There was a star danced, and under that was I born.
- Much Ado About Nothing, Act II, Scene 1
With 'As You Like It'On Monday, we received a gift basket from one of our colleagues at the Cleveland Museum of Art, who happens to be my previous boss in the development department. the note attached reading "Happy 50th Birthday, Great Lakes! - July 11, 1961."
Shakespeare Festival Is Off to Good Start
By Peter Bellamy
The Cleveland Plain Dealer, Thursday, July 12, 1962
If the production of "As You Like It" which opened at Lakewood Civic Auditorium last night, is any indication, things bode well for the popularity and success of the six Shakespearean plays to be presented by the suburb's Great Lakes Shakespeare Festival this summer.
The action is played lustily and moves swiftly. Male members of the cast, indeed, seem to sprint off stage, rather than walk, with an infectious joy of living. The wrestling match of the play is executed with crunching bodily contact and is an realistic, if not more so, as anything you'll ever see at the Arena.
As in so many modern productions of Shakespeare, producer Arthur Lithgow has foregone scenery for the visual and auditory effects of costume, lighting and music. The latter is in the Elizabethan period style and written by John Duffy, festival music director.
Read the complete review.
Yes, of course. In fact, earlier that day I had been grinding over a final report and happened to read the date of incorporation for our theater company, but hadn't connected that the day. In all the preparation for our 50th Season, the date itself didn't register. And as you can see, the first play came a full year later.
But, in any event - Happy 50th Birthday, Great Lakes. Happy birthday, indeed.
