The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival begins this weekend and while the play may be the thing, there’s live music too.
During performances of The Winter's Tale, there are three musicians on stage, including resident composer Greg Mackender on percussion and mallets, Sascha Groschang on cello and Laura Parks on violin.
"I left a lot of openings for impromptu types of things," says Mackender. "There are other spots where they can get a little livelier, we can play around a little bit."
One piece composed by Mackender called "Time" is heard early in the second act; it dramatizes the passage of 16 years within the play.
