In August, we went back to Michigan for ten days to remount Antony and Cleopatra. People often ask me what this means, so here’s the general idea: A remount is when you get the band back together to do a production again. Often, some cast members aren’t available to return, so you sub in other […]
Antony and Cleopatra is a play I think I will direct every 15 years (Why this play? I have several reasons). I can’t help but be fascinated by a story of a woman who burns too bright. I directed it for the first time as a 20-year-old at Hiram College Theater. My mentor told me […]
Get in. We’re going back to Egypt! Performance at the Rose, Blue Lake, Michigan, August 24.
This morning, my social media was buzzing with posts from friends at Pigeon Creek Shakespeare reporting their nominations for the Wilde Awards (Michigan’s professional theater awards, run by Encore Michigan). Kate Bode was nominated for “Best Performance–Bard” for her performance as Margaret in Henry VI (a role she continued in Richard III), Scott Lange for […]
Katherine recently sent me a review by Bridgette Redman of Encore Michigan, which for some reason didn’t end up getting published. Bridgette said we could share some of it on our own websites and promo materials, so here are some of my favorite bits. Running now at Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company’s multiple locations, their “Antony and Cleopatra” is a love story and Katherine Mayberry and Scott Lange as the titular couple sizzle with tempestuous passion. Let the whole world make their demands, let armies and navies clash, these two are meant to be together and nothing […]
Every now and then, I have an idea that feels in my head like it will be the best thing ever and then I’m so nervous that it won’t be the best thing ever that I get kind of freaked out when it’s time to try it. I talked about the silks a bit early in our […]
After Heidi saw Antony and Cleopatra (can I just pause for a moment and say how completely honored I am that Heidi, David, and Pam all made the drive to Grand Rapids to see it?), she said, “Shakespeare wasn’t kind to Cleopatra, was he?” I immediately responded, “History wasn’t kind to her. Shakespeare worked with what he […]
Antony and Cleopatra had its last performance at Pigeon Creek this afternoon. I haven’t seen the show in over a month, so I guess it shouldn’t matter to me that it’s over, but it has been on my mind today. People often are surprised that when I direct a touring show, I go home after […]
Little-known fact: I’m something of an expert in auditory signalling in early modern plays. That is rarely particularly useful, so I don’t trot it out much, but my friends and Pigeon Creek Shakespeare let me nerd about it with music director Scott Lange on a promo video for Antony and Cleopatra!
One thing I’ve noticed in my work on Antony and Cleopatra is how careful the youngest actors are about getting consent from each other before they touch each other. This is new; I don’t know if it’s because of movements like #metoo or #notinourhouse, but it’s definitely different. I’ve always been careful about ensuring that actors get […]