World Lit students star in valley’s ‘Bard’
Marianne Meadahl, PAMR, 778.782.3210; marianne_meadahl@sfu.ca
Two Simon Fraser University Surrey students from the World Literature program are helping to bring ‘Bard’ to the Fraser Valley.
Krisandra Reid and Caszie Schoeber are starring in A Midsummer Night’s Dream – the highlight of an inaugural outdoor theatrical event called Bard in the Valley in Langley.
Event organizers hope the proposed Bard in the Valley Shakespearean Festival will lay the groundwork for an annual event that could become a major tourist attraction for Langley and the Fraser Valley.
Reid and Schoeber are among a cast of 30 actors bringing the classic play to life. It’s hoped that the free Langley performances will also help nurture an enthusiasm for the works of Shakespeare and other playwrights.
The performances have been held at the outdoor Spirit Square Stage in Douglas Park in Langley and will wind up later this week (Aug 28 and 29) during the International Festival in Langley Township adjacent to the Langley Events Centre.
“It also shows just how active in the community some of our students are,” says May Yao, advisor for SFU’s Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences at SFU Surrey.
Artistic director Allan Thain added, “One only has to look at similar festivals across the country that started with an idea and a vision and are now world-class events, including Bard on the Beach and the Stratford Shakespearean Festival.”