Forty lawmakers and notable Washington influencers joined professional actors Ian Kahn, Santino Fontana, Emily Swallow and Maulik Pancholy to perform in Will on the Hill at the Shakespeare Theatre Company. Now in its fifteenth year, the much-loved bipartisan event for theatre and political fans alike raised $510,000 for the theatre’s education and community outreach programs.
Directed by STC Associate Artistic Director Alan Paul and written by Peter Byrne with assistance from DC’s West Wing Writers, Met by Moonlight presented a humorous political take on Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As politicians, bureaucrats, ambassadors and support staff leave the DC heat to head for cooler climates, they stumble upon a series of Shakespeare’s supernatural beings with impish senses of humor, and perhaps a lesson or two for both parties.
To open the show, students from Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Virginia performed the iconic balcony scene from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. The young actors are part of STC’s Text Alive! program, one of STC’s many educational, artistic and community engagement programs that deepen the connection to classical theatre in learners of all ages.
“Our education and outreach work is only made possible by Will on the Hill and through the support of numerous corporations, foundations, individuals and public agencies. We are incredibly grateful to the well-known political faces and professional actors who generously donated their time to help raise vital funds for our programs,” said STC Artistic Director Michael Kahn.
