Theater notes

Young Shakespeare

LENOX - For 13 weeks, a group of 16- to 20-year-old actors has trained with Shakespeare & Company's Youth Programs Director Jonathan Croy and company actor Michael F. Toomey.

This weekend, the public will get to see the fruits of their labors as Shakespeare & Young Company presents "Marina," "The Law," "Brave New World" and "Denmark" in the eighth annual Spring Session performances.

"Marina" follows her story from "Pericles," "Brave New World" is a distillation of "The Tempest," "Denmark" explores the tragedy of "Hamlet" and "The Law" is a compilation of Shakespeare scenes revolving around justice.

The Spring Session of S&YCo is an after-school program modeled on the Summer Session of Shakespeare & Young Company, founded in 1991. Past participants have continued to train with the company, performing in Mainstage productions and participating in the Summer Training Institute and directing in the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. S&YCo alumni Jacqueline Antonson, Grant Haywood, Lydia Barnett-Mulligan and Julie Webster all appeared in "The Servant of Two Masters" on the Rose Footprint in 2006; Meg O'Connor, who participated in the first year of SY&Co, is now

the director of S&YCo; and Jake Elitzer, Gillian and Alex Hurst all appeared in last season's hit "Scapin." Julie Webster will be back on the Mainstage again this season as Yvonne in "The Ladies Man" after her success as Hermia in the 2007 production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

"Marina" and "The Law" will be performed Saturday, May 10, at 7:30 p.m. "Brave New World" and "Denmark" will be performed Sunday, May 11, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults and $8 for students. Info: 413-637-3353 or shakespeare.org.

Oldcastle tickets

BENNINGTON, Vt. - Oldcastle Theatre Company has established some new policies to make live theater available to the broadest possible audience.

"The board set these new prices as a way to recognize that while many people realize that $34 is very reasonable for professional theater, many in our area cannot afford even that," Eric Peterson, Oldcastle's artistic producing director, said. "With these new prices, people who can be flexible about when they come and where they sit can see Oldcastle for a very affordable price."

One of Oldcastle's unique deals is the five-punch flex-pass. At $136 per pass, this works out to only $27.50 per ticket. Unlike series tickets, flex-passes may be used in any combination - one admission each to five plays or five seats at one play. The flex-pass is also available for those 21 and younger at a cost of $40, or $8 per play.

Oldcastle's best seats this year are $34. These tickets are good for all performances and have no restrictions. Oldcastle, however, also will offer the following deals:

. A senior discount ticket of $31 is available for those 65 and older attending any matinee performance (Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays) and Thursday evenings.

. Youth tickets, for young people 21 and younger, are $10. Youth need not be students. Oldcastle has raised the maximum age for youth tickets in order to make the theater more affordable to young adults.

. Balcony tickets are $15.

. The Oldcastle two-for-one ticket, which may not be combined with any other offers, is good for the first Saturday matinee performance of each play. Info: 802-447-0564 or oldcastletheatreco.org.