Summer 2014 PSF Newsletter
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The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Newsletter • Summer 2014 The Battlefield Within By Patrick Mulcahy brave and noble warrior returns noble man. Also unique to this play from battle to a grateful leader, is the extent to which the audience is toA accolades for his service, and to asked to identify with the evildoer. his wife. He is confronted with some He seems like a guy like us, which is forecasts from the pundits of his frightening. world, “weird sisters” who foresee a hat interests me most as surprising elevation in his fortunes. director is the heavy price One of these prophesies is imme- theW Macbeths pay in psychic distress diately fulfilled and it appears his from the increasing gulf between ascent has begun. This, combined the better angels of their natures with his lightning-quick imagina- and their horrific actions. Yet, as tion, captivated by the remaining dark as the play can get, like any predictions, and his wife’s fervent great tragedy, it offers insight into exhortation, makes for a combus- what is beautiful and fragile in life. tible situation. Macbeth and Lady Lord and Lady Macbeth try to trade Macbeth do some terrible things. that beauty for something else, and hat happens to the psyche they wind up with neither. Beauty once a certain line is crossed? is nonetheless reflected, however MacbethW is likely the fourth in the Ian Bedford and Susan Riley dimly, in the characters around them series of great Shakespeare tragedies Stevens take on the original who inspire our compassion as they that explores humankind’s interac- power couple. continue to fight for a just world and tion with evil (along with Hamlet, a return to order. Othello, and King Lear). Macbeth is ur Founder, Fr. Jerry Schubert, different because the evil emerges MAIN STAGE asked me, “in one word, is he a from the protagonist, an otherwise Ogood guy, or a bad guy.” Despite July 17 - August 3 continues on page 3 Notes from a Wildly successful comedy celebrates 25 years! Playwright Ken Ludwig grew up in York, Pa. The original production of Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me A Tenor His other best-known Broadway and West End shows raked in acclaim: 2 Tony Awards: Best Direction of a Play include Crazy For You (five years on Broadway, Tony and Best Actor in a Play (Philip Bosco); 5 Tony Award and Olivier Award Winner for Best Musical), Moon Over Nominations including Best Play; 3 Outer Critics Circle Buffalo, Shakespeare in Hollywood, and The Adventures Awards: Best Set, Best Costume and Best Lighting of Tom Sawyer, among others. Design; 4 Drama Desk Awards…and more! See “Writing for Laughs” page 6. Streaming Shakespeare by Patrick Mulcahy This year, as we celebrate into The Lion King, and they gain way and in regional theatres like William Shakespeare’s further introductions to the Bard via PSF. He is on our bookshelves, our 450th birthday in an the many references in The Simpsons, iPhones, our DVRs, our downloads, era of tweets, vids and texts, Shake- Phineas and Ferb, and other ani- our streaming options, and our You- speare remains bold, vital, and pres- mated works. Students study him Tube channels. Ben Jonson, Shake- ent. He is everywhere, and whether in school, young lovers sense that speare’s contemporary, anticipated we know it or not, for most of those they owe something to Romeo and this in his poignant elegy, describing 450 years, he has been working his Juliet, and we know we are providing Shakespeare as “not of an age but way into our lives, our families, our something special to those closest to for all time.” hearts, and our minds. We take our us when we take them to the many children to see Hamlet reworked Shakespearean offerings on Broad- continues page 8 Who’s Who in Rep Macbeth and Lend Me a Tenor feature the same cast performing in repertory—alternating performances on the Main Stage. This is the fourth season PSF is offering plays in rep. “Rep gives actors, designers, and audiences a great opportunity,” says Patrick Mulcahy, producing artistic director who is directing Macbeth. “Our audience gets a unique chance to see the full range of what terrific actors The title role of Macbeth is played by can really do, especially if patrons see both plays in the Ian Bedford, a veteran PSF player same day or weekend, and experience the way the same whose credits include the title role in space can be transformed completely.” Henry VIII last season. Macbeth Lend Me a Tenor Lend T = M = Jacob Dresch Deanna Gibson Eleanor Handley Anthony Lawton T: Max, assistant to Saunders T: Maggie, Max’s girlfriend T: Diana, a soprano T: Bellhop M: Malcolm, Duncan’s M: Bloody Captain/Witch/ M: Witch M: Banquo eldest son Lady Macduff Suzanne O’Donnell Perry Ojeda Susan Riley Stevens Carl N. Wallnau T: Maria, Tito’s wife T: Tito Merelli, a world-fa- T: Julia, Chairman of the T: Saunders, Maggie’s father, mous tenor, known also Opera Guild general manager of the M: Witch; to his fans as Il Stupendo Cleveland Grand Opera Gentlewoman, attend- M: Lady Macbeth ing on Lady Macbeth M: Macduff, Thane of Fife M: Duncan, King of Scotland 2 • THE QUILL, Summer 2014 610.282.WILL Macbeth continued Macbeth’s terrible misdeeds, there is leadership. What makes it mesmerizing sioned world remind you more of period only one answer to that question that is the way it does so. “Fair is foul and clothing, 20th century tyrant military, validates all that makes the play so foul is fair,” and “nothing is but what is or Greenwich Village edge fashion? You interesting. Because in the other great not.” Appearance and reality blur—and can tell us afterward, in a talkback, in the tragedies, the evildoers are separate reality itself seems unstable in this world lobby, or on our Facebook page. from the protagonist, (e.g. Hamlet vs. where the natural and supernatural over- ll of this is made more rich by the Claudius) the conflict is between people lap rather than coexist, creating chaos and fact that this play will be in repertory and the dimensions of humanity they disorder. Throw in some witches, appari- (withA the same cast) with the wacky represent. In Macbeth, the real battlefield tions, ghosts, and searing yet glorious laff-riot comedy, Lend Me a Tenor. These lies within the individual psyche and the language from the world’s greatest writer, actors will get the workout of their fog of war therein is thick and treacher- and a fascinating life-memory night in the lives, on some days, a six-door farce in ous. If he’s a just bad guy, there is no theatre becomes possible. the afternoon, and then Shakespeare’s battle. ill the cavernous scenery remind Macbeth at night! This is why we hire hematically, the play illuminates the you more of an underground vault some of the best actors in the country. risks of unchecked power, the line orW a bombed-out cathedral? This is a Patrick Mulcahy, PSF producing artistic betweenT strength and tyranny, and the world in need of repair and healing. Will director, is directing Macbeth. roles of masculine and feminine energy in the costumes in this familiar but re-envi- Cover: Henry VIII photo (left) and Hamlet photo (right) by Lee A. Butz. Designer Notes By Costume Designer Lisa Zinni he design concept for this produc- tion grew out of Patrick’s interest in exploringT the theme of Macbeth’s psycho- logical breakdown and the strong hand the supernatural has in this play. “Nothing is but what is not” and “Fair is foul and foul is fair” are the quotes that led us on this design journey. For me, the challenge was to create a world that seems somehow accessible and familiar, yet unstable and uncertain. There is a strong contemporary edge to this design, incorporating mixed military elements and fashion alongside traditional elements like swords, daggers, and capes. The tight color palate, selective use of the color red, and shape shifting of characters all play a part. like to think my role as the costume designer is to be the visual storyteller I—supporting the actors in portraying these characters, and collaborating with the director and other designers to take Shakespeare’s timeless tragedy and create a new and magical world for the audience to q be drawn into. WWW.PASHAKESPEARE.ORG THE QUILL, Summer 2014 • 3 PSF Introduces Thank you to our sponsors Legacy Season Sponsor Society Future gifts create opportunities today. Through the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s Legacy Amaranth Foundation Steve & Jane Auvil Society, planned giving donors are recognized now for a gift that will be received in the future. Lee & Dolly Butz Planned gifts allow donors to make a significant gift without affecting their current finances and the Festival will recognize the gift and show its appreciation now. “Planned gifts put the power of philanthropy into the hands of Linda Lapos & Paul Wirth John & Brenda McGlade every donor,” says Deb Walter, director of development, “regard- less of income-level, assets, or age. Planned gifts need not be Kathleen Kund Nolan & Timothy E. Nolan complicated, and are suitable for those who seek to benefit David B. & Patrina L. Rothrock Drs. Paul & June Schlueter the Festival’s mission to enrich, inspire, engage, and entertain far into the future.” The Szarko Family Most planned gifts are made through a will or through a dona- Festival Host tion of an appreciated asset— such as stock, a life insurance policy, or real estate.