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“Don’t make it appear as if I’m bragging,” he says. “I don’t want to jinx myself. Maybe I won’t get another job after this.” Boys is making his fifth appearance with Shakespeare on the Sound in the festival’s 13th annual outdoor production, “Julius Caesar, ” which runs June 12-28 in Rowayton’s Pinkney Park and July 4-13 in Roger Sherman Baldwin Park in Greenwich. One indelible cameo was Boys inventive interpretation of the comedic character of “Dr. Pinch” in “The Comedy of Errors” last season. As a seer supposedly endowed with the ability to exorcize demons, wearing a black beret, eyepatch and cassock and waving a crucifx, Boys portrayed the good doctor with an engaging animation and a throaty wail that provoked waves of laughter from the audience and prolonged applause when Kenny took his bow at the end of the night. It speaks to his versatility that Boys plays Flavius and three other supporting characters in “Julius Caesar,” Shakespeare’s politically-charged probe of tyranny, patriotism and the human soul at its purest and darkest. For Boys, the outdoor festival is “like a paid vacation” that carries for him all the appeal of TV and the movies and even Broadway. “It’s one of the most appreciate audiences for which an actor can perform,” he says. “Many in the crowd are kids. I’ve watched them grow up. But the atmosphere is old-fashioned, like Central Park used to be for Shakespeare in the Park before you had to be a celebrity to get a seat.” “You know that if you do your best the audience will be there for you. They know Shakespeare. They come out at 4 p.m. to stake out a spot for their blankets. Then they come back 3 1/2 hours later for the play. It’s also one of the few theaters where you get to interact with the board of directors. They are all there to make it work.” The New York-based Boys returns to Connecticut after a run in Jerry Herman’s “Dear World” in Philadelphia and a break of only a single day before rehearsals started for the familiarly symbolic and emotion-laden “Julius Caesar.” He appeared in the iconic movie “All That Jazz” with the late Roy Scheider, toured with the late Robert Goulet in “Camelot” and was off-Broadway in “Great Expectations” at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. Outside of his work with Shakespeare on the Sound, the part most memorable for him was in a stage production called “Steeplechase” that never got out of workshops and readings. The author, John Pielmeier, also wrote “Agnes of God,” which became a movie starring Anne Bancroft and Jane Fonda. “But Steeple Chase just died,” Boys reports. “Why it didn’t click, I’ll never know,” he said. “That’s the theater.” There is no charge for admission in either Pinkney or Baldwin park. But a donation of $20 is suggested, $10 for students and seniors. Reserved seating is also available. For additional information see Shakespeare on the Sound online at www.shakespeareonthesound.org © Copyright by StamfordPlus.com. Some articles and pictures posted on our website, as indicated by their bylines, were submitted as press releases and do not necessarily reflect the position and opinion of StamfordPlus.com, Stamford Plus magazine, Canaiden LLC or any of its associated entities. Articles may have been edited for brevity and grammar. Related Articles: Fairfield County Community Foundation awards $10,000 to Shakespeare on the Sound - Jul 16, 2008 - 3:20 PM Shakespeare on the Green to feature "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare" - Jun 30, 2008 - 1:23 AM Fifth annual free outdoor Shakespeare presentation to open July 11 - Jun 23, 2008 - 1:46 PM Alfred Hyslop: from Karloff to ‘Captain Kangaroo’ - Jun 11, 2008 - 9:52 AM CURRENT HEADLINES: Top of Page
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