At the outdoor Hill Theatre, you can see Oedipus by Sophocles performed from an adaptation by director David Daniel. Oedipus will run from September 17 – October 9.
For the first time in decades, we welcome to our Hill one of the great Greeks – an infamous murder mystery that has riveted audiences around the world and across time. But Oedipus is not a story that can be defined by its final act, shocking though that act might be. Poetic and profound, it is in many ways the story of us; about how the people we love carry us from bad times to good, and sometimes back again. And at its heart, an extraordinary hero – flawed like we all are flawed, yet brave enough to do what he must to protect his community. Even if it means his undoing. It’s a rare gift to see the Greeks outside under the stars, as they were meant to be seen. Rarer still to witness one that was conjured just for this place; built from decades of the energy that flows from this community. From you, our audience. We are because you are.
And at the indoor Touchstone Theatre, APT will be presenting their second Shakespeare play of the season, The Taming of the Shrew! Taming will run October 14 – November 14 and is directed and has been adapted to a five actor presentation by Shana Cooper.
Ah, the tale of Kate and Petruchio, and how each cracked the code to the other’s ferociously defended heart. It’s a Shakespearean rabble-rouser, held up as the ultimate battle of the sexes. But look closer, and you’ll discover a lively satire about how society tries to bend this couple into shapes they’re simply not built for. Cheer them on as they shatter everyone’s absurd expectations. After all, their dramatic (and often uproarious) journey toward love isn’t just entertaining. It’s revolutionary. A wild and theatrical adaptation featuring the famously combative couple, with three other incredible actors playing Bianca to Baptista, and every ridiculous role in between.
and as always, to see and read more about the American Players Theatre, CLICK HERE!
Why isn’t it called Imogen is what I asked my wife as we were discussing the play that we had just seen while walking down the hill from the American Players Theatre, Hill Theatre.
And the next morning as I am reading her Director’s Notes in the playbill, I see that director Marti Lyons asks in her very first paragraph, “And why, oh why, isn’t it called Imogen?”
Indeed.
This presentation is an adaptation by director Marti Lyons and collaborator Sara Becker from an earlier adaptation by Henry Woronicz. I am not familiar with Mr. Woronicz’s adaptation so I don’t know how much of the original was kept or condensed or where he placed his focus on the play. But in Ms. Lyons’ and Ms. Becker’s adaptation, aimed at featuring an all woman cast, it makes sense the Imogen would be the stand out character in Cymbeline. I will have to revisit the original soon and I don’t remember much of it since studying Shakespeare in college some fifty years ago.
Full cast of Cymbeline, APT 2021. Cymbeline 2021. Photo by Liz Lauren and courtesy of the American Players Theatre.
So, Imogen! Played by Melisa Pereyra presents us with a heroine who suffers it all with grace assuredly, but composure and determination unexpected even in Shakespeare. And Ms. Pereyra moves effortless from loving spouse of Posthumus, to respectful but resistant daughter of King Cymbeline, to tolerant (?) but dismissive daughter to her step-mother, the Queen, to scornful and disdaining of the false suitor Iachimo and her step-brother Cloten, and finally when disguised as a man, being every ounce a page and later a warrior. At every step in the various transitions, we see Ms. Pereyra assume her new role and we can’t but be on her side every moment of the way. One of the highlight roles and performances this season.
Colleen Madden as Posthumus, Melisa Pereyra as Imogen, Cymbeline 2021. Photo by Liz Lauren and courtesy of the American Players Theatre.
An equally amazing role and nearly equally as trying, finds Elizabeth Ledo playing Pisanio, a page who finds himself in service to any number of people. Pisanio is the underdog hero who doesn’t get enough credit in the play, even in the resolution, and certainly not from those of us in the audience. But he is the one person amongst the protagonists who remains constant in his person and true to his responsibilities even when commanded by his master, Posthumus, to assassinate his mistress, Imogen. And Ms. Ledo easily portrays his confusion around mixed messages and the misunderstandings compared to reality but finds a way to protect those around him and make things right in the end.
Melisa Pereyra as Imogen, Elizabeth Leto as Pisanio, Cymbeline 2021. Photo by Liz Lauren and courtesy of the American Players Theatre.
One other actor that I would like to compliment is Gina Daniels! What a magnificent transformation from manipulating Queen to an honorable and loyal Belarius, a former soldier to the King but a woodsman in exile when we first meet him. Although a number of other actors played dual roles, I don’t think the other characters are quite as diametrically opposed as the Queen and Belarius.
Gena Daniels as the Queen. Cymbeline 2021. Photo by Liz Lauren and courtesy of the American Players Theatre.
Any number of writers including Marti Lyons wonder if Cymbeline is a tragedy, comedy, or history play. Although based on historical characters and maybe events, if this were a modern play it would be historical fiction. I leaned toward a tragedy at first since two major characters die, one quite violently, but they aren’t any of the characters that we feel positive about. A comedy?? Well yes, there are some very funny parts of the play and they are often enough that we feel good laughing out loud. So I guess we fall into a more recent genre of tragicomedy!
But we haven’t broached the all women casting yet. Is turn about fair play since men played all of the roles at The Globe? Well it adds to the comedy (quite intentionally). And it certainly brings to the fore the different place in society to which women have often be relegated to by men.
But it is fun to watch Colleen Madden as the Queen’s son Cloten grab her crotch while making risque comments or strut and preen like an over confident rooster. Or Sarah Day portray Cymbeline as a distracted overly emotional old man who is easily manipulated by his new Queen. And of course, Gina Daniels acting as the manipulative Queen! And to have many of the lines about women’s place in society delivered by women playing the male roles was honestly refreshing.
And one of the biggest laughs in the play is when Melisa Pereyra reappears as Imogen disguised as a male page and says (and I paraphrase here); it seems hard to be a man and it seems so tedious.
I imagine some this was intentional as a result of both casting all women and in adapting the play. Some of the lines sounded particularly contemporary rather than the archaic language of The Bard. Bravo to all!
The Stage. Cymbeline 2021. Photo by Liz Lauren and courtesy of the American Players Theatre.
And my hats off to director Marti Lyons who staged this perfectly. It was amazing as one group finished their scene, how the next group just seemed to appear to present us with the next. And the simple but elegant stage helped to make that flow possible. The fact that it seemed so effortless and natural tells me that Ms. Lyons’ suffered over the staging. And thanks to Stage Manager Evelyn Matten and the whole stage crew for making it happen! And being forewarned that the actors would be using the aisles and that they were ‘armed’, I kept my hands and head in my seat!
Cymbeline runs through Septemer 11, 2021 and you can see it in person or subscribe to the AT HOME streaming option. Here is the link to the Cymbeline info at APT! Run time: 2 hours 45 minutes including one 20-minute intermission
Post Script added 8/23/21: This adaptation drops at least a half dozen characters from Shakespeare’s original Dramatis Personae. Other than shrinking the plays run time, my feeling is it helps to focus the story and help keep a 21st C audience engaged.
Although a devoted fan of Oscar Wilde and Larry Shue, I have never quite gotten on board with Tom Stoppard’s work. But with APT’s boisterous and rousing Hill Theatre presentation of Rough Crossing, adapted by Mr. Stoppard from a play by Ferenc Molnar, I have a new appreciation for Mr. Stoppard! And every piece to this play was pitch perfect.
I seldom pay much attention to wardrobe, but the characters here are dressed exquisitely for their roles and the time period. The costumes set the perfect mood and totally pulled me out of the now and into the era of the play. Bravo to Rachel Anne Healy!
And before I go on further, Scott Adam Davis’ set put us asea on a cruise without distraction despite having to work with the historic rustic stage of the Hill Theatre as his base!
Now Stoppard has a great deal of fun opening this play with four of the principal characters on the balcony of playwright Sandor Turai (James Ridge). He is accompanied by his partner, Alex Gal (Jamal James), and their new composing partner Adam Adam (Josh Krause), and as the occasion calls for their foil and narrator and salvation, the steward, Dvornichek (David Daniel). This is probably the most difficult part to play because it requires impeccable timing and stage positioning on the part of all of the actors. If there’s just a bit of a hesitancy, a good bit of the humor can be lost…as well as an understanding of the relationship of the characters and particularly how Dvornichek works the magic that is the play! And hesitancy itself is in fact a character here, so it requires all the more care. The fours actors execute right on the money and director William Brown has envisioned a staging that plays just just right!
Josh Krause, James Ridge and Jamal James, Rough Crossing, 2021. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of the American Players Theatre.
The four actors here seem to have been born into these roles or are successfully channeling actors from the period without effort. David Daniel as Dvornichek (aka Murphy, you’ll have to see the play to understand) moves effortlessly from steward to life saver to announcer to seer! A marvelous bit of acting and aplomb for what I consider the pivotal role in the play.
Josh Krause, James Ridge and Jamal James, Rough Crossing, 2021. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of American Players Theatre.
Now there is a little sub-plot here and even if you have no experience with Rough Crossing, this probably won’t be a spoiler. But like many a classical play there is a play within a play or a play implied within the play and any number of alternate takes, starts, middles, or endings to all of them…a multi-tiered and multi-faceted piece. This game is laid in the opening lines and although it seems smooth enough, the only one in control is Murphy and maybe some of you!
So now the stage is set, we know that misdirection, misunderstanding, and precision in language will be the engine that drives the humor from here on in…so time to introduce drama, subterfuge, angst, and a love interest! So we add a balcony scene from above featuring the remaining lead actors from our play, but the intended lead actors for the storied play being developed by Mr. Turai, Gal, and Adam! A former Juliet, Natasha Navratilova (Kelsey Brennan), has the cabin just above Mr. Turai’s. She is the current love interest of Mr. Adam but the former lover of smarmy actor Ivor Fish (Marcus Truschinski) who is now putting the moves on Miss Navratilova within plain hearing of our trio of playwrights, including Mr. Adam. So off we go in the main farce that is Rough Crossing!
Marcus Truschinski and Kelsey Brennan, Rough Crossing, 2021. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of American Players Theatre.
So I found myself immersed in Rough Crossing…certainly putting aside our current era and issues…and wonder what the future holds for the multi-talented Dvornichek (and David Daniel as well)!!
And when it’s over you will need something to relax your funny bone, maybe a cognac?
Rough Crossing continues through August 7, 2021 at the APT’s Hill Theatre or can be streamed and watched at home through that date. Click here for ticket and event information!
Marcus Truschinski, Jamal James, David Daniel, Kelsey Brennan, Josh Krause and James Ridge, Rough Crossing, 2021. Photo by Liz Lauren. Courtesy of American Players Theatre.
