratiano).
The production is designed by Colin Falconer, with lighting by Hartley T A Kemp, music by Paul Englishby and sound designed by John Leonard and John Owens. Movement is by Michael Ashcroft.
Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. the evenings of February 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, and March 1 and 2. Matinee shows will be offered at 2 p.m. on February 23, 24, and March 2. Tickets for the general public are $60 each, and will be available beginning January 16 by calling 704-894-2135. Other information and other details are available online at www.davidson.rsc.
Housed within the new Knobloch Campus Center, the Duke Family Performance Hall (DFPH) provides a much-needed, first-class performing arts auditorium at Davidson, and will be the finest venue of its kind in the rapidly growing area north of Charlotte. It includes a 60-foot wide by 60-foot deep stage, full height stagehouse, retractable orchestra pit, state-of-the-art sound and light technology, and three levels of seating. A portable orchestra shell is included that will configure the stagehouse to support symphonic performances.
A highlight of the residency will be the gala dedication of the Duke Family Performance Hall on Saturday evening, February 23. The hall was made possible by a gift from The Duke Endowment, a private foundation that serves the people of North Carolina and South Carolina by supporting selected programs of higher education, health care, children's welfare, and spiritual life. Davidson College is one of four institutions of higher education that receive annual grants from The Duke Endowment.
The educational component of the residency includes nearly 50 sessions involving groups that range from public school children to members of The Pines retirement community. Sessions will be led not only by the RSC actors, but also by its artistic personnel, education staff, and production crew. Among them will be practical sessions on voice and movement, sessions in lighting and design, discussions of Semitism and feminism, and two days of workshops with public school teachers. Non-Davidson students, educators, and members of the public will be invited to participate in selected public events.
Carrie Van Deest, the RSC project coordinator at Davidson noted, "The 'residency' aspect of this event makes it most exciting, as it roots the company firmly in the Davidson community for nearly two weeks. This extended visit allows time for unique interaction with Davidson College students, faculty, and staff, and also with area high school students, teachers and community organizations. Their eagerness to be involved in and around Davidson rivals our excitement in hosting them."
Two weeks of sharing everyday life with the finest Shakespeare interpreters in the world will deeply affect the Davidson College community. The extensive schedule of workshops, approachable size of the campus, and co-location of the Duke Family Performance Hall with the Alvarez College Union will mean that college students, faculty, and staff will constantly interact with members of the RSC troupe for almost two weeks. The tone will be set almost immediately, since one of the first events scheduled for the troupe is a party in the union with students.
Davidson is a highly selective independent liberal arts college for 1,600 students. Since its establishment in 1837, the college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine. Davidson is engaged in "Let Learning Be Cherished," a $250 million campaign in support of student financial assistance, academic resources, and community life.
For Further Information, Contact:For Davidson College:Bill Giduz, Director of Media Relations 704-894-2244[email protected]
For the RSC:Jane Ellis, Press & PR Officer00-44-1789-412668[email protected]
-- For further information about Davidson College, visit www.davidson.edu-- For further information about the Royal Shakespeare Company, visit www.rsc.org.uk-- Production images of The Merchant of Venice, viewable at http://www.davidson.edu/administrative/newsevnt/RSC/Subpages/rsc_prodimages.htmlare available for use free of charge via ISDN or email. Contact Gareth Richman at the Electronic Press Office on 00-44-207-930-4500 or [email protected]
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