North Carolina Stage Company Presents the Bard-a-thon: 48-hour Shakespeare Festival Kicks Off September 10th

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by Amanda Leslie
on Thursday, August 05, 2010

Bard-a-thon - Bard Local Poster Asheville

North Carolina Stage Company presents the 3^rd annual Bard-a-thon fundraiser September 10-12, 2010. During thishe 48-hour Shakespeare festival, volunteers can sign up to read Shakespeare for any amount of time they choose and raise money for NC Stage, Asheville's local professional, non-profit theatre.

The Bard-a-thon kicks-off this year with an exciting collaboration between NC Stage and Montford Park Players for the Asheville premier of Double Falsehood, Shakespeare's "new" play (recently confirmed by scholars as authentic). Double Falsehood will begin at 5:00 pm at the NC Stage theatre before the marathon begins at 8:00 pm

Sign up day for volunteers will begin on Friday, August 13 at 10:00 am at NC Stage. Registration can be done in person or over the phone until the Bard-a-thon kicks-off on Friday, September 10. Roles in the plays are first-come, first served to all volunteers.

Volunteers ask their family and friends to pledge to donate a certain amount based on the number of hours the volunteer chooses to read. The readings last for 48 hours beginning Friday night and ending Sunday evening. Last year's volunteers raised over $6,000 to benefit NC Stage Company, which relies on donations for 40% of its operating expenses.

The Bard-a-thon is modeled after a walk-a-thon or crop walk. Participants can be professional actors, community members, or board members. NC Stage has created a new website, bardathon.ncstage.org to allow pledges to be made any time online before or during the event.

North Carolina Stage Company is a professional, non-profit theatre, now in its ninth season. The theatre hopes to raise $7,000 through the Bard-a-thon to support its professional theatre and arts education programs. All donations through the Bard-a-thon are fully tax-deductible.

Volunteers may choose to sign up to read in teams or individually. Prizes donated by local businesses are awarded based on number of hours read, amount of money raised, number of donors recruited, and number of plays read. Donors include family and friends of volunteers as well as local businesses, who have also contributed prizes. This year's generous sponsors include Izzy's Coffee Den and Freaks and Geeks Tattoo Sideshow.

The Bard-a-thon is free to audience members who may attend any or all of the plays within the 48 hours. Plays begin on the hour every four hours. Viewers can also watch the fundraiser on the theatre's website at www.ncstage.org. The Bard-a-thon begins Friday, September 10 at 8:00 pm at North Carolina Stage Company, 15 Stage Lane in downtown Asheville.

Full Bard-a-thon Schedule
September 10-12, 2010

Friday September 10

5 PM - Kick off event! Reading of the "new" Shakespeare play Double Falsehood, co-presented with Montford Park Players
8 PM - Antony and Cleopatra

Saturday September 11

12 AM - Pericles
4 AM - Richard II
8 AM - King Lear
12 PM - Julius Caesar
4 PM - The Tempest
8 PM - A Midsummer Night's

Sunday September 12

12 AM - Troilus and Cressida
4 AM - King John
8 AM - Henry IV, Pt I
12 PM - Macbeth
4 PM - The Comedy of Errors