Stephen Dest, the New Haven-based filmmaker whom I originally met through his exploits in local theater, has asked me to tell you all that he is the midst of a Kickstarter campaign to fund his next cinematic project.

It’s a project that combines both his film and theater interests. I Am Shakespeare (The Henry Green Story) is the real-life story of a theater student of Dest’s who began his promising career as an actor while trying to maneuver gang life and domestic issues in a poor New Haven neighborhood. The dual existences come to a head when Green is shot right after he’s just done a performance of Romeo and Juliet.

Dest’s Kickstarter campaign has just over a month left to raise $30,000 needed to make I Am Shakespeare.

The Kickstarter page is here. A New Haven Independent story by David Sepulveda about the work-in-progress is here.