UNCSA students and alumni present Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors”in public parks and schools across North Carolina, May 17-26th. 

Mended Wing Theater, Co. brings its season five tour to Outer Banks with free public performances in Duck, Nags Head, Manteo, Buxton, and Ocracoke. They will offer a FREE performance on Ocracoke on Thursday, May 26th.

Mended Wing Theatre Co., founded by University of North Carolina School of the Arts alumni and featuring current students in the School of Drama, will present Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors” for school age children in fifteen public parks and public schools throughout North Carolina May 17-26. The company’s fifth season hits the Outer Banks off with free public performances at Dowdy Park on Saturday, May 21st and Duck Park on Sunday, May 22nd.

Founded in 2017 by two alumni of the School of Drama at UNCSA, Mended Wing Theatre Co. has presented Shakespeare annually for kids in public schools and communities across the southeastern United States, reaching more than 5,000 students to date. 

This year’s highly energetic production of Shakespeare’s off-the-wall farce features six young actors who are current students at the School of Drama at UNCSA, each in multiple roles, and is directed by UNCSA alum Emmet Temple (H.S. Drama ‘13, Drama Directing ‘17). 

“After a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we are thrilled that Mended Wing will be back in our home state of North Carolina for our fifth season,” said Temple, co-founder of Mended Wing who will also serve as production manager for the tour. “When kids are exposed to Shakespeare the way that his plays were meant to be experienced – as live performance – they not only understand that specific play, and Shakespeare’s language better, they are also given a key into a whole set of other cultural references that stem from Shakespeare’s lasting influence on our culture.”

Free public performances include:

• Miller Park Amphitheater, 400 Leisure Ln, Winston-Salem, Tuesday, May 17 at 5:30 p.m.

• Bailey Park, 445 Patterson Ave, Winston-Salem, Wednesday, May 18th at 6:00 p.m.

• Dowdy Park, 3005 S Croatan Hwy, Nags Head, Saturday, May 21st at 5:30 p.m.

• Duck Amphitheater, 1200 Duck Rd, Duck, Sunday, May 22nd at 5:00 p.m.

• Baum Senior Center, 300 Mustian St, Kill Devil Hills, Monday, May 23rd at 6:00 p.m.

• Fessenden Center, 46830 NC 12, Buxton, Tuesday, May 24th at 5:30 p.m.

• Dare County Arts Council, 300 Queen Elizabeth Ave, Manteo, Wednesday, May 25th 6:00 p.m.

• OPS Museum, 49 Water Plant Rd, Ocracoke, Thursday, May 26th at 6:00 p.m.

School performances include:

• Reynolds High School, Winston-Salem, Tuesday May 17th 

• Hillside High School, Durham, Thursday, May 19th

• Grover C. Fields Middle School, New Bern, Friday, May 20th

• Mattamuskeet Middle and High School, Swan Quarter, Friday, May 20th

• First Flight Middle and High School, Kill Devil Hills, Monday, May 23rd

• Water’s Edge Village School, Corolla, Tuesday, May 24th

• Ocracoke School, Ocracoke, Thursday, May 26th

Cast:

Jack Elliott (they/them, UNCSA Drama ‘24), Antipholus of Syracuse//Antipholus of Ephesus

Jack Eld (he/him, UNCSA Drama ‘24), Dromio of Syracuse//Dromio of Ephesus

Iman Starks (she/her; UNCSA Drama ‘24), Adriana//Sailor

Emma Fagin (she/her; UNCSA Drama ‘25), Luciana//Officer

Harvaniya Krishnan (she/her; UNCSA Drama ‘24), Angelo//Pinch

Clover Ivey (they/them; UNCSA Drama ‘23), Merchant//Abbess

About “The Comedy of Errors”

In Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy set in the Greek seaport of Ephesus, Antipholus and Dromio of Syracuse arrive having no idea that their long-lost twins are already well known by everyone in town. As the number of mistaken identities increases, accusations of insanity, infidelity and even demonic possession are thrown around. Will the two sets of twins ever meet face to face? Will they ruin each others’ reputations first? Will anything ever be the same in Ephesus again? 

About Mended Wing Theatre Co.

Mended Wing’s mission is to bring affordable and interactive Shakespeare performances to public schools and public parks across the southeastern United States. Since 2017, the company has performed in more than 45 schools in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. Mended Wing is founded on the belief that Shakespeare is for everyone, that theatre is an empathy-building tool, and that art should be easily accessible, and financially viable, to people all across the country, not just to the privileged who live near a "cultural hub."

Visit www.mendedwingtheatre.com for more information and https://gofund.me/a6c7f3cd to make a contribution.