SUNY Potsdam Presents ‘The Beard of Avon’ Play, Its Final Theatre Mainstage Production
The SUNY Potsdam Department of Theatre and Dance will present Amy Freed’s play, “The Beard of Avon,” at the Performing Arts Center’s Proscenium Theater, from Oct. 25 to 27.
Author Amy Freed said in the New York Times: “There’s a lot in ‘The Beard of Avon’ that has to do with my own completely insane love affair with actors and theatre… [It’s] very much a valentine to the whole theatrical experience at its silliest and most rewarding.”
The play is a bawdy reimagining of the Shakespeare legend that follows Will Shakespeare from his early days as a frustrated husband and father who longs to put his talent for writing poetry to good use, to the moment where he is at the height of his powers and poised for immortality under the nom de plume William Shakespeare. Along for the journey are his wife Anne Hathaway, his mentor the Earl of Oxford Edward DeVere, and a theatrical company of “great renown.”
Of the thousands of plays available, this is the play with which the SUNY Potsdam Department of Theatre and Dance selected to end its decades of mainstage tradition. Since the creation of the theatre major in the 1970s, the Department of Theatre and Dance has been a home for the holy dreamers of the theatre, such as Will. The department was always a place where students from all backgrounds came to pursue, as Henry Condel says in the play, “…the highest of all high callings” with the purpose of illuminating “…the very highest and lowest of this angelic BEAST we are.”
“The Beard of Avon” is the play to celebrate that tradition and honor the countless hours of toil many thousands of individuals have spent in the pursuit of this calling on the SUNY Potsdam campus.
Director and Associate Professor Dr. Jay Pecora says his inspiration for directing this show came from a lyric in the play: “Everything from nothing comes to those who love.” He noted: “Those many people who have worked in the Department of Theatre and Dance—the faculty and staff, the college students, and the many K-12 students who came to campus as part of our community programming—know that our creativity and unique sense of community derived from our shared love of creating theatre.”
Personnel include Associate Professor Todd P. Canedy as scenic designer and technical director, 15 student actors, and students in the roles of stage manager, assistant stage manager, and designers of lighting, costume and sound.
"Working as lighting designer for ‘The Beard of Avon’ has been an amazing experience and it is really helping me find my footing as a designer before I graduate this December and I'm off in the thick of it. I'm really thankful for this opportunity that the department has given me,” said senior theatre major Alex Howard ’25.
Julia Diamond ’25, a senior arts management actor in the production, noted: “This is the kind of show that has a little something for everyone—both the audience and the cast. I've always loved doing comedies, and it has been a joy and a challenge to build such a physical character. I transferred into the Department of Theatre and Dance last fall, and it was such a disappointment to immediately be faced with departmental cuts, but the passion and effort that each student and faculty member has continued to put into classes and productions is what has kept me thriving.”
“The Beard of Avon” opens with an evening show at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 25 and continues with performances at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 26, and 2 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 27. The Saturday evening performance will have American Sign Language interpretation.
This event is free and seating is general admission. The house opens 30 minutes prior to the show. For more information on the production, please contact Dr. Jay Pecora at pecorajw@potsdam.edu or (315) 267-2547.
Content warning: This production may not be suitable for all audiences due to sexual content, language and brief moments of violence.
The Department of Theatre and Dance cultivates an innovative, experiential, and multidisciplinary education within an inclusive community, preparing students for leadership and service in the arts as global citizens.
About SUNY Potsdam:
Founded in 1816, The State University of New York at Potsdam is one of America’s first 50 colleges—and the oldest institution within SUNY. Now in its third century, SUNY Potsdam is distinguished by a legacy of pioneering programs and educational excellence. The College currently enrolls approximately 2,500 undergraduate and graduate students. Home to the world-renowned Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam is known for its challenging liberal arts and sciences core, distinction in teacher training and culture of creativity. To learn more, visit www.potsdam.edu.
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