No Holds Bard actors are dedicated to playing Shakespeare in as close as possible to original performance conditions.  Through close examination of the First Folio text, we create highly physical, theatrical, interactive popular entertainments. Like Shakespeare’s actors, we prepare performances with little intervention: our analysis helps us to create everything from our own costumes to our own blocking. Also like Shakespeare’s actors, we rehearse only brief bits of the play—fights, music, dance, and traffic—so that the play is fresh and alive in every moment, every performance. We are excited about discovering as much about our characters DURING a performance as we have in preparation. Finally, we pitch in to accomplish all production duties together. We commit to working as an ensemble, on stage and off, to bring the joy of Shakespearean playing to modern audiences.

We think of playing Shakespeare the way a professional sports team thinks of playing the game: we don't know what's going to happen in a particular moment, but our skills, preparation, and training allow us to perform brilliantly, whatever does happen.

No Holds Bard functions differently from any company you've been involved with. The process demands three things:

1. A fascination with the intricacies and subtleties of Shakespeare's language. We examine every word and every punctuation mark for the acting clues contained therein, and we make the text manifest, even without rehearsal.

2. A delight in physical expression and a joy in play. We theatricalize boldly; we make BIG choices. We see Shakespeare as popular entertainment, NOT as high culture. We are extremely interactive with the audience.

 3. An absolute commitment to ensemble work. We care for each other onstage and off, and take several different roles in a given play; we are a team. We also pitch in to accomplish all technical duties.

We conduct auditions in early February, except February of 2009. We are taking the summer of 2009 for rest and research. If you would like to be considered for the company in future seasons, please send a resume and headshot, electronically, to kate@noholdsbard.com

2008 Calendar for Actors

Training for new actors: 31 March  and 2 April 6-9 pm; 5 April  19 am- noon (optional for vets);  Full company 5 April: 1-5 pm. 4100 Tennyson

Text sessions: 4/21 5-9 Stephen / 4/23 5-9 Stephen / 4/25 5:30-9:30 Jenny / 4/26 9-1 Kevin
4/28 5-9 Dayna / 4/30 5-7 Dayna, 7-9 Sam / 5/2 5-9 Michelle / 5/5 6-10 Sam / 5/8 and 5/9 5-9 Crystal / 5/10 9-1 Barry / 5/12 5-9 Lindsey / 5/14 5-9 Kevin / 5/16 5-9 Barry / 5/19 5-9 Mike /  5/21 5-9 Barry

Chops practice: 17 June 5:30-9:30

Fight/Music/Dance:

Tuesday 20 May 6-10 , Emery only

Friday 23 May 6-10 and Saturday 24 May 9-1, Macbeth/Macduff

6-10 pm Wednesday June 4 (as called), and 9 am -1 pm Saturday June 7  (full company).

6-10 Tuesday, Wednesday 10, 11 June, Macbeth/Macduff

Curtain Speech (roles are assigned)

Summer Performances: (see tour calendar)