The spirit of William Shakespeare seems to have an affinity for the City of Chicago. The breathtaking, world class Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier plays to sold-out houses all season long. Now, along comes a small play, a one-man show, written by Chicagoan Dan Decker, which gives a personal glimpse of the man Will Shakespeare.
“An Evening with Will Shakespeare” is set in Stratford upon Avon on April 23, 1616, Shakespeare’s 52nd birthday and the night he died. Decker has stumbled upon something in Shakespeare’s sonnets. “Will is talking to us in great detail, if we learn to listen,” says Decker. “I was so flabbergasted by what I found, I wrote this play to share it with everyone. By placing Will’s sonnets into historical context, the true voice of the man can be heard.”
Tom Lenane, the play’s director, says, “Shakespeare is more popular now than at any time in history. Worldwide, over three million people will see a Shakespeare play performed this year alone, in all these different languages. Every culture has adopted him.”
But it is here in Chicago that this play will premiere. Chicago has traditionally provided fertile ground for new ideas in literature, movies, and theatre. This is a portrait of Will Shakespeare as no one has ever seen him before.
“This play has a bright future,” says director Lenane. “I’m honored to be giving it its first staging. And I can think of no better American city than Chicago to host it. I expect it will soon be in performance around the world, everywhere Shakespeare is loved.”
“An Evening With Will Shakespeare” opens Friday, Nov. 22, at the Heartland Café Studio Theatre, 7006 N. Glenwood Ave., and is performed Tuesday through Sunday at 8 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3 p.m. Tickets are $20. Reservations are recommended; call (773) 665-9882. |
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