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Curtain Rises: “Community Day,” “The Sonnet Man,” “Winnie-the-Pooh & Friends” at Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival continues its 33rd season with “Community Day,” a performance of “The Sonnet Man” and a children’s show, “Winnie-the-Pooh & Friends.”

PSF’s second annual Community Day, July 6, on the Center Valley campus of DeSales University, celebrates the arts and local organizations that provide services to the community.

“We are excited to collaborate and partner with local businesses to present a day full of fun, food, live performances, and more for the entire family,” says Jason King Jones, PSF Artistic Director.

The free events include Renaissance music, 1 p.m.; a performance by Pennsylvania Youth Theatre, 2 p.m., and an emerging artist showcase, 4 p.m., on the green.

Children can meet a pony, 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.. see a wildlife presentation with Wildlands Conservancy, 11 a.m.; attend a magic show by Joseph Keppel at noon; meet an alpaca, noon - 1 p.m., and attend a puppet story time with Book & Puppet, 3 p.m., on the mall.

There will be food trucks, face-painting, crafts and resource tables.

A classic car cruise is 8 a.m. - noon in the Trexler parking lot.

At 1 p.m., the PSF Young Company performs “The Comedy of Errors” on the mall. The performance is part of the festival “Play On!” free community tour directed by Jessica Bedford.

Devon Glover performs “The Sonnet Man,” in a ticketed event, 2 p.m., Schubert Theatre, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts.

Glover is a Brooklyn rapper, teacher, poet, playwright and actor who produces hip-hop adaptations of Shakespeare’s sonnets for performance and workshops in schools and theaters worldwide.

As “The Sonnet Man,” Glover delivers Shakespeare’s sonnets as originally written, and then breaks them down into his own hip-hop lyrics and song.

Glover’s flow embodies the richness of Shakespeare’s language, and his passionate, yet natural delivery offers an inspiring, creative experience audiences love.

Glover has appeared on NBC, MSNBC, BBC, “The Today Show” and at conferences and Shakespeare Festivals, including Stratford, Ontario, and Stratford-upon-Avon.

Tickets: 610-282-9455, https://pashakespeare.org/

“Winnie-the-Pooh & Friends” is July 5 - Aug. 3, Schubert Theatre.

Based on the classic stories from A.A. Milne, “Winnie-the-Pooh & Friends” is adapted by Jason King Jones and directed by Jenna Place.

The story takes children into the Hundred Acre Wood, where Christopher Robin (Christian Tuffy) and his pals Pooh (CaSandra Kay), Tigger (Giovanni Marini), Eeyore (Iyanu Joshuasville), Piglet (Tommy Stacherski) and others set out on a whimsical journey filled with joy, camaraderie, and honey. The story celebrates the wonder of imagination and the bonds of friendship.

The cast includes Abby Jeanne, Lee Baud, Jabari C. Williams, Fiona Wilson, Relena Kiser and Maya Marino Cappello.

Children can be immersed in the performance with carpet seating, on a first-come, first-served basis. Children can meet the actors for photos and autographs after performances.

The show’s run time is 60 minutes.

There is a relaxed performance July 15 and audio- described and American sign language interpreted performance July 27.

“Winnie-the-Pooh & Friends,” 10 a.m. July 5, 6, 9, 10-13, 16-20, 23-27, 31, Aug. 2, 3; 10 a.m., 2 p.m. July 30, Aug. 1, Schubert Theatre, Labuda Center for the Performing Arts, DeSales University, 2755 Station Avenue, Center Valley. Tickets: 610-282-9455, https://pashakespeare.org/

“Curtain Rises” is a column about the theater, stage shows, the actors in them and the directors and artists who make them happen. To request coverage, email: Paul Willistein, Focus editor, pwillistein@tnonline.com

Devon Glover
CaSandra Kay