Editorial
Front Page - Friday, December 10, 2010
River City Roundabout
To be or not to be…
Erica Tuggle
“Shakespearience,” a play offering a mixture of scenes from Shakespeare, debuted at the Roland Hayes concert hall during this first collaboration of Mast-Head Productions and the Hamilton Community Theater. Pictured here is the cast of Shakespearience, L to R- Randy Pennington, Jared Madewell, Jessica Page, Dana Rogers (Stagehand), Charles Duesler (Director), Greg Glover, Amanda Cagle (Music), Nathaniel Garth and Rebecca Clark.
- (Photo Provided by Randall Pennington)
The idea that Shakespeare’s work is elitist art, only fit for academics and the rich, was put to the test during the Mast-Head Productions and Hamilton Community Theater production of “Shakespearience!”
Randall Pennington, an actor of Mast-Head Productions, says Shakespeare wrote for the everyday man when he was around, across all the genres including romance, drama, comedy, horror and even science fiction with his dabbling in ghosts, witches and fairies. His influence is evident in many modern works, but still people think he is inaccessible and boring.
Cast member Jared Mad-ewell agrees: “He wrote plays for the rowdy, drunken groundlings who couldn’t afford a seat, so they paid general admission to stand in front of a stage. That sort of ‘For the Masses’ appeal has been systematically groomed out of today’s Shakespeare, and it’s a crying shame because it was never meant to be that way.”
That is why this cast of six and their director, Charles Duesler, were determined to show Shakespeare’s versatility as they offered scenes from “Hamlet,” “Titus Andronicus,” “Romeo and Juliet,” and others.
It was just enough of a taste of these fine plays to ensure that the audience would seek out the play in its entirety – a genius concept, and a great tool for teachers trying to interest their students in the Bard.
The horror of Lavinia’s fate in “Titus Andronicus” was made acutely aware to the nervous audience as the actress was dragged off stage kicking and screaming. Romeo and Juliet were allowed to bask in their love as Shakespeare intended they do. Falstaff, clown and drunkard, showed off what he did best. Through it all, Amanda Cagle, the one-woman orchestra, performed all the music for the play and helped set a tone in each piece that aided each scene.
The richness of this play that keeps crowds interested and promotes reading of these classics is why Pennington says they are hoping to produce Shakespearience again in the spring for Georgia schools and may create a second program in the near future.
Mast-Head productions was started by Barry and Becky Bradford to bring alive classic literary pieces on the stage to educate middle and?high school students about the wonder and beauty of the classics, Pennington says.
Their performances have included “Moby Dick,” “Beowulf” and “1776.” In 2004, Barry handed over the reins of Mast-Head to Duesler and Pennington in order to concentrate on his play writing.
The Hamilton Community Theater was started in the early 2000s to provide a community theater outlet for northeastern Hamilton County. This year, the two groups met and tried to merge, resulting in this first joint production.
Pennington says the best thing about the production was the cast composed of all true professionals and not a single “diva.”
He says, “This was, without a doubt, the best group I have ever worked with. With only six actors and one actor/musician, the backstage was in constant motion. Each of the actors had to take their turn moving set pieces on and off, assist with costume changes… If someone forgot their set piece, someone else would just step up and do it.”
The most difficult thing about this show was only having one actual technical rehearsal, Pennington says.
Other than that, the group rehearsed the entire time in one room made for scout groups. Even so, it’s impressive to think that the group did so well on so little stage rehearsal.
Pennington says even without the luxury of several rehearsals, he’s hooked on performing.
“Performing is the most pernicious drug of all. It gets under your skin and will not let you go.”
Madewell says, “What was challenging as well as interesting for me was the fact that this ‘show’ is an amalgamation of many different shows, and as a result, I had to become many different characters.
“In your average production, you portray one, maybe two characters at most. You do your research and devote a lot of energy and time into becoming a character, and you get into that mindset for the majority of the play.
“With Shakespearience, you have so many characters to portray effectively that you have to shift gears into many different mindsets and characters. I went from being Romeo the lover, to Chiron the rapist, from Dromio the servant, to Prince Hal.”
Pennington encourages the community to support their local theater scene because of its human element.
“Each performance is unique. You see the actor on stage, giving you the best that they have to give at that moment. There is no director to say cut or editor to cut out mistakes. It’s not about the editing or the CGI special effects, or the great close-up shots. It’s just you and the actors and the stage.”
Email Erica Tuggle at
reporter@hamiltoncountyherald.com.
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