Still Dreaming: Shakespeare with Seniors

Folger Shakespeare Library: Shakespeare Unlimited

Folger Shakespeare Library

Arts

4.8 • 879 Ratings

🗓️ 24 July 2018

⏱️ 33 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

In 2011, Ben Steinfeld and Noah Brody, co-directors of New York’s Fiasco Theater, were invited to an assisted living facility and nursing home just outside New York City to work with its residents on a production of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream." Because it was The Lillian Booth Actors Home—a facility filled with retired singers, actors, dancers and musicians—Ben and Noah expected to work with a group of seasoned Broadway professionals. While there were some, the cast they finally assembled was largely anything but. Ben and Noah were invited on this adventure by filmmakers Jilann Spitzmiller and Hank Rogerson, who turned the process into a documentary called Still Dreaming. We talk about the experience with Ben Steinfeld and Hank Rogerson. Hank Rogerson is a filmmaker who, with Jilann Spitzmiller, produced Still Dreaming. Ben Steinfeld is co-artistic director of Fiasco Theater. He co-directed, with Noah Brody, the Lillian Booth Actors Home’s production of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream." Hank and Ben are interviewed by Barbara Bogaev. From the "Shakespeare Unlimited" podcast series. Published July 24, 2018. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This podcast episode, “A Dream Past the Wit of Man,” was produced by Richard Paul. Garland Scott is the associate producer.

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	When was your first time with Shakespeare? Maybe in high school? Maybe you were little and your family went to see it outdoors?
0:08.5	Now imagine if your first time with Shakespeare, your very first time, you were nearly 90.
0:16.2	Illustrate may very well be a role that we ask you to play, but there's actually a larger role that would
0:23.1	be something more of a commitment on your part, but we'd be interested in hearing you play
0:28.8	around with that role for a bit if you're interested.
0:31.2	I don't know.
0:32.0	I don't know what this is all about.
0:34.2	Yeah, but the part is Peter Quince, right?
0:36.4	Right, yeah.
0:37.3	Okay, I'll read it over andince, right? Right. Yeah.
0:38.3	Okay, I'll read it over and see what I could handle.
0:40.3	I'm getting another education at my age.
0:43.3	How about that?
0:44.3	Never had.
0:45.3	I never thought of it.
0:46.3	From the Folger's Shakespeare Library, this is Shakespeare Unlimited.
0:55.0	I'm Michael Whitmore, the Folgers director.
0:58.0	In 2011, Ben Steinfeld and Noah Brody, co-directors of New York's Fiasco Theatre, were invited
1:04.0	to come to an assisted living facility and nursing home just outside New York City to work with the residents
1:10.0	on a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
1:13.6	The clip you just heard is from a movie that came out of that experience.
1:17.6	Because it was the Lillian Booth Actors' Home, a facility filled with retired singers, actors, dancers, and musicians,
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Folger Shakespeare Library, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Folger Shakespeare Library and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.