NYACK HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS TO PERFORM IN NYC SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL: Coaching by Professional Shakespearean Actor Provided by Grant

Date: April 30, 2001

Contact: Gail Fleur

Helped by a generous grant from the Shakespeare Society, the Nyack High School Drama Workshop is preparing for its second performance at the annual New York City Student Shakespeare Festival on Thursday, May 3. The success of its debut last year earned the group the grant and a selective invitation to perform its entry this year at the Public Theater, the well known birthplace of Joseph Papp's Shakespeare productions.

Actor and teaching artist Ian Gould will help the young actors prepare for their festival performance of a scene form the "Taming of the Shrew" from 6:00-8:00 PM on Wednesday, May 2 at the High School. This will be his second visit with the group. The full play, adapted for Brooklyn in the 1950s, will be performed on Friday and Saturday, May 11 and 12 at 8:00 PM at the school.

Thursday the students can also look forward to the guest speaker, actor Rueben Santiago-Hudson, currently doing his one man show at the Public Theater. A panel of commentators (teachers, professional actors and directors, festival alumni and special guests will award prizes to recognize outstanding performances and memorable moments from the scenes

Accompanying the Drama Workshop group will be the production's Director Joseph Egan and Nyack High School English teacher Jonathan Corbin, who initiated the Shakespeare experience at the school teacher last year.