Speakeysie News Service

Shakespeare Out of a Hat started out as a late night Tavern event pre-pandemic. The company wanted to stretch their Shakespeare chops by performing a full-length Shakespeare play with no preparation and no prior knowledge of the play they would do nor who would play what part until 2 minutes before curtain. It quickly became a Tavern favorite event we have done three or four times a  year to sold out houses. A  couple of years ago we decided to make the play known in advance, but not the parts. Actors do have scripts in their hands and they are not allowed to play parts they have done in the past. If a scene calls for a fight, stage management will yell out a non-combat prompt such as “Mean Girl insult each other” or “Dance Off!” And yes, sometimes one of the actor’s dogs will be integrated into the show. 

We decided to start the year off with a weekend of Out of a Hat performances, a different play each night, so patrons can see all three in one weekend if they like. You never know what’s going to happen, but it’s always going to be hilarious.

Schedule:

Thursday January 2, 2025: Much Ado About Nothing
Friday January 3, 2025: A Comedy of Errors
Saturday January 4, 2025: Twelfth Night