The evening of scenes and monologues from the dramatic works of William Shakespeare will feature the talents of Brian Murray and Tony Award winners Philip Bosco and Rosemary Harris. The title of the performance comes from the prologue of Shakespeare's The Life of King Henry the Fifth, a reference to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, which was round and most likely constructed of wood. The Wooden O is the creation of poet and actor David Yezzi, who is director of the Y's Poetry Center. In a statement Yezzi said, "Our selections range from direct references to the theatre, such as Hamlet's advice to the players, to more oblique instances of 'acting' by characters who, for various reasons, pretend to be something they are not. . . The show emphasizes the ways in which the theatre enters Shakespeare's plays as both subject and metaphor."
Rosemary Harris won her Tony Award for the 1966 production of The Lion in Winter; Philip Bosco was awarded the Tony for Lend Me a Tenor in 1989; Brian Murray was nominated for his performances in The Crucible, The Little Foxes and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
The Feb. 9 performance will be held at 8 PM at the 92nd Street Y, 92nd Street and Lexington Avenue. Tickets, priced at $16, are available by calling (212) 415-5500 or by visiting www.92Y.org.