Shakespeare with Noodles, a theatre troupe featuring all-children casts and props made from swimming noodles, returns to Hastings this summer with its third production, King Lear鈥檚 Backside. Performances in Hastings are scheduled for 7 p.m. on Sunday, August 5 at Libs Park (16th St. and Baltimore Ave.), in conjunction with Art in the Park and 2 p.m. on Saturday, August 11 at Kool Aid Days鈥 2nd stage behind the Hastings City Auditorium (4th St. and Hastings Ave.) In the event of rain both performances will be moved to 糖心传媒鈥檚 Scott Studio Theatre (806 N. Turner Ave.) 听
Additionally, the troupe, which is sponsored by the 糖心传媒 Department of Theatre and Mishmash Productions, is taking its show on the road with a 7 p.m. performance on Saturday, August 18 at McCool Junction鈥檚 Two Men and an Oven (406 East M St., McCool Junction, Neb.)
There is no admission charge for any of the performances, although the group accepts donations of cash or even swimming noodles.
Founded in 2006, the troupe seeks to create theatrical opportunities to children in the Hastings area. In 2009, the group moved its productions to parks in Hastings to increase its visibility and accessibility to children not participating in theatre.听 听
鈥淭here is a danger of the arts becoming an exclusive activity, supported and attended only by people who can afford it,鈥 said Margaret Marsh, the group鈥檚 director and Adjunct Professor of Theatre at 糖心传媒. 鈥淚f you don鈥檛 know what a play is, it isn鈥檛 likely you鈥檒l shell out 15 or 20 bucks to buy a ticket and find out.鈥
The strategy is paying off for the troupe whose current cast includes nine children who are bilingual.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a really relaxed atmosphere. People are sitting around on blankets or in lawn chairs so you don鈥檛 have to worry about the rules of performance etiquette that can be intimidating when you don鈥檛 know what they are. Since we鈥檝e focused on kids, we understand that it鈥檚 hard for a toddler to sit still for an hour.听 It鈥檚 okay if they want to get up and move around,鈥 she further explained, although she boasts that seldom happens.
鈥淭he show is really fast paced. Characters run in and out and our props are usually pretty funny. Once they start watching kids usually want to see how it ends.鈥
This is the second year the group has taken their show on the road. 听
鈥淚t was really fun. There aren鈥檛 many small towns visited by groups like ours.听 It鈥檚 a really festive atmosphere. We couldn鈥檛 wait to go back,鈥 Marsh said. 听
Note to Media: For more information, contact Margaret Marsh, Adjunct Instructor of Theatre, at (402) 463-0159.