UNION SQUARE, Manhattan — One woman wants you to appreciate Shakespeare as much as she does and has a unique way to draw you in.
It’s a sensory experience using food to help progress the story and it’s changing the way people enjoy a show.
Inside Cafe Fae, down the hallway and through the curtain, you’re welcomed into a Shakespearian experience. “Midsummer: A Banquet,” a new production of Shakespeare’s A” Midsummer Night’s Dream,” fuses theater and food and is tailor made for 2019.
The woman behind this, Victoria Rae Sook, is the founder of Food of Love Productions.
“Food of Love is an environmental theater company that uses food as one of the points of immersion,” she said.
So why Shakespeare?
“Shakespeare has been one of my favorites since I was a child,” she said. “I read ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ when I was in 5th grade.”
Sook’s Food of Love partnered with Third Rail Projects to bring this play to life.
“One of the things we love is creating multi-sensory experiences for our audience members.”
The entire space is opened up; the performance is happening all around the audience.
Lauren Walker, one of the actors, says the theater-goers get really into it.
“I noticed when you interact with the audience more, both of you feel more comfortable and more excited to play,” Walker said.
It’s a change for audiences in how they experience live performances and there are surprises in every corner.
And it’s the magic of the immersive performance that this group hopes to keeps audiences coming back for more.
“Midsummer: A Banquet” opened to rave reviews- and runs through Sept. 8.
More information is available here.
