Princeton Rep Shakespeare must look for new venue.
By: David Campbell
Princeton Rep Shakespeare Festival is seeking to salvage its summer 2005 production of William Shakespeare’s comedy "The Tempest" after efforts to bring the play to Pettoranello Gardens amphitheater at Community Park North fell through.
Princeton Rep Artistic Director Victoria Liberatori said Monday that the curtailed schedule that Princeton’s joint recreation board and Recreation Department offered to the professional Shakespeare company this year made it virtually impossible for the 2005 season to go forward with the amphitheater as its venue.
"We did not make a decision to cancel, we were left with no alternative," Ms. Liberatori said. "We sincerely apologize to all our audience members who have been calling and e-mailing us, asking us when they can come and see free Shakespeare."
However, Ms. Liberatori said Princeton Rep has not given up hope of securing a new venue for "The Tempest" this summer. She said the Shakespeare company is now in talks to mount the festival at a new location, but said she could not disclose further details at this time.
In a recent e-mail sent by Princeton Rep to Princeton Recreation Director Jack Roberts and other Princeton officials, the repertory company stated that the terms of the 2005 contract presented by recreation officials did not meet the company’s scheduling, sponsorship or artistic requirements.
Princeton Rep went on to state in its e-mail that sharing its equipment and stage with New Jersey Opera Theater for two NJOT performances in early August "was never a major stumbling block or significant consideration in our decision-making process," and it claimed that issue had already been resolved.
Last week, Mr. Roberts cited scheduling conflicts and Princeton Rep’s willingness to permit NJOT to use its lighting and sound system as outstanding issues over use of the amphitheater this year.
Mr. Roberts went on to say last week that the amphitheater is in greater demand than ever with events like the Thomas Sweet Outdoor Cinema program and the outdoor opera performances, and said recreation officials want to make it available to a range of groups, including the Shakespeare festival.
He said last week that Princeton Rep would like to see Pettoranello Gardens become its permanent summer home, but said that the Rep’s typical summer schedule of two Shakespeare productions of about four weeks each, as well as rehearsals, poses challenges to making the space available to other groups. Under discussion for the 2005 season was one extended series of performances of "The Tempest" that would have run six weeks instead of four.
Princeton Rep expressed surprise in its recent e-mail that its customary two-play season at the amphitheater was "in jeopardy of being eliminated from the Princeton Recreation Department’s new master plan" for the amphitheater.
Ms. Liberatori said Monday that the goal for any arts organization, including Princeton Rep, is to grow and said that the prospect of curtailed performances and lack of a permanent home makes that difficult.
"All Princeton Rep has ever wanted is a place where we can present our productions," she said. "The ultimate goal is to grow, not take steps backward. I don’t see that they have recognized the commitment of time, money and good will that we have brought into this space."
Mr. Roberts on Monday confirmed that he received Princeton Rep’s e-mail notification, but said: "We stand ready to talk with them in earnest for next year’s schedule."
He expressed regret that the festival will not be held at Pettoranello this summer, but said Princeton recreation officials hope to accommodate Princeton Rep next summer as well as any other groups who wish to use the amphitheater.
Princeton Rep has mounted its free outdoor summer festival at the amphitheater since 2000. Last summer featured performances of Shakespeare’s "Romeo and Juliet" and "Much Ado About Nothing."
The professional Shakespeare company and Princeton’s joint recreation board and Recreation Department have wrangled in the past over the company’s use of the theater as its annual venue. The festival’s outdoor summertime performances are popular and draw large crowds, and have garnered favorable reviews in national publications.
But the large crowds that turned out for the Rep’s first season at the amphitheater in 2000 raised concerns by Princeton officials about parking, public safety, and electrical and other infrastructure needs at the theater.
The 2001 summer season was canceled because the issues were not resolved. But the festival resumed in 2002 after Princeton Rep and Princeton officials worked to upgrade the facility and provide additional parking and shuttle service to the site.