Princeton Rep Shakespeare Festival holding public reading event Sunday.
By: David Campbell
Princetonians will have the opportunity to take the stage with their favorite sonnets, songs and monologues by the Bard at the annual "Shakespeare in the Square Shakespear-e-thon" to be held Sunday at the Palmer Square green in downtown Princeton Borough.
Princeton Rep Shakespeare Festival organizes the public-reading event, which is in its third year now, in cooperation with Palmer Square Management. The first Shakespear-e-thon was held at Triumph Brewing Company on Nassau Street, and last year it was held in the Nassau Inn.
This year, Princeton Rep Founding Artistic Director Victoria Liberatori said, it will take place under tents on the Palmer Square green, which means Princeton will get its dose of Shakespeare this weekend come rain or shine.
Local residents, students, merchants and art and poetry lovers are invited to take the stage to read or perform their favorite songs, sonnets, soliloquies and scenes from Shakespeare’s works.
The event, which will run from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday, is being held in commemoration of the poet’s 441st birthday. Shakespeare’s date of birth is April 23, 1564.
Ms. Liberatori said the Rep is calling it a "BYOB" event "Bring Your Own Bard." She said participants needn’t be professional actors or Shakespearean scholars. And she said that Elizabethan dress, while certainly not mandatory, is nevertheless welcomed as well.
"We’re trying to provide an open mike for the community," she continued. "The objective is to bring together as many Shakespeare and poetry lovers as possible. We want everybody to feel comfortable to perform a sonnet, song or monologue that is close to their hearts."
David Newton, vice president of Palmer Square Management, will be returning this year as the host of the event. Last year, he turned out in full Elizabethan gear, complete with stockings and big floppy hat. Mr. Newton said he doesn’t plan on dressing up again this year.
"Definitely not," he said Wednesday. "I couldn’t stand all the teasing and heckling I got last year. My skin is only so thick."
He said the Shakespear-e-thon promises to draw visitors to the square and local stores and to bring out the ham in Princeton’s local bards.
"It’s amazing when a microphone is put in front of somebody. They rise to the occasion or sink to the depths," Mr. Newton said. "The personas become so totally different. It ends up being very, very fun."
Princeton Rep Shakespeare Festival is organizing the 2005 season of its free outdoor summer festival, which since 2000 has been held in the amphitheater of Pettoranello Gardens at Community Park North in Princeton Township.
Last summer, the Rep mounted performances of Shakespeare’s plays "Romeo and Juliet" and "Much Ado About Nothing."
Anyone interested in reading, performing or singing at the event Sunday may reserve a slot by calling Princeton Rep Shakespeare Festival at (609) 921-3682. Slots will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis. Princeton Rep staffers are available to help interested parties who need assistance choosing selections to read, Princeton Rep said.

