Much ado about Norwich: Shakespearian theater company may come to Rose City: what we know

While Norwich already has dining and history to attract tourism, a little help from The Bard could go a long way.

Norwich is currently “the most serious contender” for the new home of the American Globe Center’s new home. The company, which specializes in the works of William Shakespeare, wants to be a regional, national and international tourism draw for its host city, Executive Director Tom Evans said.

Other cities considered are Bridgeport, New Haven and Stamford. The American Globe Center will decide on a home by the end of the year, Evans said.

“So far, (Norwich) has been the most inviting opportunity, getting the most folks fired up and on board,” he said.

What is planned

Whichever town American Globe picks, it intends to build a modern performing arts center, and the world's only recreation of Shakespeare's 1614 Globe Theater. Between the two theaters and the same actors playing in multiple shows, people could see five or six live performances at an affordable price each weekend, Evans said.

The theater company originally was going to be headquartered in Stratford, but the theater for the former American Shakespeare Festival, which would have been the company’s home, burnt down in 2019. Then, the company and Stratford had differing visions on where to take things. The town wanted to rebuild a smaller facility, but American Globe wants to be a large tourism driver, Evans said.

After consulting with the state, Norwich was one of the municipalities recommended. The American Globe Center met with Norwich leaders on Monday, and held a demo performance at the Chestnut Street Playhouse that night.

“There’s a ready-made tourist trade already because of the casinos, and some of the other attractions out there,” Evans said.

Center to become a job creator with full-time employees

American Globe Center hopes to be a job creator in its community, as its actors are full-time employees, not gig workers. It also hopes to inspire a new generation of creatives, through shows and education, Evans said.

There are young people in Norwich who need this opportunity, instead of just being pushed into college or a traditional job, Global City Norwich Director Bobbie Braboy said.

“If that’s not your personality, if that’s not where your spirit lives, then you just feel you’re floating in air when school’s over,” she said.

Demo performance highlights how plays would be produced and acted

At the demo performance, by actor-educators Jason A. Young and Sarah Young, scenes from "Richard III," "Hamlet," "Much Ado About Nothing" and other plays were performed at the Chestnut Street Playhouse. Instead of stuffy recitals, the performances were lively with exaggerated voices, music, and audience interaction and participation. In between scenes, the actors explained conventions of Shakespearean theater, and what people should expect from the American Globe Company.

Next, the actors sat down with Evans and Artistic Director Jim Warren to answer audience questions. One audience question was about how the American Globe Center hopes to reach all of Norwich’s communities.

A commitment to diversity

Shakespearean theater has been relegated to “a pursuit for older white people, and that’s got to change.” Evans wants people to feel seen in the American Globe Center shows, from the performers to the staff, he said.

Braboy is looking forward to how the company’s commitment to diversity is realized, she said.

The American Globe Center wants to help spur Norwich’s revitalization, and it expects to bring $50 million in economic impact annually, based on proposed ticket sales, Evans said.

Though Norwich already has the Chestnut Street Playhouse and the Norwich Arts Center, the American Globe Center wants to help these theaters by attracting a bigger audience to the area, 300,000 to 400,000 people annually, building a larger “pie” of audience, Evans said.

“Good theater begets more good theater,” he said.

If the American Globe Center comes to Norwich, the Chestnut Street Playhouse wants continued collaboration with an organization with “great minds and great talent,” Secretary of the Board Carroll Mailhot said.

Evans is thankful for the support the company has already received from the Chestnut Street Playhouse, he said.

Norwich has a diverse theater scene already, so an influx of tourism from the American Globe Center could remind people of what’s already here, and that Norwich is a great place to live, work and play, Braboy said.

“This could put Norwich on the map in a new way,” she said.

This article originally appeared on The Bulletin: Shakespeare theater company may be in Norwich alongside Chestnut Street