Shakespeare Santa Cruz will present two benefit performances of Shakespeare’s Labors In Love, an original piece written and performed by Oregon Shakespeare Festival actors Michael Elich and Robin Goodrin Nordli, on November 20 and 21 at UCSC's Second Stage theater.
Shakespeare’s Labors In Love was developed by Nordli and Elich for “Shakespeare at Sea,” an Oregon Shakespeare Festival-sponsored cruise through the Panama Canal on the Holland America Cruise Line in 2007. The two-person performance piece takes a sophisticated, yet humorous look at the love relationships in Shakespeare’s plays.
The benefit performances for SSC will mark only the second time this original piece has been performed. Nordli and Elich have tailored the production to SSC audiences, which includes the addition of 15 minutes of new material.
“We have a huge respect and love of the classics, especially Shakespeare, and enjoy the opportunity to explore it in different ways,” said Nordli. “We are also big fans of SSC and want to help it grow and prosper in these troubled economic times; we need the arts more than ever right now,” added Nordli.
Nordli and Elich are longtime company members at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival where they worked with SSC artistic director Marco Barricelli, during his tenure as an actor at OSF.
“It is an incredible pleasure to introduce Robin and Michael to our Santa Cruz audience,” said Barricelli. “They are two of the finest actors in America and are both extremely well versed in the Shakespearean canon.”
The proceeds from Shakespeare’s Labors In Love will support SSC artistic and educational programs, including SSC’s internship program, as well as the SSC/UCSC Theater Arts Department collaboration Shakespeare to Go, a regional touring program that brings Shakespeare to over 7000 students annually in grades 5-12.
TICKET INFORMATION
Performances will be held November 20 at 6:30 p.m., and November 21 at 1:30 p.m. All tickets are $50. For more information, visit www.shakespearesantacruz.org or call the UCSC Ticket Office at(831) 459-2159. Tickets are also available for sale at the Civic Center Auditorium Box Office in downtown Santa Cruz.
