For the City Times

Hamlet, Juliet, Macbeth and Vanda will strut the stage on the opening weekend of the Central Wisconsin festival ARTi Gras, running March 9-18.

Hamlet, Juliet and Macbeth are three of Shakespeare’s most iconic creations, and will be featured in the ARTi Gras festival’s opening evening, along side a champagne reception and an evening of excerpts from Shakespeare’s greatest hits performed by the Prague Shakespeare Company.

The following two nights, Vanda takes the stage as the Prague Shakespeare Company presents David Ives’ award-winning play “Venus in Fur”. The company concludes its week-long residency with its Unlocking Shakespeare Acting Workshop on Sunday, March 12.

The opening night reception on Thursday, March 9, and the performances of “Venus in Fur” on Friday, March 10, and Saturday, March 11, all begin at 7:00 p.m. at the Wisconsin Rapids Community Theatre. The Shakespeare Workshop takes place on Sunday, March 12 from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the Studio Theatre at the Wisconsin Rapids Community Theatre.

According to Broadway World, Prague Shakespeare Company’s production of “Venus in Fur” is:

“…the sexiest and most thought-provoking play you can see — the actors are the true glory of this production.”

The original Broadway production was nominated for the 2010/2011 Tony Award and received the Tony that year for Best Actress.

“It’s very exciting to have a group of this caliber coming to Central Wisconsin,” said ARTi Gras Festival Director Cathy Meils. “The Prague Shakespeare Company has received acclaim for its productions in Europe and America. Guy Roberts, the founder of Prague Shakespeare Company, is an in-demand director, actor and teacher of Shakespeare, and the performance by actress Jessica Boone in “Venus in Fur” has made it one of their most outstanding productions.”

Guy Roberts leads the Unlocking Shakespeare Acting Workshop, an introduction to unlocking the secrets in Shakespeare’s plays for actors and audiences alike. Space is limited, and advanced reservations are recommended.

Tickets are available at the Wisconsin Rapids Community Theatre, located in the Rapids Mall. For more information call WRCT at 715-421-0435 or visit the ARTi Gras website, www.wrctheatre.org/artigras.