Help Mended Wing Bring Hamlet to NC Kids!

Hi, my name is Emmet Temple. I'm the Artistic Director of Mended Wing Theatre Co., a non-profit that mounts touring productions of Shakespeare's plays for audiences across North Carolina.

This winter, I'm bringing a team of four actors, and Guest Director Beth Fletcher to my hometown, Ocracoke Island, to work as teaching artists and rehearse a touring production of Hamlet. The ensemble will tour Eastern NC public schools in late January and early February with our highly energetic, 90-minute cut of Shakespeare's classic revenge tragedy.

In the spring Guest Director Tyree Albert and a six-actor ensemble will present the Tempest to parks schools in the Triangle and Triad regions of NC.

Mended Wing was founded on the belief that experiencing Shakespeare's plays in live performance makes the individual story and language clearer to young audiences and gives them a key to a whole set of cultural references that rely on familiarity with Shakespeare's canon.

On our five previous tours, the cast and I have been delighted to see kids as young as first grade fully engaged with the stories of mistaken identity in Shakespeare's 12th Night and Comedy of Errors. Comments from both students and teachers have confirmed that even when kids don't know every word, they understand the plot and the character motivations, which can be difficult to parse on paper.

As Mended Wing aims to remain affordable and accessible, we collect a little more than half its tour budget in fees from parks and schools. We need help making up the balance through grants, community sponsors, and individual donors like you!

Your donation helps feed and house the ensemble on the road and is part of the rehearsal and performance stipend. No donation is too small to be helpful, and we genuinely appreciate your help in bringing excellent live theatre to families across North Carolina!