Shakespeare Festival wraps up another fantastic season

With less than a week left in the Toowoomba leg of USQ’s Shakespeare in the Park Festival, organisers are expecting record crowds to attend Romeo and Juliet this weekend.

The Festival has experienced a 30 per cent growth this year, drawing audiences from across the region ranging from families, students, first-timers and more seasoned theatre-goers.

Festival organisers have received fantastic reviews from audiences of all ages.

Boonah State High School teacher, Roxane Scott said the show was energetic, innovative and full of energy with great sets and some standout performances.

'Our kids really enjoyed the show. There is nothing like live theatre to inspire students and give them understanding as the text comes alive. Students were engaged and still talking about the costumes and set days later.'

While Coralie Graham of Toowoomba said her family and friends attended Sunday’s performance and were all very impressed by the show.

'The actors have done an amazing job in recreating a contemporary version of the ageless Shakespearian drama. The costumes were brilliant and it all ran with polished precision!'

Toowoomba audiences can still catch a performance of Romeo & Juliet on Thursday (March 6), Friday (March 7) or Saturday (8 March) night at 7pm in Queens Park.

Audiences are also invited to attend the final Community Forum which will be held in the park at 4pm on Wednesday 5 March.

During the community forum audiences will have an opportunity to discuss some of the many youth-related concerns raised in Romeo and Juliet.

Festival Producer, Dr Rebecca Scollen, said the forum will provide a platform for the community to talk about issues such as suicide and relationships.

'Our choice of Romeo & Juliet brought with it a responsibility to offer our audiences an opportunity to openly discuss some of the issues presented on stage.'

The Forum will feature a panel of expert local practitioners including psychologists from Magnolia House, John Henry and Catherine Ketton, USQ Lecturer in (Psychology) Counselling Gavin Beccaria and DISCO Youth Support Co-ordinator, Jennifer Nothdurft.

The Festival company will then pack-up and commence their mammoth move to Fraser Coast for a season from 12-15 March and then to Springfield where the people of the area will enjoy their first Shakespearian festival.

Tickets for Romeo and Juliet are available from the Empire Theatre Box Office by phone 1300 655 299 or online www.empiretheatre.com.au. Tickets can also be purchased on-site in Queens Park at the Festival Box Office which opens at 6pm each night.

For more information visit the Festival website www.usq.edu.au/shakespeare.

The USQ Shakespeare in the Park Festival gratefully acknowledges the support of its 2008 sponsors:  Toowoomba Chronicle, WIN Television, Symphony Hill Wines, Toowoomba City Council, Hervey Bay City Council, the Fraser Coast Chronicle, Queensland Events, the Queensland Times, Dornbusch Partners, Channel 7- Queensland, Bell Dixon Butler Lawyers, Education City, Civil Mining & Construction Pty Ltd, Cardno, La Mer Luxury Apartments, USQ Faculty of Education and the Myer Foundation.

Media Contact: Connie-Louise Alexander, USQ Media, +61 7 4631 2977