A Note From the Director
Why produce two Shakespeare’s in one season, and within a week of each other? Well, twenty-eight talented young actors showed up to audition. How could I leave half of them out? How could I not share my love for Shakespeare with all of them? How could I help the Phils help grow as performers while challenging themselves? The answer to all three questions: Do two shows.
Our design concept was to set the productions in the 1920s, mostly as it is a time period with which we have not played together since I became Phils director. I’ve directed Twelfth Night before with sort of a hippy ‘60s vibe; I must admit I was never quite happy with, so it’s been great fun to explore the Jazz Age for these productions with both casts and our terrific crew. The Duke’s Palace easily lent itself to a nightclub/speakeasy setting, and from there the rest fell into place. As You Like It was a bit more challenging conceptually, until the idea of a “forest of beach umbrellas” at the seaside came up. (Thanks, Carlie, aka Rosalind!) We’ve had a great time costuming this show, researching our props, and creating fun period-specific staging for each.
I am a graduate of the 2002 Shakespeare Sedona Institute, which challenged me to be a better actor and director through 180 hours of intensive training over three weeks that summer. I’ve directed more than a half a dozen of the Bards works now, and each time I discover something new and fall in love with the sound and the language of the works all over again. Shakespeare is meant to be heard. During his time, one might’ve been asked, “Didst thou hear the new work?” rather than “Did you go see that show?” The voyeur-style theatre we are so accustomed to today - sitting in the darkness, watching the action through the invisible fourth wall - didn’t exist in Shakespeare’s time. For our productions we want our audience to be part of the experience; we won’t go fully dark, and actors will move about the space.
Our auditorium is not exactly the open air theatre of The Globe, but it is a place as magical in the record of theatre. It is full of history and promise, of shining moments and sparks of creativity. Many theatre, film, television, theatre techs, and other professional performers had their start on this stage. I like to refer to what we study as Entertainment Industry Arts rather than Fine or Performing Arts. It is less snooty and more practical. Every one of these young people could work in this field if they wished; they all have the chance to “go pro” as the Entertainment Arts continue to flourish and develop. But even if this is not their dream, they will all be better friends, better partners, and better citizens because of the skills they have learned through the arts. They are creative thinkers, imaginative explorers, and supportive friends. They show empathy, courage, and trust in one another. They learn how to work independently and as part of the whole because “the show must go on...” It’s really quite extraordinary. I am truly blessed to work with each and every one of them.
Come back and join us in January for the Senior-Directed One Act Play and Improv Comedy Festival to support Second Harvest Food Bank. And of course, our spring musical “Fiddler on the Roof" not to be missed in April.
Enjoy the show, and thanks for supporting the Entertainment Industry Arts at Jesuit!
Kate Arthurs-Goldberg, M.A.
