It’s time for Shakespeare in South Park

Have you heard of a play by Shakespeare entitled “Double Falsehood?” If you haven’t, you’re not alone.

It’s this year’s Shakespeare in South Park attraction, slated to be performed Sept. 8-10 in Dayton’s South Park Green. According to the company’s co-producer, Galen Wilson, the show was first produced in London in 1727 — over a century after Shakespeare’s death — and published the following year, purporting to be a script at least partially written by Shakespeare. “There has been hot controversy on this point ever since,” Wilson says. ” An Arden edition was published in 2010 after a respected British scholar’s years-long study led him to publish his conclusions that Shakespeare’s fingerprints are all over it. “

According to Wilson, a 2015 study tested this script against a model of Shakespeare’s personality and concluded that he wrote at least the first three acts. The show was produced for the first time in New York City just last year. “We do not think it has appeared on any stage in the Midwest — certainly not in Ohio,” says Wilson. “So this show will likely be a first.”

The plot centers around Julio, who is called away to court. His best friend, Henriquez, promises to look after Julio’s girlfriend, Leonora during his absence, but then sets about to steal Leonora for himself despite the fact he is already pursuing another woman. Henriquez’ infidelity to both his friend and his girlfriend is the double falsehood that provides the play’s title.

“We are all excited for the opportunity to bring to life this ‘new’ Shakespeare play,” says director Jene Shaw. ” It’s technically a comedy but a dark comedy. But there are some very funny moments. It’s especially exciting to share ideas with the actors in this production as they get to invent their characters in a way that an actor playing Hamlet doesn’t have the opportunity to do.”

Shaw says “Double Falsehood” has themes that include love, betrayal, guilt, despair, hope, madness, disguise, intrigue. “After reading the script, I was interested in exploring wealth leading to power and power leading to greed and excess,” explains Shaw. “It is an oft-used convention to reset a Shakespeare play in a time period that helps tell the story for the audience. The 1980s is the backdrop that I found most useful for bringing out these themes.”

The free performances will take place at 8 p.m. each evening in the South Park Green, 600 block of Hickory Street in Dayton, with a rain location of Hope Lutheran Church, 500 Hickory St. The shows are free with donations accepted, and you’re asked to bring lawn chairs or blankets, and not to forget mosquito repellent.

City of Kettering selects artist

Virginia Kistler, whose impressive work is featured at the Dayton Metro Library’s new Northwest branch, has been selected for Kettering’s inaugural ArtLocal public art commission. Kistler will create a new public artwork in collaboration with residents of Kettering. The completed art will be installed in Oak Park in the spring of 2018.

The interdisciplinary artist works primarily in sculpture and photography and employs a variety of media — laser cut rubber, CNC router-cut plastic, and 3D printed plastic. “My process involves historical research, interviewing community members and site visits to gain an understanding of the community and environment,” she says. ” I use 3D computer modeling as a way to create ‘concept sketches’ and as a way to work through the ideation process.”

Kistler is commissioned through ArtLocal, a new CitySites initiative that includes hands-on workshops, dialogues with residents and special events. The project is managed by Rosewood Arts Centre and the City of Kettering’s Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department.

Kistler, who received her MFA from the Columbus College of Art and Design, will be leading activities with the community this fall — including on Make a Difference Day — in partnership with the Cities of Service program in Kettering, taking place on Saturday, Oct. 28.

Boonshoft Bash slated for Sept. 9

“Light Up the Night” is the theme for this year’s Boonshoft Museum of Discovery fundraiser scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 9 at the museum.

The Boonshoft Bash will include cocktails, dinner, and live entertainment including the music of This Side Up. Sports fans can watch all the day’s action on wide-screen televisions and the evening will also feature a sneak preview of the upcoming astronomy exhibition, “Beyond Earth: The Exploration of Space,” which opens to the public on Oct. 21. The new exhibit will explore the past, present, and future of space exploration, delving into the age-old question of just what is “out there”. The evening will culminate with a $10,000 raffle.

Tickets for the Bash are $225 per person. If you’d like to attend, contact ExternalRelations@BoonshoftMuseum.org for details.

Dayton Philharmonic percussionist on tour with CSO

Jeffrey Luft, a percussionist with the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, is currently on a prestigious 11-city European tour with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

Led by Music Director Louis Langrée, the three-week tour kicked off at Usher Hall in Edinburgh, Scotland as part of the Edinburgh International Festival. It was the orchestra’s first appearance at the Festival. On Aug. 27, the CSO will have its BBC Proms debut at the renowned Royal Albert Hall in London. WGUC will be airing this concert on Sept. 6 and you can access it through http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3

After London, the group travels to Spain for two performances, then heads for the Netherlands, where the CSO will perform on September 3. On September 5, the orchestra will perform at Queen Elizabeth Hall in Antwerp, Belgium. and will perform its final three concerts in Paris at La Seine Musicale. Members of the CSO will also be engaging in chamber music performances, master classes and other supplementary activities throughout the tour

Upon the tour’s conclusion, the CSO will return to a newly renovated home at Cincinnati’s Music Hall for the Hall’s Grand Opening concerts Oct. 6-7. Music Hall recently underwent an extensive $135 million renovation and reopens to the public this fall. All very exciting!

Pyramid Hill looking for giant carrots!

“Intrude,” one of the most highly acclaimed major public art installations in the world, will make its Midwest debut this October at Pyramid Hill in Hamilton. The imaginative piece was created by Australian artist Amanda Parer in 2014 and has since been seen on four continents, in over 50 cities by over a million people.

The spectacle-sized work consists of five giant illuminated rabbits — the largest over 23 feet tall. In anticipation of the exhibit, the folks at Pyramid Hill are planning to create a life-sized nibbled carrot.

“We are looking for schools or groups to create one or more 4 to 6-foot tall half-eaten carrots,” says museum spokesperson Jeni Barton. “These carrots will be placed around Butler and Hamilton County in September to announce the bunnies are coming to Pyramid Hill.”

A map will be created where the carrots can be located. Groups are encouraged to be as creative as they like with materials and design as long as it appears to be a 4- to 6-foot tall or long nibbled carrot. Current participants include Hamilton High School, Badin High School, Middletown Middle School, Middletown Elementary School, Immanuel Lutheran School and Milford High School.

We'll bring you more information about programming being planned for the exhibit before it opens in October. Meanwhile you can check out www.pyramidhill.org


Each week, arts writer Meredith Moss shares information about the people and events making news in our region. If you have an announcement you’d like to have included, contact Meredith: MMoss@coxohio.com

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