Shakespeare: The Musical
Run Dates:
Thu, 04/30/2009 - Fri, 05/29/2009
Performances:
17
Venue:
SF Playhouse 2nd Stage
Director
Asst Director
Producer
Additional Production Team
Cast
Musicians
Crew
Interns
Director's Notes
Shakespeare: The Musical is a logical combination of several previous Un-Scripted Theater Company shows. In general, Un-Scripted uses productions as a training tool for our actors, bulding on skills learned from past shows and pushing skills that challenge and inspire the ensemble. This par ticular show saw a direct line of training from the improvised musical longform skills from our holiday show Let It Snow!; the acting skills from Theater: The Musical; and the Shakespeare skills, costumes, and set from our show Shakespeare: Un-Scripted.
The idea of marrying Shakespeare with musical theater made a lot of sense to me. In Shakespeare's works,characters find themselves with a well of emotions that tear them to the point that leads them to a soli loquy to the audience. In musical theater,characters find themselves in a similar position,only with song instead of soliloquy. As a result, the two genres have a nice symbiotic relationship when performed at the same time.
Tonight's performance will be completely costumed. The actors will start the show dressed as their normal genders, but because there will be just a few actors playing all the roles commonly played by many different actors in Shakesperearian productions, most of the cast tonight will likely play multiple characters of both genders. A good ru le of thumb for understanding who is playing what gender: if they're wearing a skirt, they're a woman; if they're not wearing a skirt, they're a man.
Tonight's performance will be up to two hours long with a ten-minute intermission about an hour into the show.The cast for tonight's show will be four or five members from the nine-person ensemble that makes up the greater Shakespeare: The Musical cast. There are two other improvisors playing with us tonight: the musician accompanying us, and the Iightician in the tech booth. Running the box office and concessions booth are cast members who are not in tonight's show, volunteers who like to support live theater,and interns at the Un-Scripted Theater Company who have joined the production to learn how to effectively run a professional improv company.
Thank you for coming tonight,and 1(1 love for you to review tonight'sshowonline.Online audience reviews are the best way to educate potential audience members about the kind of work we do at the Un-Scripted Theater Company. Our performances are often quite different from many other theater productions and improv comedy shows that are seen elsewhere in the world, and by sharing your experiences online you can help us bring our art form to the general public.
-Christian Utzman
Show Notes
Thursday, April 30: A Rogue in Disguise
Christian, Mandy, Michael, Trish
Lazy, cold and heartless King Henry (Christian) is invading yet another town. He bullies everyone into respecting him, including his would-be wife Miranda (Trish). Stonefaced Fernando (Michael), spurred by Miranda's brother (also Michael), leads a scrappy party to rescue her. Will he discover Henry's been posing as his friend the whole time? Or that Henry may be in --gasp-- love?
Friday, May 1: Missing Montigo
Christian, Clay, Merrill, Trish
The death of one man can threaten a kingdom! Prince Montigo has died while abroad. The shock splits up his family, sending his mother (Trish) running in denial to the woods while his father (Merrill) becomes a vicious tyrant. Meanwhile, his foppish, swashbuckling friends and their saucy wench (Christian, Merrill, Clay, and Trish) con the unhappy king, making themselves royalty. Will the queen lose her soul to the fairies? Will the king forgive her? Will the people rise up? Who will save the day?
Saturday, May 2, Matinee: In the Market for Love
Bryce, Clay, Merrill, Trish
What's a mother (Clay) to do? Pining for a lost love herself, she's determined to marry off her two daughters. Timid Elizabeth (Merrill) has never been in love. Flighty Margaret (Trish) finds it every week--this week it's the flaxen-haired stranger (Bryce) she met in the marketplace. Bernard the dung-collector (Bryce) meanwhile has a secret passion for Margaret. When everyone buys a love potion, chaos ensues! Will the girls sort it out and find happiness? And what about their poor mother?
Saturday, May 2, Evening: No More Kings!
Bryce, Mandy, Michael, Susan
The forest is not as peaceful as it seems. Tensions run high in the duchy: the duke's men are banned from the forest, for it is held by the Forest King (Bryce), stuff of legend -- now a cautious family man. Meanwhile, the Duke's son Antonio (Susan) is looking for adventure, and drags man-at-arms Firenze (Mandy) into the woods in search of the ""king."" When Antonio falls in love with the forest king's daughter Laura (Michael), the world explodes -- everyone must choose between freedom and their own brand of allegiance. (Spoiler: ends in tragic patricide!)
Thursday, May 7: A Glimpse of Heaven?
Alex, Mandy, Merrill, Susan
Antonio (Mandy) is in a quandary: in his land seeing a woman's face is enough to compel marriage or death, and he accidentally saw both the saucy Gwendolyn (Merrill) and another oddly compelling woman. Except *she* is really a man, Leaf (Susan), pretending to be a woman. And then there's Gwendolyn's twin sister! Do we ever get to choose who we love?
Friday, May 8: The Fires of Brotherhood
Alex, Mandy, Michael, Trish
The seaside lands have burned, throwing society into chaos. In search of peace, the Duke (Michael) decrees: whichever of his twin sons, Gerard and Bernard (Trish & Alex), marries first will inherit the kingdom or he'll give it all to the scheming Henry (Mandy). In this feisty comedy full of siblings, rivalry runs strong, but blood proves stronger -- even if it means death.
Saturday, May 9, Matinee: The World is Mad
Alex, Christian, Clay, Mandy, Michael
Desperate for soldiers in the fight against France, the Duke (Alex) commands all men join the army -- or the madhouse. Lovable rogues Jack and Reginald (Michael & Christian) are conscripted; one chooses the army, one the madhouse. But beware -- the Duke's advisor (Christian) has murder on his mind! Love, and the Duke, triumph over madness in the end -- but just barely.
Thursday, May 14: Edward and Edward, or The Play's the Thing
Bryce, Clay, Merrill, Michael
The king (Clay)'s two sons, both named Edward (Bryce and Michael), are driving him crazy; the elder one's an idiot, and the younger one is foul-tempered. He challenges them to win the crown by winning the people's love. Travelling players with a tale of poison and betrayal set off a chain reaction of hijinks! All ends with marriage, humility, and happiness.
Friday, May 15: The Alchemy of War
Christian, Clay, Merrill, Michael
War can poison a country, literally. Spaniard Dom Diego (Michael) and his cronies are terrorizing the kingdom, including poisoning the water supply. Sensitive Balthazar (Christian), secretly the Duke's son, finds love with the alchemist's daughter (Clay), but must find the will to fight off Dom Diego before the duchy succumbs to the poison.
Saturday, May 16, Matinee: Something so fabulous, you have to have been there.
Alex, Bryce, Michael, Trish
Saturday, May 16, Evening: Love Rules?
Alex, Christian, Susan, Trish
The Duke of Sussex (Trish) and his wife (Susan) are madly in love, much to the detriment of their duchy. The Duke'll do anything to please his wife, enacting a series of oppressive laws (all trees must be shaped like Lady Sussex's face). When their daughter tries the same act, the comic repercussions end in a death sentence for arguing! But, pardons all 'round, in the name of love.
Thursday, May 21: Bryce, Christian, Mandy, Merrill
Friday, May 22: Alex, Clay, Mandy, Trish
Gender Bender Saturday! (May 23)
Matinee: Alex, Bryce, Christian, Clay, Michael
Evening: Mandy, Merrill, Susan, Trish
This past weekend's shows were really a blast, including Gender Bender Day, with an all-male cast and then an all-female cast! (The men did a show about women and democracy, and the women did a show about war and masculinity. Go fig.)
Thursday, May 28: Alex, Bryce, Merrill, Susan
Friday, May 29: Christian, Clay, Mandy, Michael, Trish
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What's Next
Summer Show
SF Playhouse Stage Two, San Francisco
26 July, 2012
8:00pm
SF Playhouse Stage Two, San Francisco
26 July, 2012
8:00pm
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