Interstate Man of Mystery

Who is this mystery man, producer Bill Hanney, to whom your Town Council has apparently entrusted the fortunes of our beloved, falling-down Shakespeare Theater? On the plus side, he’s already earned his bones, sort of, as a jump-starter of shuttered theaters — his Theatre by the Sea in Matunuck, R.I. had been closed for nearly four years before he took the reins on June 26, 2007 and breathed new life into the 300-seat facility. On the minus side, he says he’s never seen a Shakespearean drama or comedy on stage, and he’s convinced a steady diet of productions of the Bard is commercial suicide. Want to find out more about Bill and the Theatre by the Sea? Visit www.theatrebythesea.com.