School of Theatre and Dance presents ‘Shakespeare Abridged’

Filed under Campus, Announcements on Tuesday, May 22, 2007.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Summer is a time for goofing off — even when performing the classic works of William Shakespeare. From June 1 through Aug. 12, the University of Florida School of Theatre and Dance will present all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays in the irreverent, irresistible romp “The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged.”

Written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, “Shakespeare Abridged” is a hilarious, fast-paced, Monty Python-type romp through Shakespeare’s plays. Three male actors take audiences through 37 plays, which are condensed to a 90-minute, free-for-all, making mincemeat of the Bard. Improvisation, audience participation, pop culture and local references are in store, as well as the fastest, funniest, Hamlet you’re likely to see. (Watch for the sock puppets and be forewarned that audience participation will come into play).

Among the highlights: Titus Andronicus done as a cooking show; Othello turned into a Beastie Boys-style rap; and all 16 of Shakespeare’s comedies condensed into one slapstick script because Shakespeare “used the same gag over and over and over.”

“Shakespeare Abridged” will be produced in the Black Box Theatre at the Nadine McGuire Theatre and Dance Pavilion on the UF campus under the direction of Kevin Marshall, director of the School of Theatre and Dance at the College of Fine Arts.

UF’s production features six actors from the university’s master of fine arts in acting program, three of which will be featured on a nightly basis. Together, they take a baseball bat to Shakespeare’s work with their mix of pratfalls, puns, willful misreadings of names and dialogue, clunky female impersonations, clean-cut ribaldry and broad burlesque.

Showtimes are 7:30 p.m. on Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. and midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and 2 p.m. on Sundays. Reserved tickets for the show are $9 for students, faculty, staff and senior citizens with a valid ID, and $13 for the general public. Specific dates and times of performances may be found at www.willyabridged.com.

The theater is air-conditioned and handicapped accessible. For tickets and information, call the University Box Office at 352-392-1653 or reserve them online at www.willyabridged.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

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Credits

Media Contact
Denise Trunk, dtrunk@ufl.edu, 352-392-0207, ext. 245