Kentucky Shakespeare has remained committed to the vision of bringing the works of William Shakespeare to the Louisville area for 61 years. This has allowed them to become an integral part of the local arts community and treasured by generations of Louisvillians. This year, with the support of the National Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest, they continue the tradition of presenting the works of Shakespeare on their spring tour. The tour will present Romeo and Juliet.
LEO caught up with Associate Artistic Director of Kentucky Shakespeare Amy Attaway to discuss the tour and the precautions they are taking to keep their actors and audience safe. As always, Kentucky Shakespeare performances are free and open to the public.
LEO: Tell us about the spring tour of Romeo and Juliet. Amy Attaway: We were slated to go to 28 parks last year, pending all the permitting and were still waiting for [it], from Metro parks. Were very hopeful that its going to come through, but it hasnt yet. So I have to say asterisk. There was a potential that we might not get the permits to do this. If all that comes through, then well go to 23 this year.
Were going to some places that arent Metro parks. Were going to go to several schools in person; some schools, via livestream. And, we also just recorded it this weekend for schools. Theyre getting a pre-recorded version.
Are the Indiana performances new? So, we have for the past Im not sure if they did it the first year for the past many years, been going to the Southern Indiana parks. So in this year they were the first ones that we got booked because you know, their restrictions across the river were less harsh than they are here. I shouldnt say harsh. But, anyway, so they were the first ones to get us on the books. Were going to Corydon, in Jeffersonville and New Albany, um, in April and May, late April. . . early May. Then were also going to Richmond, Indiana, which is a lot further away because thats where Richmond Shakespeare is. They bring us into that.
What are the safety measures? Ill talk about the audience perspective, first. People who have been coming to the tours for a long time, the difference that theyll see is that well have some extra staff on hand. Well be helping people socially distance in their pods.
Well ask the audience to wear masks. Um, we, wont be super strict about enforcing that, because its outdoors. People who are up close to the performers, well ask that they wear masks, and well have hand sanitizer stations all around. From the performers perspective, we rehearsed in masks, almost exclusively right up until the end. Weve very cautions about hand sanitizer and we share props as little as possible.
Most of the cast has now had at least one vaccine. Were on the way to having the cast vaccinated.
Why Romeo and Juliet? We programmed this play long before anybody had ever heard of COVID-19. So. . . but being in this time and being with this play, with these words, Im hearing it in all these new and wonderful ways. And thats another big thing about Shakespeare. The other thing that Ive heard more acutely than I have before is just the desire to be in contact, and people preventing you from being together with each other, you know, theres this mysterious reason. You dont understand that you cant be around people or, you know, a person, specifically, in the case of Romeo and Juliet, but nobody in the play really understands what the families are fighting about.
Socially distanced performances of Romeo and Juliet kick off on Saturday, April 17 at The Maples Park in Crestwood.