All-City Shakespeare Festival is fundraising fun

News

Summer/Winter Shakespeare. ESU-Cleveland's goal is to sustain interest in performing Shakespeare throughout the year as a stimulating way to develop literacy. The summer Festival complements the winter Shakespeare Competition. Between those events there are workshops for students and teachers.

The Festival presented "Romeo & Juliet" as theater-in-the-round at Acacia Reservation. Actors performed in front of, within and behind the audience keeping the audience stimulated.

Festival's a "school of the arts". The mix of cast and crew included theater professionals, English teachers, high school and college students and dedicated parents. Students from ten high schools participated. More than a show, it was a very rich experience on many levels. It lifted literacy off the page, broadened it on the stage and incorporated it well into real life. Brain food for life!

Romeo was played by Maria Schreiner, who won this year's Shakespeare Competition. The show was skillfully directed by Channelle Bryant-Harris from Great Lakes Theater.

Behind the scenes, Ann Hasenohrl's Committee worked successfully to create an audience of over 100 people with $75 tickets. Also they secured a grant from The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation to cover some costs for educational aspects.

This was the second annual All-City Festival.

For more see the Photo Gallery.

Return to News & Events