If you are someone who enjoys local theater and the great outdoors, you may want to catch the Helderberg Theater Festival, the second half of which takes place at Indian Ladder Farms this weekend, with double-feature performances on Aug. 3, 4 and 5. A special performance of Othello only will be held at 8 p.m. Aug. 2.
The festival is put on by Classic Theater Guild Inc. and features a little something for everyone with two well-known plays; William Shakespeare’s `Othello` for a more mature crowd, and J. M. Barrie’s `Peter Pan` for children.
Classic Theater Guild Inc., which is in its fourth year of production, typically puts on shows at the Hilton Center in Albany, including the production of `One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest` in March, which started at The Hilton Center and finished up at WAMC in Albany for its last weekend. Previous shows at the Hilton include `Auntie Mame` directed by Glenn Read in March 2006, `The Brady Bunch` directed by Debbie Conti last summer at Voorheesville Elementary School, and the Shakespeare production `As You Like It, ` which was directed by Ed Bablin and took place outdoors at a Voorheesville Park.
The Helderberg Theater Festival performances are not the first outdoor productions put on by Classic Theater Guild, according to Amanda Stankavich, a former director at the Guild and currently an artistic director. She said company president Ed Bablin had Indian Ladder Farms in mind for a more unique and scenic venue for the summer.
`Ed loves the country landscape, and he always had gusto for conjunction with them for a free, outdoor event,` she said.
The event is the first of its kind at Indian Ladder Farms, a large farmers marketplace with a restaurant and cafE. Though Indian Ladder puts on several festivals of its own throughout the year, this is the first theater-related event they?ve had on their grounds.
However, the setting they provide offers an interesting variety for viewers: `Peter Pan` takes place on a semi-erected stage on a large lawn area outside an apple orchard, and `Othello` takes place in a round arena inside an herb garden.
Stankavich said another idea for the festival was to have two very different shows that would appeal to a variety of audiences.
`We wanted to hit both points, something lighthearted and more traditional for the family, and something more dramatic,` she said.
The first show of the night, the children’s classic `Peter Pan,` directed by Jane Nielson, fits into the lighthearted category and has a children’s cast. According to Nielson, who wanted `Peter Pan` to be as fun as possible, the show is full of different characters and actions, and a fair amount of dialogue.
Nielson, who is a first-time director for the Classic Theater Guild, has directed children’s theater in the past and said she thinks the children’s involvement with `Peter Pan` was a healthy experience for them.
`These kids have been using their imagination, they’re not on the computer or playing a video game, or using a lot of technology,` she said.
`Othello,` Shakespeare’s tragedy about a warrior thrust into the battlefield of his own mind when a man masquerading as his best friend turns his life into a web of lies, is geared toward a more mature audience. `Othello` is suspenseful story about race relations, war and jealousy.
The Helderberg Theater Festival at Indian Ladder Farms, which began last week, is a free event.
Performances of `Peter Pan` will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 3-5; `Othello` will be held at 8 p.m. Friday-Sunday, Aug. 3-5, with a special performance on Thursday, Aug. 2.“