Dean Linnard

 

A Very Happy Near Year, Internet!

 

 

Another year has come and gone. As we enter 2015, I just wanted to take a moment to reflect on the many wondrous dramatic adventures I have been privileged to be a part of in the past twelve months. My solo theater piece, Hamlet: A One Man Show was produced in two different states. I toured “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” through the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. I returned to Vermont Shakespeare Company for the third consecutive Summer. And I had the great fortune this Fall to collaborate with two fantastic international arts organizations: The Old Vic Theatre in London for a week of Classical Acting Masterclasses, and the Guggenheim Museum for Wang Jianwei’s multimedia art installation “Time Temple”.

 

 

I am so very grateful for all of these wonderful and diverse opportunities.

 

 

My love and thanks to Museum Hack, the Barrow Street Theatre, the TRUF, the Chain Theatre, the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, Central Works Theater, Vermont Shakespeare Company, the Last Days of Folly Festival, the Old Vic, and the Guggenheim Museum for being my artistic homes in 2014.

 

 

I look forward to the challenges and surprises of 2015.

 

 

 

Gobble Gobble, Internet!

 

 

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

I recently took part in an industry reading of a new play by Argia Coppola.

 

 

I am also once again teaching workshops for Broadway.com’s Broadway Classroom Series. Topics include “Broadway 101” and “Acting Shakespeare”. For more information on the workshops, please click here.

 

 

 

Trick or Treat, Internet!

 

 

Happy Halloween!

 

 

Last week I got to participate in a unique multimedia performance event at the Guggenheim Museum here in New York City. I was an orator in “Spiral Ramp Library”, the performance component of a new exhibition called “Time Temple” by renowned Chinese artist Wang Jianwei. It was exhilarating to perform in Frank Lloyd Wright’s beautiful rotunda, and a true pleasure to work with the genius Wang Jianwei and the Guggenheim staff.

 

 

Click here for a video about the creation and performance of this piece, which will now be a part of the Guggenheim Museum’s permanent collection.

 

 

You’re Looking Good, Internet!

 

 

I recently had the good fortune to be selected to take part in Bloomingdale’s Classics Week. Last week I was a student in a week of masterclasses put on by the Old Vic Theatre from London as part of its Old Vic New Voices program. Since the Old Vic is currently presenting “Electra”, all the classes were concentrated on the Greek and Roman canon and the unique challenges of acting those classical texts. We had the great fortune to work with the brilliant (and triple Olivier award-winning) actress Clare Higgins, who is currently appearing in “A Delicate Balance” on Broadway, as well as the fantastic director Ian Rickson, who is currently directing Jez Butterworth’s “The River” on Broadway. It was a spectacular, inspiring educational experience. My deepest thanks to the teachers and the Old Vic staff for making it possible.

 

 

 

Nice to meet you, Internet!

 

 

After eight months of performing Shakespeare, I had a complete and wonderful departure last week when I performed in an experimental art installation in Madison Square Park here in New York City. I was part of a moving sculpture created by the brilliant Molly Lowe, with whom I collaborated last year on “Hands Off”. This new piece was part of Rachel Feinstein’s “The Last Days of Folly”, a whimsical festival of outdoor performance, music, and dance (which featured many other awesome visual and performing artists, including Sofia Coppola).

 

 

 

How’ve you been, Internet?

 

 

 

I just finished playing Demetrius in Vermont Shakespeare Company‘s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. We performed the show in three different venues, both indoors and outdoors, throughout Vermont. This season had the highest audience attendance in the company’s history and it has been my great honor to watch Vermont Shakespeare grow and evolve over the three years I’ve worked with them.

 

 

 

This year I also had the good fortune to work with Vermont Shakespeare Company’s fantastic Intern Team, teaching a Voice and Speech workshop as well as co-teaching a Business of Acting class.

 

 

 

The reviews are in! Here’s what the local papers had to say about our show:

 

 

 

“Directed by Jena Necrason, co-founder of the Vermont Shakespeare Company, this take on the play keeps the goofiness firmly intact but also lets the skilled cast show its deeper dramatic side.”

 

Brent Hallenbeck, Burlington Free Press

 

 

 

“With limber movement and mobile facial expressions, Dean Linnard finds comic riches in Demetrius, conveying the righteous romanticism and boiling-point frustration of a lover.”

 

Alex Brown, Seven Days

 

 

 

It was a complete joy to work again with so many delightful friends and artists. Thanks and love to everyone involved with putting on the show, and to everyone who came out to see us in North Hero, Shelburne, and Burlington.

 

 

 

 

Joy and Happiness to Thee, Internet!

 

 

I am writing from beautiful Burlington, Vermont where I am currently deep in rehearsals for Vermont Shakespeare Company’s Summer production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. I am playing Demetrius in a cast of 19 (!) and we are performing at three different locations in Vermont: Knight Point State Park in North Hero, The Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, and the Royall Tyler Theatre at the University of Vermont in Burlington. I am truly delighted to be working with this fantastic company for the third consecutive Summer. Tickets and more information can be found here.

 

 

Also, I couldn’t help but notice that my theatrical endeavors this year are falling into an interesting pattern: In January I performed in “Hamlet: A One Man Show” at the Chain Theatre in New York. Then I did “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for six months with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Shakespeare Live! tour followed by “Hamlet: A One Man Show” again at the Central Works Theatre in California. And now I am doing “Midsummer” once again. So this year has been “Hamlet”, “Midsummer”, “Hamlet”, Midsummer”.

 

 

Curious … and wonderful.

 

 

 

Long Time No See, Internet!

 

 

It’s a time of beginnings and endings. Two weeks ago I finished my six month tour with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Shakespeare LIVE! program. I played Bottom in a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” that performed in 70 different elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, libraries, senior centers, and community centers. Our tour reached more than 20,000 audience members over five states. In the end we traveled over 7,300 miles! It was an extraordinary experience, challenging and rewarding in equal measure. I would like to thank artistic director Bonnie J. Monte, director of education Brian B. Crowe, and especially our tireless tour manager Jackie Mariani for making the last six months such a joy.

 

 

Yesterday I had the great pleasure to take part in a reading of a new musical called “Link in a Chain” written by Alison Luterman and Loren Linnard.

 

 

And this Thursday, “Hamlet: A One-Man Show” is being produced for the forth time. It will be presented at the Central Works Theater in the Berkeley City Club in Berkeley, California. The Berkeley City Club is a gorgeous, 85 year-old building designed by renowned architect Julia Morgan. It is truly an extraordinary opportunity to be able to perform “Hamlet” is an actual castle! It also makes me very happy to return this particular production to the San Francisco Bay Area, where it originated two and a half years ago. The one-night-only event is already sold out, but there will be a waitlist. For more information, please click here.

 

 

And finally, tickets are now on sale for Vermont Shakespeare Company’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in which I will be playing Demetrius. The show goes up in multiple locations in Vermont in August. More info is here.

 

 

 

May The Force Be With You, Internet!

 

 

I’m very excited to finally be able to share my Summer plans for 2014. I will be participating in three different theatrical projects in the months to come.

 

 

First off, in June I will be taking part in a reading of a new musical by Alison Luterman and Loren Linnard. Alison Luterman is a playwright, essayist, and poet whose third book of poetry, “Desire Zoo”, was recently published by Tia Chucha Press. Loren Linnard is an accomplished musician and composer, whose previous compositions include the scores to several musicals and the opera “Least of My Children”. I can’t wait to workshop their new piece.

 

 

Also in June, “Hamlet” returns! My solo show adaptation of “Hamlet” is being produced again, this time for one night only at the Central Works Theater in the historic Berkeley City Club in California. This is the forth time “Hamlet: A One Man Show” has been produced, and the second time this year. I feel overjoyed to be bringing “Hamlet” back to California, where it was originally developed two years ago.

 

 

And finally, in July I will be returning to Vermont Shakespeare Company for the third consecutive year, this time to play Demetrius in their Summer production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. I have previously appeared in “The Tempest” and “A Winter’s Tale” with this fantastic company, and I am so thrilled to be returning to Burlington and to work once more with all of their wonderful artists.

 

 

It promises to be a Summer of adventures and excitement!

 

 

Ill Met By Moonlight, Internet!

 

 

I am reporting to you once again from the beautiful town of Madison, New Jersey where I am working with the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. I am a member of their education touring company, Shakespeare LIVE! The program has reached more than half a million students since it was founded in 1997 and I am proud to continue its legacy.

 

 

I have also recently begun leading workshops for the Shakespeare Theatre, helping to introduce young people to Shakespeare’s language in a dynamic and physical way.

 

 

We have another public performance coming up at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s gorgeous home, the F. M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre in Madison. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will be performed there on Saturday April 12th at noon. Tickets are available at the Shakespeare Theatre’s website.