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A midsummer dream
By JORGE SANCHEZ
© St. Petersburg Times, Shakespeare fans are in for a double bill this weekend as the annual Shakespeare in the Hills festival begins its summer run at the Citrus County Art League. The plays are As You Like It and Othello. They will be presented in rotation, with As You Like It at 7:30 p.m. today, Saturday, Aug. 3 and Aug. 11 and 2:30 p.m. Aug. 5. Othello performances are at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 4 and Aug. 12, and at 7:30 p.m. Aug. 4 and Aug. 10. Veteran art league director Pat Lewkowicz directs Othello. She has directed a play in each of the six seasons of the Shakespeare festival. Lewkowicz said directing a young contemporary cast in such an old play is not as difficult as it seems. "These kids catch on very quickly," she said. Bruce Bellamy is the lead actor in Othello, which also features Autumn Siegel as Desdemona, Micheil McKelvey as Yago and Emily Bauer as Amelia. The Othello cast features several veteran actors, such as Bellamy, who starred in Driving Miss Daisy last season; McKelvey, who portrayed Hamlet in last year's festival; and Siegel, who at age 13, already has a 5-year resume in community theater. "The experienced actors also help in coaching the newer ones," Lewkowicz said. Jerry Rust directs As You Like It, a comedic farce. He has directed about a dozen plays at the art league, and this is his second time directing a Shakespeare play. "It's really fun directing kids in Shakespeare. I'm amazed at the amount of interest they show and how quickly they pick up the plot," Rust said. Lead actors in As You Like It include Erica Hulbert as Rosalind, Josh Rigdon as Orlando and Jason Varkett as Touchstone. The art league is at 2644 N Annapolis Ave., Hernando (off County Road 486). The plays are presented in three-quarter round style, which means the audience is seated on three sides of the auditorium, and the action takes place on the center floor and stage. Tickets for a single show are $8 in advance and $9 at the door. Both shows are $12 in advance and $13 at the door. Students are $5 for single shows and $8 for both shows. Box office hours are 1 to 4 p.m Tuesday through Friday. Call 746-7606.
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