Saturday, March 5, 2011

Day #144 The Complete Canon

Becoming a beekeeper has been a long process – and I don’t even have my bees yet. For some reason, this process reminds me a bit of the adventure that the Atlanta Shakespeare Company has been going through at the Shakespeare Tavern.

As of this month, they will become the third acting company in the world ever to have completed the entire canon – every play Shakespeare ever wrote. March 11th they’ll open Two Noble Kinsmen, the story of two men who are best friends, but who fall in love with the same woman. Running in repertory on alternate evenings will be Edward III, which opens on March 17th. The two plays will close on April 16th and April 17th.

Completing the canon has been a long-time dream of the ASC’s artistic director, Jeffrey Watkins. I’ve been fortunate to serve as a volunteer at the Tavern ever since I first moved to Georgia in 1993, and I've watched the dream become a reality.

The ASC gets most of its revenue through ticket sales, so – if you’ve never seen a play there (or if you’d like to see another one) – head to http://www.shakespearetavern.com/.

After TNK and E3 open, the Atlanta Shakespeare Company will join the rarified company of those two other acting groups who have performed every play of Shakespeare’s.
Ø  One of them (of course) is the Royal Shakespeare Academy in England.
Ø  The other was Willie’s very own acting company – the one for which he wrote all those plays.

Once I’ve seen both these plays, I’ll join a select group of people who have, over the years, attended every single play by W.S.

And then, in early April, I’ll join that select group of folks who live with bees in their backyard. I’m looking forward to both experiences.


BEEattitude for Day # 144:
       Blessed are those who act, for their dedication shall brighten the world.

One thing Fran is grateful for right now:
       My good friend Millie, with whom I attend the plays.   

1 comment:

Susan said...

Blessed are this who act/take action in life as well as onstage for they have brightened the life of at least one special person in my life.