Lenox— From April 23rd through the 25th, Shakespeare & Company celebrates Shakespeare’s 462nd birthday with a full slate of storytelling, community, and festivities representing Shakespeare & Company’s IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Diversity) initiatives designed to make theater more accessible to all.
The weekend includes open-captioned and sensory-friendly performances of the Northeast Regional Tour of Shakespeare’s “Hamlet.” A story full of mystery, revenge, and tough choices about truth and loyalty, Hamlet follows its titular character as he learns that his uncle killed his father, the King, and now wears the crown.
Open-captioning features a large projection screen above the stage, displaying the text the actors are reciting via “supertitles,” making it accessible to Deaf or hard-of-hearing audience members. Sensory-friendly performances have been adapted to be less overwhelming to the senses, including reduced-intensity lighting and sound effects; dimmed house lights for the duration of the performance; pre-show materials that include story synopses, theater maps, and other “what to expect” content; quiet spaces; communication boards, and opportunities to visit the theater the day before the performance to become familiar with the space.
The festivities also include free “Behind the Curtain” talks and two free workshops: Theater Games and Exercises and Fight and Movement Both sessions are open to participants aged eight and up, but participants under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult.
Jaclyn Stevenson, director of Marketing and Communications, said “Both open-captioned and sensory-friendly shows are open to all theatergoers, and our birthday bash, workshops, and talks are free to anyone who’d like to learn more about our campus or our work, or simply spend time in community,” she said. “With school vacation week in full swing, the programming offers a timely opportunity to experience world-class theater in an environment that is truly open to everyone.”
The events run from April 23rd through the 25th at Shakespeare & Company, located at 70 Kemble Street in Lenox. Tickets and more information, including a full schedule of events can be found online.