{"id":724,"date":"2017-07-13T20:30:09","date_gmt":"2017-07-13T20:30:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/psf.2ss.net\/?p=724"},"modified":"2020-02-27T20:31:27","modified_gmt":"2020-02-27T20:31:27","slug":"pennsylvania-shakespeare-festival-launches-season-with-record-breaking-productions-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pashakespeare.org\/press\/pennsylvania-shakespeare-festival-launches-season-with-record-breaking-productions-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival launches season with record-breaking productions"},"content":{"rendered":"
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Center Valley, PA \u2013 With the 2017 summer season just reaching its halfway mark, the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival boasts landmark attendance, record-breaking ticket sales, and critical acclaim throughout the Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia.<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cBreaking attendance records is always delightful, but for us the deeper satisfaction is in the feedback we receive on the quality of the productions,\u201d said\u00a0Patrick Mulcahy<\/strong>, producing artistic director.\u00a0\u201cThat\u2019s where we put most of our energy, months and years in advance. This season is off to a great start and more excitement lies ahead.”<\/p>\n The Main Stage musical\u00a0Evita\u00a0<\/em>broke the previous attendance record held by 2015\u2019s\u00a0Les Mis\u00e9rables.\u00a0<\/em>Over the three-week run\u00a0Evita<\/em>\u00a0played to 103% capacity and brought in over 10,760 patrons.<\/p>\n Evita<\/em>\u00a0opened the season to critical acclaim with testaments to leading actress\u00a0Dee\u00a0<\/strong>Roscioli<\/strong>, director\u00a0Dennis Razze<\/strong>\u2019s staging, and PSF\u2019s world-class mission. \u201cAt the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, art transcends history and truth,\u201d wrote Jim Rutter in his review for\u00a0The Philadelphia Inquirer<\/em>. \u201cGo with an open heart and it will overwhelm you.\u201d<\/p>\n The Hound of the Baskervilles,\u00a0<\/em>currently playing in the Schubert Theatre, is also boasting a sold-out run and is on track to be the highest attended show in the 187-seat Schubert theatre\u2014a goal set by director\u00a0Jim Helsinger<\/strong>\u00a0before rehearsals even began.<\/p>\n \u201cI would like for this to be the highest selling show in the Schubert Theatre,\u201d said Helsinger. \u201cThat means that audiences are having a great time.\u201d<\/p>\n Festival audiences are howling at\u00a0The Hound of the Baskervilles,\u00a0<\/em>a comedic retelling of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle\u2019s classic Sherlock Holmes novel helmed by veteran PSF actors\u00a0Greg Wood<\/strong>,\u00a0Carl N.<\/strong>\u00a0Wallnau<\/strong>, and\u00a0Jacob Dresch<\/strong>: \u201cThe kind of work that can only be pulled off by deceptively skilled, confident and wildly charismatic actors, and our triumphant trio comes through with flying colors,\u201d wrote Daniel Friedman for\u00a0The Morning Call<\/em>.<\/p>\n The Festival’s 150 performances of seven productions feature professional Equity actors as part of a seasonal company staff of more than 200 artists and artisans from 23 states, including accomplished Broadway stars and award-winning directors and designers.<\/p>\n \u201cNormally when you see this level of work you\u2019re in a 2,000-seat house,\u201d Mulcahy says. \u201cHere, you are never more than 60 feet from the stage. I do think that is part of the magic.\u201d The Main Stage has 473 seats and the intimate Schubert Theatre seats 187.<\/p>\n The remainder the of the summer season includes: Ken Ludwig\u2019s swashbuckling romp\u00a0The<\/em>\u00a0Three Musketeers<\/em>\u00a0in repertory with Shakespeare\u2019s most popular comedy\u00a0As You Like It\u00a0<\/em>and PSF\u2019s \u201cExtreme Shakespeare\u201d production of\u00a0Troilus and Cressida<\/em>\u2014n<\/em>ot often produced and a must-see for the Shakespeare enthusiast. (Extreme Shakespeare: Actors arrive with their lines learned, rehearse on their own, wear what they can find, and open in a matter of days.)<\/p>\n PSF produces two original children\u2019s productions this season:\u00a0The Ice Princess<\/em>, a new adaptation of Hans Christian Anderson\u2019s\u00a0The Snow Queen,<\/em>\u00a0now running thru August 5;\u00a0<\/em>and\u00a0Shakespeare for Kids\u00a0<\/em>which opens July 26 thru August 5<\/em>.<\/em>
\nContact: Tina Slak, 610.282.WILL [9455]\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0
\nTina.Slak@pashakespeare.org<\/a>
\nJuly 13, 2017<\/p>\n
\nThere will also be a one-night only concert.\u00a0Dee Roscioli\u00a0<\/strong>(Eva Peron in\u00a0Evita<\/em>) returns to the Festival on Monday, July 31 at 7:30PM. Join us for an eclectic evening of Broadway, pop hits, and new original work on the Main Stage. Tickets are $38.<\/p>\n