Grab a picnic and a glass of wine, stake out your spot on the Great Lawn, and start your weekend off with a free, thrilling, behind-the-scenes exploration with HVSF artists, scholars, and industry experts. These pre-show talks take place every Friday night during the summer season and are open to the public. In case of inclement weather, Prologues are held under the HVSF Theater Tent.
2019 Speakers:
- Friday, June 14, 6:15pm – HVSF Artistic Director and CYMBELINE Director Davis McCallum with May Adrales, Director of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
- Friday, June 21, 6:15pm – CYRANO Playwright and Company Member Jason O’Connell
- Friday, June 28, 6:15pm – CYRANO Director Meredith McDonough
- Friday, July 5, 6:15pm – Cast and Creative of HVSF’s Touring JULIUS CAESAR
- Friday, July 12, 6:15pm – Split Rock Books presents Benjamin Dreyer, Author of Dreyer’s English
- Friday, July 19, 6:15pm – HVSF Education Intern Caitlyn Halvorsen with Martine Green-Rogers, President of LMDA and SUNY New Paltz Associate Professor of Theatre Arts
- Friday, July 26, 6:15pm – Dr. Seth Herbst, West Point Assistant Professor of English
- Friday, August 2, 6:15pm – INTO THE WOODS Director Jenn Thompson
- Friday, August 9, 6:15pm – HVSF2 Playwright John Leonard Pielmeier, Author of Hook’s Tale
- Friday, August 16, 6:15pm – Katharine Goodland, CUNY Professor of Literature and Drama
- Friday, August 23, 6:15pm – HVSF Education Programs Manager Marie D’Apice with Cyrus Mulready, SUNY New Paltz Associate Professor of English
- Friday, August 30, 6:15pm – Company Members José Gamo and Luis Quintero
- Friday, September 6, 5:45pm – Speaker to be announced
Past Speakers
2018 Guest Speakers
- Alithea Phillips, HVSF Voice and Speech Coach
- Shana Cooper, Director of HVSF’s THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
- Davis McCallum, HVSF Artistic Director
- Wesley Mann, longtime HVSF Company member
- The Funny School of Good Acting Commedia Company
- Liz Wisan, Kate in HVSF’s THE TAMING OF THE SHREW
- Jarrod Bates, Hamlet in HVSF’s Touring Production of HAMLET
- Kate Farrington, Writer and Dramaturg
- Dr. Cordelia Zukerman, West Point Assistant Professor of English
- Jennifer Carlquist, Executive Director of Boscobel House and Gardens
- Seth Herbst, West Point Assistant Professor of English
- Christopher Bayes, Clown and Playwright
- Liam Craig, Rip in HVSF’s RIP VAN WINKLE
- Suzanne Agins, Director of HVSF’s THE HEART OF ROBIN HOOD
- Marie D’Apice, HVSF Education Associate and Teaching Artist
- Julia Coffey, Richard in HVSF’s RICHARD II
- Nance Williamson, longtime HVSF Company member
- Seth Bockley, Playwright and Director of HVSF’S RIP VAN WINKLE
2017 Guest Speakers
- Davis McCallum, HVSF Artistic Director
- Amanda Dehnert, Director of HVSF’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
- Luke Pontifell, Newburgh-based publisher and founder of Thornwillow Press
- Jennifer Carlquist, Executive Director of Boscobel
- Dr. Cordelia Zukerman, West Point Assistant Professor of English
- Daniel Wechsler, Author of Shakespeare’s Beehive: An Annotated Elizabethan Dictionary Comes to Light
- Penny Metropulos, Director of HVSF’s THE GENERAL FROM AMERICA
- Seth Bockley, Playwright and Director of HVSF’s RIP VAN WINKLE
- Ian Belknap, Artistic Director of The Acting Company
- Kate Hamill, Playwright, HVSF’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
- Kate Farrington, Director of Dramaturgy at The Pearl Theatre Company
- Richard Nelson, Palywright, HVSF’s THE GENERAL FROM AMERICA