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Mission

Ten Chimneys Foundation’s Mission

  • Preserve and Share the buildings, furnishings, collections, and grounds of a national treasure – Ten Chimneys, the estate created by Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne.
  • Serve as a continuing resource and powerful inspiration for theatre, the arts, and the art of living.
  • Offer public programs consistent with the Lunts’ varied interests and core values, while maintaining the integrity and intimacy of this extraordinary estate.

Ten Chimneys is a National Historic Landmark, a “Save America’s Treasures” project site, and is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places. Ten Chimneys is owned by the non-profit 501(C)3 organization Ten Chimneys Foundation, Inc.

Day Two: Fellows Begin Powerful Exploration of Shakespeare

July 12, 2010

Larry Yando (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) performs a monologue, as Celeste Ciulla (The Old Globe) looks on. (Please click on the photo for a high-resolution version.)

Notes from Sean Malone – President, Ten Chimneys Foundation
Monday, July 12, (12:12 a.m. Tuesday morning)

Today, the theatrical work of the 2010 Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship program started, with the first master class sessions with the nine Fellows selected from across the country and renowned Shakespearean, Barry Edelstein. The weeklong master class began in the mural-filled Main House Drawing Room at Ten Chimneys, with a circle of chairs next to the Noël Coward Piano. Barry started the program by sharing a little about his journey with and love for Shakespeare, from his days as a Rhodes Scholar at Oxford to Shakespeare in the Park in Manhattan (and – most recently – his work with Al Pacino on The Merchant of Venice).

Each of the nine Fellows then shared a Shakespearean monologue they had brought with them. The work was extraordinary – powerful, subtle, riveting. Celeste Ciulla (The Old Globe) started things off with Cassius from Julius Caesar; James Carpenter (California Shakespeare Theater) shared King Richard from the end of Richard II; Stephen Berenson (Trinity Repertory Company) gave us Jaques from As You Like It; Pete Pryor (The Wilma Theater) offered Richard’s opening soliloquy from Richard III; Bob Davis (Guthrie Theater) gave us a piece from (and as) Hamlet; Jacqueline Williams (Goodman Theatre) shared Cleopatra from the end of Antony and Cleopatra; Andrew Long (Shakespeare Theatre Company) offered us Suffolk from Henry VI, Part II; Larry Yando (Chicago Shakespeare Theater) followed immediately after with York from Henry VI, Part II; and Laura Gordon (Milwaukee Repertory Theater) brought us back full circle to Julius Caesar with Portia’s monologue to Brutus.

With a break for lunch on the Main House Terrace, prepared and hosted by six Ten Chimneys Volunteers, the rest of the day was spent diving into the core principles of Barry’s approach to Shakespeare – none of which were intended to be new to these accomplished and acclaimed actors from around the country, but which helped to quickly forge a common vocabulary and focus that will serve as the foundation for all of the work to come during the week. In the Drawing Room in the morning, and continuing at the Lunt-Fontanne Program Center in the afternoon, Barry and the Fellows worked on, explored, and discussed pieces from The Merchant of Venice, Henry IV, Part III, All’s Well That Ends Well, and Antony and Cleopatra.

After an invigorating day of work, we welcomed back four of last year’s Lunt-Fontanne Fellows – Dan Donohue (Oregon Shakespeare Festival), Lee Ernst (Milwaukee Repertory Theater), Mary Beth Fisher (Goodman Theatre), and Naomi Jacobson (Arena Stage) – for a celebratory dinner at the Lunt-Fontanne Program Center. The 2009 Fellows were overjoyed to return; their eagerness to share stories of their Ten Chimneys experiences with the 2010 Fellows was matched only by the 2010 Fellows’ eagerness to hear them. It was another great night. And the connection between two years of the Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program was deeply meaningful – for everyone at the dinner, and for American theatre.

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Master Teacher Barry Edelstein discusses his approach to Shakespeare with the Fellows.

Bob Davis (Guthrie Theater) performs a monologue during the afternoon Master Class session.

Several 2009 Fellows join the 2010 Fellows in a toast during dinner at Ten Chimneys.

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