Page 4 - WashingtonCo Summer Arts 2019

4 WASHINGTON COUNTY ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT GUIDE JUNE 2019 — AUGUST 2019
THE BARD
Culture
in Beaverton
Experience the world of Shakespeare during an immersive festival that brings Elizabethan England to life, with meat pies, swordfights, a dinner with the Queen and, of course, the Bard
Residents in Washington County are being transported back to the 16th century with this summer’s Westside
Shakespeare Festival.
Brought to life by Experience
Theatre Project in Beaverton, the three-day celebration brings a feast fit for a queen (or king) and activities for the whole family.
Not only can attendees wander the grounds, but visitors can see a free Shakespeare play. This year’s performance is “Comedy of Errors,” beginning on Friday, June 28 at 7:30 p.m.
on the Beaverton Library’s south lawn, 12375 S.W. Fifth St., Beaverton, and 7:30
p.m. on Saturday, June
29 and Sunday, June 30 at 2 p.m.
“Comedy of Errors” is one of Shakespeare’s earliest works, and celebrates the art of slapstick humor and
tropes like mistaken identity.
Alisa Stewart is the artistic director for the Experience Theatre Project, and preparing for its summer is keeping her busy.
“You’ll be immersed
in 1594, where one of our
mission is to have an
experience,” Stewart said. “You
are not of your world right now and we are removing you from your reality and placing it into ours.”
Vendors with Shakespearean goods will be there, actors showing iconic scenes from theater and musicians even Queen Elizabeth would like.
Visitors can purchase tokens, that when handed over to an actor roaming the festival, will perform and show off a talent.
“There are so many tie-ins to the tradition of performance,” Stewart said. “This is what makes this event a lot more special.”
There will be time to see a sword fighting workshop by Academia
Duellatoria, be inspired by Tudor- inspired art, Elizabethan
meat-and-vegetable pies from Mrs. Lovett’s Pie
stand, then grab a pint of ale at the over-21
pop-up pub (“The Elephant”), which will feature Oregon wines, a variety of Oregon microbrews
and mead.
“This is a way to
bring people into the world of Shakespeare,”
she said. “Our real crowning jewel of this is ‘Comedy of Errors.’”
On Saturday, June 29, The Queen’s Feast is ready to
entertain, and is the only part of the event that
requires a ticket. Guests are
encouraged to dress in the time period’s clothing, but it is not required to have fun.
Featuring an authentic meal with a
roasted pig, festival visitors will be treated as
royalty, with the presentation promised to be
elaborate and include multiple courses — and even an actor dressed as Queen Elizabeth will “approve” of the feast, just before the Saturday night performance illuminate the library lawn.
The immersive experience is
TOP: 2017’s production of “The Tempest.” BOTTOM: The Beaverton library’s outdoor seating area is known as The Round, and though it isn’t quite Shakespeare’s Globe, it’s a pleasant setting for ourdoor performances. “Comedy of Errors” begins June 28. INSETS: Scenes from last summer’s “Taming and the Shrew.” COURTESY PHOTOS