Conrad Askland

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.
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Photo – Damond Morris, Artistic Director for Shakespeare Northwest. DAMOND – YOU ROCK!
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So 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

COMEDY OF ERRORS
They 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.

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?

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).
HAMLET
Highlight 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.

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:

HAMLET DIRECTOR’S NOTES
by Damond Morris
Hamlet 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.

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.)

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.

Photo – Damond Morris (Artistic Director for Shakespeare Northwest)

ARTISTIC STAFF
Shakespeare Northwest 2006
Construction Foreman: Howie, Rob Slater, Damond Morris, Tanner Musick-Slater, John Gonzales
Artistic Director – Damond Morris
Stage Manger: Comedy of Errors – Molly Weiland
Stage Manger: Comedy of Errors – Ryn Bishop
Stage Manger: Hamlet – Dinah Steveni
Box Office Manger – Mairi Andrus
Properties Manager – Clare Tatarsky
Costume Design: Comedy of Errors – Marjo Henning
Costume Design: Hamlet – Maura Marlin
Master Electrician – Allysa Thompson
Electrician – Mike Miller
Lighting Designer – Marc King
Lighting Guru – Amy Chisman
Light board operator – Randi Kivett
Sound Technician – Adam Lynn
Sound Design – Jerry Fortier
Videographer – Zach Hammer
Head Usher – Grady Bonner
Security – Tanner Musick-Slatter
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COMEDY OF ERRORS
ARTISTIC STAFF
Director – Rob Slater
Assistant Director – Trey Hatch
Dance Instructor – Dan Claverie

DRAMATIS PERSONAE
Dromio of Syracruse – Mike Tilton
Antipholus of Syracruse – Cail Musck-Slater
Dromio of Ephesus – Caleb Joslin
Antipholus of Ephesus – James Brown
Adriana – Sarah Mickelson
Luciana – Emilia Zuber
Aegeon – John Gonzales
Aemillia/Balthazar – Tonja Myers Slater
Pinch/Taylor – Mike Wallace
Angelo/Officer – Marin Trautman
Solinus – David Cox
Merchant/Luce – Courtney Harmer
Townsfolk – Ian Slater
Galore/Headsman – Sean Haahr
Drummer/Nun – Blakelee Clay-McBee
Nuns/Make-up/Servant – Karina Grech
Pinch’s Assistant – Kristin Bruce
Courtezan – Carolyn (Travis) Hatch
Merchant – Lydia Randall
Camera Folk/Servant – Emma Lynn
Townswolk/Nun – Sheridan Musick-Slater
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HAMLET
ARTISTIC STAFF
Director – Damond Morris
Vocal Coach – Andy Friedlander
Fight Choreography and Costume Assitant – Mike Marlin
Consultant, Music – Stoney Bird
Puppet Construction – Dave Cochrain, Carolyn (Travis) Hatch
Costume Designer – Maura Marlin
Hair and Make-up – Mary Bingham
Costume Crew – Michelle Beach, Lindsey Bowen, Mae Louise Dopps, Maura Marlin and Miriam Smith

DRAMATIS PERSONAE – HAMLET
Bernardo/Captain/Dane – Charlie Jensen
Lucianus/Sailor/Priest/Voltemand – Kelsey Milligan
Player Queen/Dane/Osric – Carolyn (Travis) Hatch
Horatio – Jalyn Green
Gertrude – Merrilyn Jones
Gravedigger – Mike Wallace
Fortinbras – Nate Young
Ophelia – Rebecca Cox
Dane/Cornelius – Erin Hemmenway
Laertes – Emmett Brost
Hamlet – Steve Sherman
Claudius – Lucas Naylor
Polonius – David Cox
Marcellus – Alex Mutegeki
Rozencrantz – Sean Haahr
Guildenstern – Trey Hatch

2006 Skagit River Shakespeare Festival by Shakespeare Northwest

The Mount Vernon Presbyterian Choir says a big “how do”! Usually the choir breaks for summer, but we’ve been having so much fun that we’ve continued through the summer. Our choir is smaller in the summer, but not a bit less fun. On this Sunday we sang “God So Loved the World” by John Stainer. This was a new piece to my ears, but one the choir was very familiar with.

I received an email later after the service saying how “clean and crisp” the choir sounded. I couldn’t agree more. The choir always sounds excellent, but on some occasions they really outdo themselves, and the John Stainer piece was one of those times. For choir directors that haven’t heard the piece, I highly recommend checking out his arrangement. It has beautiful layers, lets all SATB parts shine and the words are a perfect fit to the music. The words are from John 3:16

We have two choirs at Mount Vernon Presbyterian Church. The “Chancel Choir” is the one pictured here; they cover all the classical repertoire and songs with four part harmonies. They also learn the parts for the hymns to enhance the congregational singing. A capella singing is also one of their strong points.

Our other choir is called “Glorify”, which does primarily contemporary praise music. Glorify music is usually unison to accompany the congregation in worship music, with some harmonies.

Or another way I like to think of the two groups is this: The Chancel Choir sings music the congregation listens to, and Glorify sings music along with the congregation.

A picture from summer worship at MV Pres.