Bringing the Bard to help Main St.
Bringing in Shakespearetohelp flood victims
meals provided by the county.
White-Seals hopes more people will consider donating since relief efforts still have along way to go.
“This is not something that’s going tobe resolved anytime soon,” she said.
IanGallanar, founding artistic director of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, said the people of Ellicott City were enthusiastic 15 years ago in helping the then-fledgling theater group succeed —and their encouragement hasn’twavered.
“The Ellicott City community has been enormously supportive ofour theater company sinceour early days,” Gallanar said.
“We are rock-throwingdistance away from Main Street, and we want to do what we can tohelp people who are suffering,” he said. “This is aheartbreakingsituation.”
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is “the quintessential Shakespeare play,” Gallanar said,and it’s extremely popular because its plot revolves around a wedding celebration.
Malin said the play has “enchanting and mischievous fairies meeting up in a wood with a quartet of quarreling lovers and a troupe of amateur actors.”
The play is a comedy with beautiful poetry, and contains “the funniest scene ever written by Shakespeare,”she said.
Jean Thompson, the group’s communications director,said the outdoor setting at Patapsco Female Institute, which was founded as an all-girls academy, makes Shakespeare“muchmoreapproachable.”
“It’sanawesomestructure to work with because it’s so dramatic,”she said.
Thompson said the company must build its stage from scratch each year, and each stage is tailored to the production.
The company sets up 300 chairs for patrons and there’s a“blanket zone” up front for younger children. Picnic tables for groups and cafe tables for two are also available. Beer and wine are permitted, but grills and pets are not, Thompson noted.
Malin said the casual atmosphere in the park is “so much morerelaxed andeasy.”
After the play, actors come out to talk with the audience andfield questions.
Malin said the theater company is hoping people will open their wallets and their hearts as the people of Ellicott City face the daunting tasks that lie ahead.
“We also hope people outside the county will comeback to support Ellicott City and remember why they fell in love with this quaint town,”she said. janeneholzberg76@gmail.com If yougo Preview performances of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” benefiting Ellicott City flood relief are set for 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, and Thursday, June 21 at Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park, 3655 Church Road, Ellicott City. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. for picnics. Tickets cost $16 for all ages and can bepurchased at chesapeakeshakespeare.comorat the gate, though performances may sell out.The showswill be canceled if there’s inclement weather.The production’s full run is Friday, June 22 to Sunday, July 29.
White-Seals hopes more people will consider donating since relief efforts still have along way to go.
“This is not something that’s going tobe resolved anytime soon,” she said.
IanGallanar, founding artistic director of the Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, said the people of Ellicott City were enthusiastic 15 years ago in helping the then-fledgling theater group succeed —and their encouragement hasn’twavered.
“The Ellicott City community has been enormously supportive ofour theater company sinceour early days,” Gallanar said.
“We are rock-throwingdistance away from Main Street, and we want to do what we can tohelp people who are suffering,” he said. “This is aheartbreakingsituation.”
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” is “the quintessential Shakespeare play,” Gallanar said,and it’s extremely popular because its plot revolves around a wedding celebration.
Malin said the play has “enchanting and mischievous fairies meeting up in a wood with a quartet of quarreling lovers and a troupe of amateur actors.”
The play is a comedy with beautiful poetry, and contains “the funniest scene ever written by Shakespeare,”she said.
Jean Thompson, the group’s communications director,said the outdoor setting at Patapsco Female Institute, which was founded as an all-girls academy, makes Shakespeare“muchmoreapproachable.”
“It’sanawesomestructure to work with because it’s so dramatic,”she said.
Thompson said the company must build its stage from scratch each year, and each stage is tailored to the production.
The company sets up 300 chairs for patrons and there’s a“blanket zone” up front for younger children. Picnic tables for groups and cafe tables for two are also available. Beer and wine are permitted, but grills and pets are not, Thompson noted.
Malin said the casual atmosphere in the park is “so much morerelaxed andeasy.”
After the play, actors come out to talk with the audience andfield questions.
Malin said the theater company is hoping people will open their wallets and their hearts as the people of Ellicott City face the daunting tasks that lie ahead.
“We also hope people outside the county will comeback to support Ellicott City and remember why they fell in love with this quaint town,”she said. janeneholzberg76@gmail.com If yougo Preview performances of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” benefiting Ellicott City flood relief are set for 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 20, and Thursday, June 21 at Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park, 3655 Church Road, Ellicott City. Gates open at 6:30 p.m. for picnics. Tickets cost $16 for all ages and can bepurchased at chesapeakeshakespeare.comorat the gate, though performances may sell out.The showswill be canceled if there’s inclement weather.The production’s full run is Friday, June 22 to Sunday, July 29.
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