As usual, Shakespeare in Paradise flies by.
This week, the festival opened in full force, with the smaller shows on display as well as our Signature Shakespeare and Signature Bahamian productions.
On Monday Speak the Speech II opened at the Bahamas Historical Society. In addition to having three public performances, the last of which is tonight, Speak the Speech II was also seen by high school history students. After each school performance was a talk-back . The students were also introduced to the Bahamas Historical Society museum.
On Monday, too, The Legend of Sammie Swain began the first of four student matinee performances. Student performances were sold out, were indeed overbooked, and “enthusiastic” does not even begin to describe the reception the students gave. “Life-affirming” comes to mind. Sammie Swain played to packed houses all week.
On Tuesday d’bi.young anitafrika presented the first part of The Sankofa Trilogy at Antonius Roberts’ Hillside House Gallery. There was standing room only in the small space as d’bi sang, danced, and performed pieces that were autobiographical in origin. d’bi also engaged in a dialogue with the audience, who responded wholly to the power and honesty of her performance.
On Wednesday night, The Shrew presented its first public performance, and was warmly received as well. Audiences laughed and applauded at the lively antics of Petruchio and Katarina, and of all of Bianca’s suitors, and Jovanna Hepburn as Lady Baptista was the star of every show.
On Thusrday night, The Shrew continued at the Dundas, and The Sankofa Trilogy continued at Hillside House.
Our final weekend lines up with Speak the Speech II‘s last performance at the Bahamas Historical Society, The Sankofa Trilogy at Nirvana Beach Resort, and Sammie Swain at the Dundas on Friday night; the last performances of our Signature Productions take place Saturday: a 2 PM matinee (sold out) for Sammie Swain and an 8 PM performance of The Shrew.
To close out the festival, Shakespeare in Paradise will be returning to Popop International Center for the Visual Arts for an auction of poster art between 1 and 4 PM this Sunday. This is your chance to own a piece of the festival!
It all flies by so fast! But it has been a wonderful fifth festival for Shakespeare in Paradise, and we have done our very best to honour and celebrate the Bahamian spirit in this our fortieth year of independence! Sign up for our mailing list, and watch this space!!
Featured performers are: Stephen Aranha, Franktasha Rolle, Philisha Forbes, Tareo Bridgewater, Torree Musgrove, Obediah Michael Smith, Myraiel Newry, Marcel T. Sherman, and Anthony “Skeebo” Roberts.
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