Delaware Shakespeare Festival will partner with Faithful Friends Animal Society (www.faithfulfriends.us) for their next production, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, July 12-28th at New Castle County’s Rockwood Park.
The local no-kill shelter, now in their 13th year of operation, provides rescue and adoption services for cats and dogs, as well as outreach services such as Pet Therapy, a program that provides therapeutic visits with animals to local nursing homes, special needs facilities and schools. The organization will select adoptable dogs to play the role of Crab. Certified therapy dogs may also be featured in the production.
Jane Pierantozzi, Executive Director FFAS: “Faithful Friends is honored to partner with Delaware Shakespeare Festival and to have this unique opportunity to promote our dogs in the role of Crab. Our dogs don’t have much stage experience, but they have a lot of personality and we know they will win over the audience.”
The production, taking place outdoors at Rockwood Park, is a wonderful opportunity to gather friends and family (and a picnic) and enjoy Shakespeare’s youthful romantic comedy under the stars.
David Stradley, DSF Artistic Director: “DSF is thrilled to partner with Faithful Friends Animal Society to put several different Crabs on stage, and to try get those dogs adopted. The Two Gentlemen of Verona is a play about friendship and the sometimes fickle nature of friendships between human beings. Through it all, the canine character of Crab is there as wonderful reminder of what true friendship is. It makes perfect sense then that Faithful Friends is our partner on this production.”
Working with a dog is bound to create some memorable moments – and perhaps a bit of unpredictability as well. Griffin Stanton-Ameisen (Launce) is enthusiastic about working with a dog in this year’s production and is up for the challenge. “Working with a dog is a wonderful x-factor. I think it will be a wonderful challenge and will make things change so much moment to moment. Hopefully the dog and I can become great friends and develop an understanding that together we are telling a story. Whether he is game for telling that story, as he or she will not truly know that story, will make for some fun on the stage. And as Launce is a clown I think it will create really great stakes if the dog doesn’t want to cooperate. Hopefully the dog and I will share laughs, commiserate and make the audience fall in love with us!”
Contact:
David Stradley, Artistic Director, DSF
302-415-3373 / david@delshakes.org
Jane Pierantozzi, Executive Director, FFAS
302-507-2685 / jane@faithfulfriends.us
