Shakespeare
COMPLEAT WRKS of WLLM SHKSPR
Perform 37 plays, the most recent being just shy of 400 years old, from the most highly-acclaimed dramatist in history. Do it with only three performers, limited wardrobe and props- and keep it under 90 minutes.
Oh, and it has to resonate with a 2011 crowd whose preferred language is text message shorthand.
Ready? GO.
It’s no wonder that the latest production of the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre, titled The Compleat Wrks of Wllm Shkspr, takes the form of a rapid-fire comedy laced with celebrity references and mature humor. Sarah Palin and Charlie Sheen get one mention each, mixed in with the most recognizable scenes from Romeo & Juliet and Hamlet, creative recaps of lesser known works, and a rushed summarization of all 16 comedies at once.
What else can you expect?
Open ridicule for your lack of Shakespearean sophistication at the start, followed by scripted plot stumbles from those onstage. The actor reading Shakespeare’s biography will unwittingly transition to the life of a certain Nazi leader partway through.
Converse shoes and colorful tights. Shakespearean English with refreshing quips like “I’m feeling a bit spin-y” added at the troupe’s discretion. Titus Andronicus as a murderous cooking show followed by an explanation that this play was written during Shakespeare’s “blood and guts” stage.
You’ll learn the Old English definition of “moor,” hear Othello performed as improv rap, watch King John, King Lear, and Henry VIII play out as a sequence of handoffs in a football game, and be told that Shakespeare was ultimately an incredibly gifted “formula writer.” He figured out what gimmicks and devices would get you to laugh or cry and used these- “over, and over, and over” again.
And, of course, plenty of audience participation. Come ready to laugh it up and feel a little ridiculous. You may even be part of the lucky crowd section that gets to chant “Cut the crap, Hamlet! My biological clock is ticking and I want babies NOW!”
Believe it or not, this phrase finds its place amidst a somber Shakespearean drama in this fast-paced, delightful mix of old with new.
The finale is three abridged versions of Hamlet, each faster than the one before, and Hamlet in reverse. The narrator pipes up, “Be sure to listen for satanic messages!”
The intimate upstairs space of the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre (entrance on 3rd Ave.) helps bring the performance to your footstep- and sometimes even closer, particularly for those seated in the first two rows.
The show will run every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday until March 20th. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at the Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre website.
When
March 4-20
8:00pm, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays
2:00pm, Sundays
Where
Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre
535 2nd Avenue
Call
907.457.7638
Shakespeare
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) @ The Empress Theatre
by Kara Nash · Leave a Comment
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer & Jess Winfield
Directed By Tom Robenolt
Featuring Paul Adasiak, Heath Robertson & Samantha Newcombe
TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE!
$20 General Admission
$18 UAF/Senior/Military
$12 under 18
**1/2 price preview Thursday, March 3, 8 pm**
907-457-POET
www.fstalaska.com
When:
March 4-20, 2011
Thursdays-Saturdays 8 pm
Sundays 2 pm
Where:
The Empress Theatre
Co-op Building, downtown
(Entrance on 3rd Avenue between Cushman & Lacey)
Shakespeare
Of Mice and Men @ Empress Theatre
by Kara Nash · Leave a Comment
Buy Tickets or call 457-7630
When:
Friday, November 26th,2010 – Sunday, December 12th, 2010
Thursday, Friday & Saturday @ 7:30pm, Sunday @ 2:00pm
Where:
Empress Theatre
3rd Ave between Cushman and Lacey
Shakespeare
ANTIGONE, OR I REALLY WISH YOU HADN’T DONE THAT
In revitalized and thriving downtowns all across America, theatres play a major role in attracting visitors and anchoring the residential community. Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre is proud to support Vision Fairbanks, and we are committed to keeping our home at the Empress Theater active with as many events as possible. Already this year we’ve hosted the 11th annual Bard-a-thon, a 10-day 24/7 reading of Shakespeare’s complete works; No Shame Theatre nights; a Groundlings Spring Break Drama Camp and its ensuing 30 Plays in 60 Minutes performances; and our acclaimed production of Shakespeare’s The Tempest.
Now we’re back with a tragicomic take on an ancient story: Antigone, or I really wish you hadn’t done that. Take Sophocles’ classic tale of one girl’s mission to honor the dead. Add an apocalypse, Kurt Cobain, the Kennedys, and a lobotomy or two… and you’ve got this all-female production, written and directed by Anne Thibault, who helmed last spring’s Romeo + Juliet. This play asks the hard questions: Where should our loyalties lie? How far do we go to prove a point? Does cake make everything better?
Antigone, or I really wish you hadn’t done that runs through April 25th on Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 and Sundays at 2:00. Tickets are $15-$20 (under-18 free on Thursdays and Sundays) and are available on our website at www.fstalaska.org or by calling 457.7638.
See you downtown!
Hans Meyer, Managing Director – Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre
Shakespeare
The Tempest @ Fairbanks Shakespeare Theatre
by Kara Nash · 2 Comments
Shakespeare’s last gift to the world presented in a technical marvel of a show. Director Tom Robenolt transforms the Empress into the world of the magical Prospera, former duchess of Milan.
The Tempest is an enchanted romance about a mother’s love for her daughter and her land, filled with seductive spirits, misfortunate monsters, and saucy sprites.
Cast includes:
Eric Heyne, Andrew Cassel, Rebecca Eddy*, Hadassah Nelson, Craig Brookes, Julie Johnson, Robert Poland, Micah Johnson, JK Bowne, Don Johnson, Bruce Rogers, Kevin Harper, Jesse Hobbs, Scott Raneri and, The Good Daze
*member, Actors’ Equity Association
Thursdays through Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Sundays at 2:00pm
Thursday, February 18 is Pay What You Can Night – $6 minimum with a 2 can donation!
See you at the theater…
535 2nd Avenue (Enter on 3rd)
