playbill.com reports that the sixth annual Shakespeare's Birthday Sonnet Slam will be held in New York April 22, featuring more than 154 volunteers performing all 154 of Shakespeare's sonnets in numerical order. Among celebrities taking part in this year's event, which also coincides with the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death the next day, are Michael Urie ( Buyer & Cellar), Dana Ivey and Frances Barber (both starring Off-Broadway in The School for Scandal).
The slam will be held, rain or shine, starting at 1 PM at the Naumburg Bandshell in Central Park. The free event is open to the public. Producer Melinda Hall created the Sonnet Slam in 2011 for New Yorkers to celebrate their love of the bard. “I wanted to create a unique opportunity for the Sonneteer and Shakespeare to be together on the Bandshell stage," said Hall in a press statement.
Special guest this year will be Eric Sciotto of the Broadway musical Something Rotten!, who will kick off the Slam with a performance of the song “Hard to be the Bard” from the show's score. To read the article in its entirety, click here.