If thou hast a love for Shakespeare, a group of '99s have found a way to bring his plays to Dartmouth every summer.
This summer's "Shakespeare in the Sun" began as an idea between friends last summer. The final result is performances of the comedy "Twelfth Night" to be held outdoors August 1, 2 and 3 at 2 p.m. in the Bema.
Kevin Findlan, producer and musical director for "Twelfth Night," said, "'Shakespeare in the Sun' is really the umbrella for the whole concept of having Shakespeare performed each summer by the sophomores."
Findlan said the impetus for "Shakespeare in the Sun" was a discussion about Central Park's Shakespeare in the Park performances and if such performances could be adapted for the Bema.
Findlan, "Twelfth Night" director Ben Guaraldi '99, Shayna Rich '99 and Emily Copeland '99 collaborated to write a proposal to the Peter D. Smith Arts Initiative Fund to ask for funding for an annual summer Shakespeare performance.
Guaraldi said the proposal's mission statement called for a "radical reinvention" of Shakespeare in the outdoors.
"There are a lot of funky theater theories out there, and to apply them to Shakespeare could be a lot of fun," Guaraldi said.
"Twelfth Night" will be performed with the theatrical theme of environmentalism in mind, Guaraldi said.
"Environmentalism is a theory in which you break down the traditional divisions between the stage and the audience," Guaraldi said.
"One interesting thing we've discovered about the theme of "Twelfth Night" is that it's all about performances," Guaraldi said. "The mode of environmentalism allows us to accentuate that."
Guaraldi said the Bema's cement stage, rocks and forests gave the actors several different levels of stage to work with.
"The Bema is a wonderfully theatrical place," Guaraldi said. "It presents the best natural setting for the play."
"Twelfth Night's" construction and subplots worked well with environmentalism, Guaraldi said.
"It's brilliant," he said. "I've always loved the play. It has some of the wildest characters in Shakespeare."
"Twelfth Night" recently gained attention with the release of a movie version last year. Guaraldi said he spent time researching the play in preparation for the performance.
The play's subplots weave around a twin brother and sister who are shipwrecked in a foreign land, Ilyria.
The twins' encounters and adventures with some of Shakespeare's most memorable characters create a fun summer play.
"We want the audience to enjoy an afternoon of entertainment and enjoy the Shakespeare in the outdoors."
