The University of Maine at Presque Isle will host Shakespeare LIVE!, a theater troupe that has performed for more than half a million students since its inception in 1997, for a performance of one of the Bard’s great comedies. The Comedy of Errors will be performed in the Auditorium at Wieden Hall on Friday, April 13 at 7 p.m. One of Shakespeare’s beloved comedies, The Comedy of Errors is best experienced as the playwright intended—live on stage. The public is invited to attend this special, family-friendly event; donations will be accepted at the door to go toward future cultural arts programming.

As the educational touring wing of The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Shakespeare LIVE! productions are hailed as innovative, visually stunning, and accessible to students. While the texts are abridged, the troupe prides itself on keeping Shakespeare’s language intact and delivering performances that are dynamic and appealing, exciting and engaging, and witty and imaginative.

In this particular Shakespeare comedy, two sets of identical twins, mistaken identities, colorful characters, and a madcap chase sequence conspire to make this caper a thrill for people of all ages. The Shakespeare Theatre’s Director of Education Brian B. Crowe directs The Comedy of Errors.

Audience members who would like to learn more about the play, its characters and their motivations, and its historical background, are invited to stay after the April 13 performance and enjoy a short talk-back with troupe members.

Through special arrangement, the troupe also will offer a theater workshop at UMPI ahead of their performance to provide area high school students with a unique and engaging opportunity to learn about Shakespeare’s work.

Shakespeare LIVE! is supported by Shakespeare in American Communities, a national program of The National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest. In 2004, Shakespeare LIVE! was selected as one of 22 professional theater companies nationwide to participate in the Shakespeare in American Communities: Shakespeare for a New Generation program, bringing high-quality, professional productions of Shakespeare’s plays to thousands of middle- and high-school students in underserved schools across the United States. For more information about Shakespeare for a New Generation, please visit www.ShakespeareInAmericanCommunities.org.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s programs are made possible, in part, by funding from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State, a Partner of the National Endowment for the Arts.  Additional major support is received from The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, F. M. Kirby Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, The Edward T. Cone Foundation, Bank of America, CTW Foundation, and The Blanche and Irving Laurie Foundation, a grant from Investors Foundation, as well as contributions from numerous corporations, foundations, government agencies, and individuals. For more information about the Shakespeare Theater of New Jersey, visit www.shakespearenj.org.

The public is invited to attend this special performance; donations will be accepted at the door to assist with future cultural events. The troupe has asked that audience members please be seated five minutes before the program begins. No recording during the play is allowed. For more information, please call UMPI’s Community and Media Relations Office at (207) 768-9452 or email umpi@maine.edu.