First festival honors the Bard
Debbie Gates, executive director of Burbank’s only Shakespearean
theater company, has announced the first free Shakespeare Festival
from 4 to 6 p.m. Aug. 10.
Cast members of her company, Shakespeare at Play, will present “A
Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Stough Canyon Park, in front of the
Starlight Bowl.
Adding to the atmosphere will be strolling minstrels, jugglers,
gypsy dancing and sword fights.
The event is co-sponsored by Target and the city of Burbank Park,
Recreation and Community Services Department.
For more information, call 566-1925.
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Following the festival, at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 10, spectators can
continue up the hill to the Starlight Bowl to hear the city’s Sunday
Night Concert Series featuring the Burbank Philharmonic Orchestra.
“An Evening of Passion!” is the theme for the concert, featuring
romantic pops selections. Steven Kerstein, music director, will
conduct the orchestra in Ravel’s “Bolero,” Tchaikowsky’s “Romeo and
Juliet Fantasy Overture,” Leonard Bernstein’s Symphonic Dances from
“West Side Story” and a medley of jump-up-and-dance swing music
saluting the big bands of the 1940s. The evening concludes with a
classic American summer tradition; a rousing rendition of John Philip
Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Lisa Abel of La Canada-Flintridge and winner of this year’s
Hennings-Fischer Foundation Young Artists’ Competition, vocal
category, will perform as guest soloist. She will sing her winning
aria, Puccini’s “Quando m’en vo” from “La Boheme.” Also from “La
Boheme,” she will perform “Musetta’s Waltz” as well as a selection
from Gounod’s “Romeo and Juliet,” and “Getting to Know You” from “The
King and I” by Rogers and Hammerstein.
This Sunday, The Fab Four rocks the stage with music of the
Beatles. Selections span their first hits heard during their first
trip to the United States on “The Ed Sullivan Show” through those
written during their final years together.
Gates open at 5:30 p.m. for picnicking. All concerts begin at 6:30
p.m. Tickets at the gate are $7, $4 for seniors 60 and older, $4 for
children 3 to 12 and free for children 2 and under. Parking is $5.
The Starlight Bowl is at 1249 Lockheed View Drive in Burbank.
For more information on the orchestra call 771-7888.
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Brazilian Nites Productions, based in Burbank, is presenting its
10th annual Brazilian Summer Festival at 7 p.m. Saturday at the John
Anson Ford Amphitheatre.
Headliner is Fundo de Quintal from Rio de Janeiro featuring
authentic samba rhythms.
Brazilian singer and songwriter Katia Moraes and Sambaguru will
also perform. The Samba Explosion Dancers, choreographed by Marco
Aurelio Vas, will add color to the atmosphere especially with the
martial arts dance Capoeira.
Tickets are $35 and $12 for children 12 and under and they can be
reserved by calling (323) 461-3673. The theater is at 2580 Cahuenga
Blvd. in Los Angeles.
* JOYCE RUDOLPH’s column appears Wednesdays. For events happening
this weekend, read her 48 Hours column Saturdays. Reach her at
637-3241.