When touring the Northeastern United States many people are drawn to Boston. Especially if they have a taste for United States history. Boston is one of the oldest cities in America, founded by Puritans in 1630 when they settled the Shawmut Peninsula. Boston also played the backdrop for pivotal moments in the history of America and birth of the United States in the 18th century including the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party, as well as, Battle of Bunker Hill and the Siege of Boston during the American Revolution . Through it’s history it’s accumulated family run businesses and buildings that are some of the oldest in America.
Many of this city’s oldest sites are featured on the Freedom Trail. The Freedom Trail is a red path winding through downtown Boston that leads to 16 historically significant sites. Starting at the Boston Common the trail leads you to the Massachusetts State House, Park Street Church, Granary Burying Ground, King’s Chapel, King’s Chapel Burying Ground, Benjamin Franklin statue and former site of the Boston Latin School, Old Corner Bookstore, Old South Meeting House, Old State House, the site of the Boston Massacre, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House, Old North Church, Copp’s Hill Burying Ground, USS Constitution, and finally the Bunker Hill Monument. That is a lot of history along a path that is, though meandering, less than three(3) miles long.
Located on the Freedom Trail, though not a site featured on it, is the Omni Parker House. This is the oldest inn in Boston and the longest operating hotel in the United States. Built in 1855 by Harvey Parker, the hotel was host to the Saturday Club which featured literary figures such as Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Henry David Thoreau, Charles Dickens and Ralph Waldo Emerson. Even baseball greats including the likes of Babe Ruth and Ted Williams dined here. John F. Kennedy even announced his candidacy for Congress in this Boston hotel ‘s Press Room.
William Shakespeare has been one of the most popular and well known playwrights throughout the world for the last four hundred years. He continues to be produced on stages across the globe new generations of fans develop as time rolls on. He is arguably the greatest writer to have ever existed, though to many people that’s not only a critical but also subjective designation. However, what is not subjective is the fact that he has written some of the most popular comedies, tragedies and histories in the world. With that in mind it is only fitting that Shakespeare also be a traditional aspect of one of the most famous theatre companies in New York.
Every summer the Public Theatre company presents their Shakespeare in the Park series which is one of the most popular and famous occurrences in Central Park. Most of the seasons, including the upcoming 2010 season include two productions that are presented in repertory and frequently they feature some of the same cast members. This year the festival will include The Winter’s Tale and The Merchant of Venice. Generally there are some star studded casts and this season’s biggest name is Al Pacino. Pacino is one of Hollywood’s biggest names though he is no stranger to Shakespeare or the stage. In fact, he performed the role of Shylock in a film version of Merchant of Venice, which also featured Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes.
There are many events and activities that occur in New York’s famous park throughout the summer, and the Shakespeare performances are always at the top of most tourists’ lists. There are free tickets available and most of the hotels in Manhattan will have information on how to access them, as well as the Public Theatre and the Shakespeare series. The two plays that are being featured for this season will be directed by Daniel Sullivan and Michael Greif. Additional cast members include Lily Rabe, Max Wright, Jesse L. Martin, Ruben Santiago-Hudson and Jesse Tyler Ferguson. The generous sponsorship of Bank of America is one of the major contributing factors that helps to keep this festival free to the public. Individual donations to the company are also greatly appreciated and have their own important place in the continued success of this series as well as other productions.
As summer starts to loom in the distance, and the distance reveals itself as not so distant after all, thoughts about the players start leaking out of our dreams and into our daily conversations. It will be an interesting year, there’s very little doubt, with so much anticipation over who might be pulling strange moves on the court, secret hopes that there will be a little bit of bad behavior, but even more hope that some moves will move us all with awe. That last one is always a guarantee, but no one knows when it will happen, and that’s reason enough to tune in.
But as the Wimbledon highlights start to come on the television, it’s a safe bet that there will be fans by the thousands looking to watch the replay of anything involving Justine Henin . She’s never won at Wimbledon, being the one of the big four that’s been elusive to her, despite an amazing career. So far, she’s ranked at number 24, which means that in just 15 months out of retirement, Juju is back. The Belgian star began again in Brisbane, which is a good choice for a new beginning, as that country has always been good to her.
Interestingly, whenever fans begin to talk about French Open tennis , the conversation usually gets turned Wimbledon, because that’s the really important one for her. Not that the French Open is any small accomplishment, but having won the title four out of the five times she played on the clay, the world understands that she can do it, it’s the other surface that keeps people wondering. It’s a good time to wonder, and she’s got some very interesting moves this year. Having won against Julia Goerges in Stuttgard , even with a broken finger–although it’s her left hand–is really very promising. The one hand backhand is still as mighty as it ever was, and the forehand clocks in at well over 100mph on the serve, and she’s not yet thirty. It’s going to be an interesting year.