Shakespeare in the Park: Much Applause for Holy Cross and the Redfeather Theatre

College of the Holy Cross students, alumni, and faculty take to the stage in Shakespeare’s Richard III, presented by Redfeather Theater, in collaboration with Holy Cross. The classic, in performance at Green Hill Park, is receiving praise from all over the community. The Telegram & Gazette has dubbed the synergy between Redfeather Theatre and the College “evilly good”.

Director, Edward Isser, associate professor and chair of theatre department at Holy Cross, tells The Pulse magazine, “It’s an amazing play, a rollercoaster ride!”  Isser, who set the play in the Jazz Age of the 1920’s, expresses to the Telegram & Gazette, “our goal is to provide a lot of fun, not a stuffy Shakespeare or a crazy post-Modernist version.”

Timothy John Smith, lecturer in acting at Holy Cross, playing the lead, explains to The Pulse magazine, “The kids from Holy Cross have been amazing, they’ve rebuilt a considerable part of the stage area and have done so much with the landscaping. The backstage area was actually pretty dangerous, but now it’s great and it’s the students’ hard work that had made it happen.”

Among the alumni and current students who have roles in the production:  Patrick Gavin ’07, P.J. Brennan ’07, Eric Butler ’06, Nicholas Coccoma ’06, Lauren Doucette ’08, Jason Frank ’09, Kevin Gallagher ’07, Cooper Gardner ’09, John Grassey ’10, Danielle Harrison ’04, Emily Strong Holmes ‘04, Kate Elysia Hultgren ’09, Thomas Layman ’06, Mike Lueger ’07, Danielle Metterville ’05, John Michyna ’04, and Emily Rast ’09. Alumni members of the technical and design teams are Jennifer Hannigan ‘07, Chris Kane ’07, and Jennie Nocella ’04.

Richard III runs Wednesday through Sunday at 7 p.m. until August 19. For ticket information and directions, visit http://www.redfeatherco.org/ or call 508-793-2496.

Check out recent coverage of Shakespeare in the Park:

Pulse Magazine (August 7, 2007) Redfeather, Renovations, and a Richard

The MetroWest Daily News (August 6, 2007) No 'discontent' with this 'Richard III'

Telegram & Gazette (August 3, 2007) King Richard III so bad he's delightfully evil