“Shakespeare in Love” at The Village Players of Birmingham

The Village Players of Birmingham warms up the winter season with the Michigan premier community theatre production of Shakespeare in Love the weekends of March 6th through March 22nd.

Shakespeare in Love is a romantic period comedy based on the Academy Award winning motion picture. Will Shakespeare has writer's block. The deadline for his new play is fast approaching, but he's in desperate need of inspiration. That is, until he finds his muse – Viola. This beautiful woman is Will’s greatest admirer and will stop at nothing (including breaking the law) to appear in his next play. Full of comedy, drama, swashbuckling action, and set against a bustling background of mistaken identity, ruthless scheming, and backstage theatrics, Will’s love for Viola quickly blossoms and inspires him to write his greatest masterpiece: Romeo and Juliet.

Shakespeare In Love is directed by veteran Village Players member Holly Conroy from Royal Oak. “I fell in love with Shakespeare in Love when I saw it performed at the Stratford Festival about four years ago. I felt that this new play was right up my alley! It has a bit of Shakespearian dialog, of course, but it's also funny and romantic and presents the famous bard as very human...just an ordinary guy.”

“I enjoy Will's relationships with both Viola and Kit, and how his experiences with them influence the writing of Romeo and Juliet,” said Jude Purcell of Bloomfield Hills who plays William Shakespeare. “This play has something for almost everyone: comedy, tragedy, music, dancing, sword fighting and a dog.”

Ashley Lane of Bloomfield Hills says this about her role: “The character of Viola has been a dream role of mine for a while. I love her tenacity and her courage. I love that I get to speak both modern text and Shakespeare’s poetry in this play. It really embodies all of my favorite parts of acting!”

Shakespeare in Love runs approximately 2.5 hours with one 15-minute intermission. Show dates and times are March 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21 at 8:00 p.m. and March 8, 15 and 22 at 2:00 p.m. Tickets are $19.00 (plus a $1.00 processing fee for each ticket order) and are available online at www.birminghamvillageplayers.c... or by calling the theater box office at 248-644-2075. The Village Players playhouse is located at 34660 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham.

About The Village Players:

The Village Players of Birmingham, a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit community theater, presents high quality dramatic, comedic, and musical productions. Everyone is invited to participate on stage, backstage or as an audience member in the theater's main stage, youth theater, and Playwrights at Work productions and programs. The Village Players have been entertaining the community from its location at 34660 Woodward Avenue in Birmingham since 1926.

The Cast of Shakespeare in Love:

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Jude Purcell Royal Oak

VIOLA DE LESSEPS Ashley Lane Bloomfield Hills

HENSLOWE Bill Jentzen Plymouth

MARLOWE Tom Shilakes Troy

WESSEX Joe Vercellone Birmingham

BURBAGE Steve Sussman Bloomfield Twp.

FENNYMAN John Rutherford Rochester Hills

NED ALLEYN Ben Feliciano West Bloomfield

VIOLA’S NURSE Sandra Deering Clarkston

TILNEY / SIR ROBERT DE LESSEPS Aaron Kurilik Royal Oak

WEBSTER Lily Fromm Royal Oak

RALPH David Klecha Rochester

ADAM Steve Roberts Royal Oak

BOATMAN Chris Crossen Beverly Hills

SAM Matteo Candelieri Troy

QUEEN ELIZABETH Laura Bartell Grosse Pointe Shores

NOL / LAMBERT Nasy Sankagiri Bloomfield Hills

ROBIN / FREES Mikhail Prince Royal Oak

PETER Dale Feldpausch Ferndale

WABASH Alan Binkow Troy

KATE / MISTRESS QUICKLY Sarah Zimmerman Royal Oak

MOLLY Emily Thomson Oak Park

CATLING Randy Gilchrist Bloomfield Hills

LADY IN WAITING Diane D’Agostino Royal Oak

CLERGYMAN Bryan Conroy Royal Oak