News
Open Air Theatre Announces 2012 Season
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The Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park has announced that two productions, Ragtime and A Midsummer Night’s Dream, will play in their 2012 season, running in rep with a shared company and creative team. Timothy Sheader and Liam Steel will co-direct both productions, with designs by Jon Bausor and costumes by Laura Hopkins. The season begins on Friday 18th May 2012 (Ragtime) and runs to Saturday 8th September 2012 (A Midsummer Night’s Dream joining from Saturday 2nd June). |
Once Upon a Time in AmericaRagtime is based on the 1975 novel by E. L. Doctorow which tells the story of three American families - one wealthy White, one poor African American and one immigrant Eastern European – and their experiences in and around the rapidly changing city of New York between 1902 and the First World War. Although separated by race and destiny, their lives are linked by a series of dramatic events and the influence of several historical figures. Ragtime was first produced on Broadway in 1996 and won four Tony Awards, including Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. Shakespeare’s Magical ComedyA Midsummer Night’s Dream was last staged at the Open Air Theatre in summer 2008 when it was adapted for a younger audience. As star-crossed lovers Lysander and Hermia elope into the Athenian forest with friends Helena and Demetrius, Peter Quince's troupe of actors, including Snug the joiner and Bottom the weaver, rehearse a play to celebrate the Duke’s wedding. Meanwhile, fairies Oberon and Titania argue, and Oberon sends his servant Puck to find him a magic plant, the juice of which will make anyone asleep fall in love with the first person they see. Mischievous Puck is clearly the wrong fairy for the job as the forest plunges into hysterical and magical chaos. Crazy for You Makes West End Transfer |
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The final Open Air Theatre production of 2011, Crazy for You, will transfer to the West End’s Novello Theatre next month after receiving excellent reviews over the summer. The musical was first produced in 1992 after Ken Ludwig rewrote the book of the George and Ira Gershwin’s Girl Crazy, changing the location of the story and adding in several songs from the duos back catalogue. The show, which will keep the same highly-acclaimed cast from Regent's Park, opens on Saturday 8th October 2011. |
