Raising the Art of

Fine Arts in the SCV

The Santa Clarita
Shakespeare Festival
By Laurel Davis

All the worlds a stage,

And all the men and women merely players.
They have their exits and entrances,
And one man in his time plays many parts
William Shakespeare, As You Like It
Considered the greatest (and most quoted) playwright of all time,
William Shakespeare penned a total of 37 plays, 154 sonnets,
two narrative poems and two lost plays. The people behind the
Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival want to share these works in
new and engaging ways with the residents of this valley.
The Santa Clarita Shakespeare Festival (SCSF) is a locally
based, not-for-profit fine arts theater company with a mission to
enhance residents exposure to and appreciation for the value of
Fine Arts right here in our own backyard.
The Festival does this through a variety of live productions,
other performing arts, educational programs and event services to
other arts companies and organizations, and with the full support
of the City of Santa Clarita, the Los Angeles Department of
Cultural Affairs, local businesses, and many residents and local
politicians.
Since 2009, the SCSF has been offering free outdoor
Shakespeare productions every summer at the Rivendale field in
Towsley Canyon Park (on The Old Road, west of the 5 Freeway,
exit Calgrove). Rivendale is the site of a former equestrian center
that was purchased by the City of Santa Clarita to block a landfill
deeper into Towsley Canyon. In 2013, the City Council approved
a master plan for Rivendale Park and Open Space that will
include the construction of a 300-400 seat amphitheater, while
keeping the majority of the sites 60 acres in its natural state.
Until then, residents and visitors have so far been more than
happy to BYOBC (Bring Your Own Beach Chair) and enjoy
fun, re-interpretive productions of Shakespeare in the Park and
other live, Fine Art performances.
The 2015 summer season at Rivendale will be an expansion of
Shakespeare in the Park with the L.A. SummerFEST, an eclectic
cultural series featuring diverse genres of live music concerts, as
well as Shakespeare theater productions, running from Friday,
July 10th through Friday, August 7th. Many of the festival-type
events will include music, cultural performances, demonstrations,
dancing, arts & crafts, food trucks and other family fun.
An Opening Night Dinner and Gala will be held on Friday,
July 10th, with the Mayor and other Santa Clarita Valley notables
expected to be in attendance. Part of the nights celebratory
agenda is to honor a special Fine Arts patron in our community

with induction of the SCSFs Lord Chamberlain. Historically, the

Lord Chamberlain is the senior officer of the Royal Household in
the United Kingdom, in charge of overseeing business, advising
on personnel, organizing ceremonial events and similar functions.
Lord Chamberlain was also the name of William Shakespeares
theater company.
Following Opening Night, the L.A. SummerFESTs 2015
events will include:
Latin Music and Cultural Festival, Saturday, July 11th
In association with De Mi Suenos Cultural Arts Program.
Includes the premiere work by CREZCA TEATRO.
AmericanaFOLKFest, Sunday, July 12th
RENFest and Opening of Shakespeare in the Park,
Saturday, July 18th 12th Night the Musical where
Shakespeare meets the Indy Rock Scene, with originally
composed music. Other performances will be July 19th,
25th and 26th, and August 15th and 16th.
Santa Clarita Youth Orchestra Under the Stars,
Thursday, July 23rd Box dinner.
REP East Players/Rock & Roll Broadway, Friday, July
24th With Leslie Berra. Proceeds to support the SCSFs
educational outreach program.
A Night at the Opera, Friday, July 31st Classic opera
and classical Broadway, presented in association with
Center Stage Opera.
West Coast Bluesfest, Saturday, August 1st The only
West Coast celebration of International Blues Music Day.
Presented in association with the SCV Blues Society.
Gospel Gumbo, Friday, August 7th In association with
members of our local faith community.
Once More Unto the Breach, Saturday and Sunday,
August 8th and 9th Premiere of the SCSFs original
cutting of Shakespeares musings on conflict, honor and
bravery. This production will also tour regionally at senior
citizen and community centers.
The ongoing success of SCSFs Shakespeare in the Park
program is due in large part to the caliber of directors, producers
and other trained professionals who are all highly educated and
experienced in their related Fine Arts fields.
Executive Director Davis Stears has more than 30 years of

JUNE 2015

experience in live theatre as an actor,

director and producer. For 20 of those years,
he has provided industry-recognized arts
education outreach programs, including for
California Institute of the Arts and College
of the Canyons. David has a Masters
Degree in Public Administration and holds a
Designation in Arts Education from the Los
Angeles County Arts Commission and Music Center Education
Division. A Canyon Country resident, he is currently an Associate
Adjunct Instructor and the Director of the New Works Festival at
COC.
Luck Hari is the SCFSs Artist in
Residence and Associate Artistic Director.
She has worked extensively as an actor,
director and choreographer, and has played
lead roles in everything from Shakespeare
to Moliere to Chekhov with a variety of
reputable arts organizations. She was also
Associate Artistic Director with The Circle X
Theatre Company in Hollywood. In addition,
Luck is a seasoned television and film actress, appearing regularly
on such shows as Frazier, Everybody Loves Raymond, The
Bernie Mac Show and JAG, among many others. She holds
a Bachelor of Arts degree from UCLAs School of Theatre, Film
and Television, and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Drama from
UC Irvine. Lastly, she is a member of SAG, AFTRA and AEA.
The SCFS also draws upon the talent of local students for its
productions. The organizations educational outreach programs
include touring of a one-hour version of Romeo & Juliet among
our valleys various high schools during the year.
There is also the High School Summer Apprentice Company, a
program that allows students to gain experiences in all facets of
live theater production. Students learn from trained professionals
in performance and technical theater by working with the L.A.
SummerFEST, participating in the Shakespeare in the Park main
stage productions, and producing their own piece for performance.
This summers High School Apprentice Company production will
be Shakespeares Once More Unto the Breach on August 8th
and 9th, directed by Luck Hari.

Summer workshops for the High School Apprentice Company

include Shakespearean Text, Clowning, Stage Combat, Voice for
the Actor, Improv Like a Pro, Beginning Voice-Over, Beginning
Producing, and Lights & Sound.
SCSF sponsorship queries can be sent to davidstears@
scschakespearefest.org. For more information about Opening
Night, including ticket costs in support of the High School
Summer Apprentice Company, call 799-3378, or send an email
to info@LASummerFEST.org. The Apprentice Company can
also be followed on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/
SCSFApprenticeCompany.
Make plans for the whole family and your friends to BYOBC
to Shakespeare in the Park/L.A. SummerFEST at Rivendale in
Towsley Canyon this summer!

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