{"id":276,"date":"2006-08-21T13:40:17","date_gmt":"2006-08-21T19:40:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.conradaskland.com\/blog\/?p=276"},"modified":"2007-02-16T20:49:00","modified_gmt":"2007-02-17T02:49:00","slug":"2006-skagit-river-shakespeare-festival-by-shakespeare-northwest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/2006-skagit-river-shakespeare-festival-by-shakespeare-northwest\/","title":{"rendered":"2006 Skagit River Shakespeare Festival by Shakespeare Northwest"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"DSC01032.jpg\"I went to the Skagit River Shakespeare Festival by Shakespeare Northwest – saw Hamlet on Saturday night and the final performance of Comedy of Errors on Sunday night. So much to take in with these two shows that I could hardly express it all. This is a relatively new Shakespeare troupe that is still blossoming – this is their 5th year and only 4th season running. It promises to be very strong in time. Visit Shakespeare Northwest at http:\/\/shakesnw.org<\/a>.
\n.<\/p>\n

Photo – Damond Morris, Artistic Director for Shakespeare Northwest. DAMOND – YOU ROCK!
\n.
\nSo the question of the day is – which one was better – Hamlet or Comedy of Errors? Both were EXCELLENT. Too many variables to address the question properly, but if I were to have a choice to see one of these again with the same players – I would choose Hamlet.<\/p>\n

I choose Hamlet because the plot was more compelling to me. To watch the insanity slowly unfold and deepen was intoxicating. Comedy of Errors to me is more like an advanced plot of Three’s Company – fine fare every once in a while. As far as Shakespeare Northwest’s presentation of both – they took a lot more chances with Comedy of Errors which was very fun to watch.<\/p>\n

Hamlet was not nearly as deathly serious as I had anticipated. There were several light moments and the actors were excellent in delivering the scenes in a way the riveted the audience and kept us engaged.<\/p>\n

For both shows Shakespeare Northwest features many very young actors – many in their early twenties and teens. In each show there were some obviously seasoned Shakesperian actors, so it appears that Shakespeare Northwest is providing fertile soil for new generations of Bard actors to learn the craft from seasoned players.<\/p>\n

Ticket prices were $12 which I thought was very fair for the plays. In fact, that’s partly what encouraged me to see both plays and get tickets for friends. Some amateur theatre groups price themselves too high, where their ticket take would have been much higher on the bottom line if they LOWERED their ticket prices. Shakespeare Northwest has the right idea, build a following and encourage as many people as possible to see the plays. I will for sure tell everyone about it, and plan on going next year to all their plays. So there the word begins to spread.<\/p>\n

COMEDY OF ERRORS<\/strong>
\nThey set this play in the 1980’s with costumes ala 1980’s Madonna, and interspersing 1980’s New Wave music. There were hilarous references to 60’s hippies and take-offs on the 70’s and 80’s – The play opened with New Wave dance music playing and that theme kept recurring during the show as different players would walk onstage with boom boxes.<\/p>\n

The acting was excellent overall – all of the leads were very believable in their roles. Both twins of Antipholus commanded their roles well and the two Dromios were absolutely hilarious. I had not seen this play before or read the director notes before the show – the two Dromio’s looked so much alike, and me not knowing the play was about twins – that I was fooled for the first 15 minutes – totally NOT understanding the plot because I didn’t realized I was seeing two different actors. I wonder how many other people were tricked like me?<\/p>\n

A nice surprise was the role of Headsman Officer played by Sean Haahr. I don’t think he had any lines, but had the audience in stitches with the funny diversions he would create. Sometimes scratching his back with the axe, then becoming increasingly bored and depressed when it turns out he will not be able to execute anyone. I wish I had videotape of his role – a great study in how a seemingly trivial part can help propel scenes when executed well (pun intended).
\nHAMLET<\/strong>
\nHighlight of the show for me was Mike Wallace as the gravedigger. Already a great scene, he delivered it with such spellbinding grace he had us hanging on every word. From costuming, makeup and delivery he was a cut above in my book. When he delivered his lines, I got lost in it and transported back four hundred years. That’s the magic of theatre and he delivered.<\/p>\n

I was in awe of the depth of Shakespeare’s writing, in awe to the point of wondering how one man could contain so much wisdom in just one play (and I was watching a version with over an hour cut from it). I was relieved to read Damond Morris’ director’s notes for Hamlet which explained that Hamlet is most likely a collaboration from many sources. Here is what he was to say on it:<\/p>\n

HAMLET DIRECTOR’S NOTES
\nby Damond Morris
\nHamlet was never meant to be read, yet it has been translated into as many languages as the Bible. It is the most often quoted piece of literature, memorized by thousands and debated by scholars worldwide.<\/p>\n

You may assume that the scripte was written by W. Shakespeare himself, “Every word made true and good”, but you would be mistaken. A group of actors came together and placed the words onto paper from memory years after they were in the play. There is conjecture that a later version of the play was printed from an original “script”, but the main work, all four hours of it, was remembered. If you have ever been on stage take a moment and try to remember your lines from a play you were in two years ago. You may remember ten minutes of the play, perhaps twenty with a fellow actor, but to remember four hours of text is outstanding. (Don’t worry, I have trimmed Hamlet to two hours twenty.)<\/p>\n

Picture the scene; you are an actor asked to come to a meeting where you are going to translate your lines from the play of Hamlet. I have a romantic picture in my head of players sitting around with a giant pint at a pub recounting the words to the one person at the table who can read and write. The actors remembering the lines have been in many plays. Who is to say that all of the language they are remembering was actually penned by the Bard? It could have been remembered from another play and inserted into the text. The fact is that one of the most hotly debated texts in the history of the English language was remembered by actors who more than likely were illiterate.<\/p>\n

Photo – Damond Morris (Artistic Director for Shakespeare Northwest)<\/p>\n

ARTISTIC STAFF
\nShakespeare Northwest 2006
\nConstruction Foreman: Howie, Rob Slater, Damond Morris, Tanner Musick-Slater, John Gonzales
\nArtistic Director – Damond Morris
\nStage Manger: Comedy of Errors – Molly Weiland
\nStage Manger: Comedy of Errors – Ryn Bishop
\nStage Manger: Hamlet – Dinah Steveni
\nBox Office Manger – Mairi Andrus
\nProperties Manager – Clare Tatarsky
\nCostume Design: Comedy of Errors – Marjo Henning
\nCostume Design: Hamlet – Maura Marlin
\nMaster Electrician – Allysa Thompson
\nElectrician – Mike Miller
\nLighting Designer – Marc King
\nLighting Guru – Amy Chisman
\nLight board operator – Randi Kivett
\nSound Technician – Adam Lynn
\nSound Design – Jerry Fortier
\nVideographer – Zach Hammer
\nHead Usher – Grady Bonner
\nSecurity – Tanner Musick-Slatter
\n.
\n COMEDY OF ERRORS<\/strong>
\nARTISTIC STAFF
\nDirector – Rob Slater
\nAssistant Director – Trey Hatch
\nDance Instructor – Dan Claverie<\/p>\n

DRAMATIS PERSONAE
\nDromio of Syracruse – Mike Tilton
\nAntipholus of Syracruse – Cail Musck-Slater
\nDromio of Ephesus – Caleb Joslin
\nAntipholus of Ephesus – James Brown
\nAdriana – Sarah Mickelson
\nLuciana – Emilia Zuber
\nAegeon – John Gonzales
\nAemillia\/Balthazar – Tonja Myers Slater
\nPinch\/Taylor – Mike Wallace
\nAngelo\/Officer – Marin Trautman
\nSolinus – David Cox
\nMerchant\/Luce – Courtney Harmer
\nTownsfolk – Ian Slater
\nGalore\/Headsman – Sean Haahr
\nDrummer\/Nun – Blakelee Clay-McBee
\nNuns\/Make-up\/Servant – Karina Grech
\nPinch’s Assistant – Kristin Bruce
\nCourtezan – Carolyn (Travis) Hatch
\nMerchant – Lydia Randall
\nCamera Folk\/Servant – Emma Lynn
\nTownswolk\/Nun – Sheridan Musick-Slater
\n.
\nHAMLET<\/strong>
\nARTISTIC STAFF
\nDirector – Damond Morris
\nVocal Coach – Andy Friedlander
\nFight Choreography and Costume Assitant – Mike Marlin
\nConsultant, Music – Stoney Bird
\nPuppet Construction – Dave Cochrain, Carolyn (Travis) Hatch
\nCostume Designer – Maura Marlin
\nHair and Make-up – Mary Bingham
\nCostume Crew – Michelle Beach, Lindsey Bowen, Mae Louise Dopps, Maura Marlin and Miriam Smith<\/p>\n

DRAMATIS PERSONAE – HAMLET
\nBernardo\/Captain\/Dane – Charlie Jensen
\nLucianus\/Sailor\/Priest\/Voltemand – Kelsey Milligan
\nPlayer Queen\/Dane\/Osric – Carolyn (Travis) Hatch
\nHoratio – Jalyn Green
\nGertrude – Merrilyn Jones
\nGravedigger – Mike Wallace
\nFortinbras – Nate Young
\nOphelia – Rebecca Cox
\nDane\/Cornelius – Erin Hemmenway
\nLaertes – Emmett Brost
\nHamlet – Steve Sherman
\nClaudius – Lucas Naylor
\nPolonius – David Cox
\nMarcellus – Alex Mutegeki
\nRozencrantz – Sean Haahr
\nGuildenstern – Trey Hatch<\/p>\n

2006 Skagit River Shakespeare Festival by Shakespeare Northwest<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I went to the Skagit River Shakespeare Festival by Shakespeare Northwest – saw Hamlet on Saturday night and the final performance of Comedy of Errors on Sunday night. So much to take in with these two shows that I could hardly express it all. This is a relatively new Shakespeare troupe that is still blossoming […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p3C0LX-4s","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=276"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/276\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/conradaskland.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}