From peasants and queens to jesters and knights, everyone was in attendance to celebrate the birthday of the late William Shakespeare!
We’ve posted some of the photos here, but we’ve posted all of the photos on our facebook page! If you’re not a facebook fan already, become one today!
Yes it’s true my little chickadees…today is the day we say adieu. But before I leave 
you, I want to talk just a little bit more about this whole Shakespearience.
My Shakespearience came to a close on Friday evening, capped off by getting to see the play in its entirety. Friday night was “The Club” event, which, I have to say, is a fabulous way to see a play. We were treated to Finnegans beer, appetizers from Boston’s and yummy truffle cake from Truffle’s and Tortes, all this plus As You Like It. Jessica was a happy girl.
It was a motley group of us who attended. One of us was a rabid Shakespeare fan, one could take it or leave it, and one just enjoys the theater. Then there was me, and you already know my background with Shakespeare. What do you know? Each one of us found something to enjoy. Hard to believe, I know, but it’s true.
This is a post summing up the whole experience, but I’m trying hard to avoid that end of the movie narrator voice. That said, writing this blog, getting to go behind the scenes, and reading and learning more about Shakespeare changed things for me. I found myself sitting in my seat enjoying myself vastly, not caring a whit if I didn’t understand every word. When it came down to it, I discovered Shakespeare was not nearly as highbrow as I believed. And if you want to know a little secret, I’m hoping that Lyric Arts decides to do more of Shakespeare’s plays. Look what I’ve been missing all this time.
And bonus, through this Shakespearience, we’ve both gotten a chance to get behind the scenes and see just what it takes to put on a production here at Lyric Arts. Believe me, it really made seeing the play more rewarding.
Though My Shakespearience is over, yours doesn’t have to be. There’s still time to see the play. If you haven’t gotten your tickets yet, why not plan on celebrating Shakespeare’s birthday? On Friday, April 23rd Lyric Arts is throwing a birthday party. Come in costume, and you’ll get yourself a ticket to the Renaissance Festival. You can find all the details at Shakespeare’s Birthday Party. Birthday parties not your cup of tea? Well, it’s still your lucky day since there just happens to be a Special Ticket Offer going on.
Well, my friends, it is time to say Adieu. My Shakespearience was both lovely and rewarding, so why not try having your own? Still don’t believe me? Check out other people’s Shakespearience under What’s your Shakespearience? And thanks to all my lovely readers out there hiding in the Internets.
–Jessica
Volunteering with Lyric Arts, I’ve seen Joanna scrambling through Tech Week before, but this was the first time that I was able to witness the pandemonium for myself – whew!
Turns, out Tech Week is a lot more complicated than I initially thought. See, I knew that this was essentially the final run through before the show started, but there’s a lot I didn’t get. It’s more than just a dress rehearsal. This is all the discrete pieces of the production coming together. We’re talking actors, costumes, props, sound, lights, scenery, orchestra, the director, the stage manager, and of course the production manager. What’s more by the end of this week, they had all better be on the same page!
Like I said, this was more than a dress rehearsal. A tech run gives all the technical staff a chance to observe and note what’s working and what’s not. Remember last week, when Dan mentioned that all the sound and lights were run by volunteers, well they get a chance to practice too. Even better, the tech run gave me a chance to sneak in some preview footage just for my loyal readers.
Treat yourselves to a MONTAGE! As You Like Montages
I don’t want to give too much away here, but look, like it says in the video clip, this here production is more than just a love story (thank gods) and more than just a comedy (wheeeeee). Check it out – there’s MUSIC, FIGHTS, DANCING.
Ok video and sassiness aside, kids, one of the great things I got out of tech week was that I’m totally getting over that whole language thing. Getting to sit through rehearsal, I started to realize that even if I don’t understand the language, I can see what the actors mean. Now that the whole production is coming together, that feeling’s even stronger.
Which brings me to your question, Mae. You asked What is up with all the weird language in Shakespeare? They use words and phrases that I cannot relate to. Any help on that?
The interactions between the characters has really helped to clear it up for me. But, I also did a little research on the subject. It sounds awkward to us, but the language that Shakespeare uses really was the style in his time. It sounds awkward for two reasons, one is that languages change, just as modern language has evolved to include google and text as verbs. The other reason it’s hard for us is that pesky iambic pentameter. Ugh, like me, I’m sure you vaguely remember that phrase from school. But I sure don’t remember what it means, other than it’s a form of poetry. Turns out, iambic pentameter is just a great big poem with ten syllables in every line, with every second syllable emphasized. Geez, makes Shakespeare’s writing a bit more impressive. if you’re still worried about not understanding the language, you can join the director for a wee pow-wow before the show. Just check out the Playbook link for more information.
Well, faithful readers. This marks the end of our little journey. Now that we’ve spent so much time together, why not join me for the performance on Friday, April 16th? I’ll be joining the rest of the audience members as Lyric Arts wines and dines us. “What’s that?” you ask. Lyric Arts is hosting The Club on the 16th, with appetizers, beverages, and desserts. You can read more about it at Join “The Club” And then I’ll be back with one last post all about the performance and the effect of My Shakespearience. So, what are you waiting for kids? Get those tickets while they’re hot.
New here and confused about what a Shakespearience is? You can learn all about it at Jessica’s Shakespearience
Well, my lovlies, you’re getting a special installment of my Shakespearience today. I know, I know, Friday’s are the day I’m supposed to answer your questions, and I promise Mae, that I’ll get to yours. But, our time together is almost over, and I wanted to make sure that I got a chance to share one of the actor’s answers.
I had a chance to ask Amber Reilly, who plays Rosalind, a few questions, and she had some wonderful answers for me…
I’m going to be straightforward here, most of my audience (myself included) doesn’t get the fascination with Shakespeare. What made you want to try out for As You Like It?
AR I have always been fascinated with the works of Shakespeare. There are so many layers to the characters and the story, and so many different ways to interpret the intentions of the characters in any particular scene. You are constantly evolving the character and finding new insights even through the last performance.
This is the third production you’ve been in this season, what makes As You Like It special?
AR I had been waiting since the season was announced last year for As You Like It to come up. And I just happened to be lucky enough to be cast in the show! I think what makes As You Like It special is that it can appeal to everyone… there are so many layers to the story and such a variety of characters that there is something in it for everyone. Plus, who doesn’t like a comedy?!
So, I think that a lot of people might think that they’re going to struggle with the meaning because some of the language and phrasing is archaic. Did you struggle with the meanings?
AR Overall, I think understanding Shakespeare is easier than people expect and the trick is to just sit back and enjoy…stop thinking so hard! Though because some of the language is archaic, you won’t pick up every little thing, but the intentions, emotions and actions happening with and between the actors inform the meaning more than the words in most cases. There are always certain lines or moments that when you first come to them make you go ‘huh?’, but the discussions between the director and other actors (also many handy resource books) help to flesh out the meaning and you work to put that meaning into your expressions and actions so that the words become less important for the audience to understand what is happening.
Was there a difference to your performance or understanding of As You Like It after you started interacting with the other characters at rehearsal?
AR Interaction with the other actors makes a huge difference with so many different things! How you see your character, how a certain line is read…your intention can completely change from how you think a line or scene should go when you are reading on your own, to when you get onstage with a fellow actor and you see their reactions and hear their delivery of lines. It’s a fun and enlightening process to be involved in.
Do you have any interesting and or odd tricks for memorizing the lines? Is it like memorizing a poem?
AR I guess the only ‘trick’ I have for memorizing lines is to work on them right before bed…the last thing you do before you fall asleep… your brain processes the information over night and in the morning you have it! Other than that, most of the memorizing I do is from the repetition that happens in rehearsal. If something is proving more difficult to memorize, I may type or write out the lines as well.
You could argue that you’re practically a poster child for the kind of community that Lyric Arts is creating. Can you tell me a little bit about how you met your husband?
AR I don’t know if I’d say I’m a poster child, I would think I’m like most of the actors in the community/small theatre circuit.. Passionate about theatre and willing to work hard to put on a production that everyone involved can be proud of…and that the audience can enjoy too!
I met my husband in 2000 in Lyric Arts production of Annie. He was Rooster and I was Lily St. Regis. It was their last production in the little pocket theatre before they moved to the Main Street Stage. We have both been involved with Lyric Arts since that time. It is a very special theatre to us and it is very exciting to see it grow and expand in the types of shows and artists that are becoming involved.
Well, readers, like I said at the beginning our time here is almost over. The show opens this very evening, and I’ve prepared us as best I could to see As You Like It. Get those tickets now! I have one last extra special post coming to you this weekend, where I’ll be wrapping everything up, including the answer to Mae’s question, and then you’ll have to wait for until after The Club performance to hear from me again. And don’t forget, you can join me at The Club performance on April 16th. You can find all the info you need at Join “The Club”
Just finding me, and wondering what this whole Shakespearience is all about? You can find all the details at Jessica’s Shakespearience.
Lyric Arts had the chance to sit down with As You Like It director Stephen
J. O’Toole about his thoughts with his Shakespearean production. Read on to learn more!
LA: Tell us a little bit about why this particular Shakespearean play interested you.
SO: As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s lighter, more buoyant works. Besides being about love’s magical allure, it also addresses meaning of life issues, country versus city “court” life styles and mores, and gender issues. The story also appeals to me because it is obvious how so many of the characters are affected by the events in the play. The members of the court are transformed by their exile in the Forest of Arden, and the natives of Arden are changed by their encounters with the people from the Court.
LA: What inspirations did you use when thinking about directing this play? Will we see any of them come to life on stage?
SO: My immediate impressions upon reading the play are images that are buoyant, effervescent, light-hearted. There are though some dark elements and brooding moments of anxiety, despair, and cruelty. But overall the play makes a pastel impression on me. I thought of setting it in a Monet painting with characters dressed in 1890’s costumes; but then upon subsequent readings, that idea evolved into setting it in a Maxfield Parrish painting…or at least using his palette as the starting motif.
Parrish’s characters suggest a universality of time: not quite Roman or Greek, a bit Egyptian, some Robin Hood types, and of course art deco 1920’s types. (Many of his paintings adorn buildings in NYC built at that time.) This led to choosing jazz music from that period…music not readily recognizable or which lent itself to literal images of flappers and gangsters and the like.
LA: This is your second time directing with Lyric Arts, tell us about your experience and why you like directing here?
SO: I love the space. It is intimate and warm. I appreciate that the theater has a significant place for the community of Anoka and surrounding suburbs. I also admire the many outreach programs they offer to families and children to introduce folks to the power and magic of theater.
I am impressed with the level of talent of the folks who audition for the plays here at Lyric Arts.
LA: Some people feel that Shakespeare plays are too high brow or go over people’s heads. What would you suggest to help people understand Shakespeare better?
SO: Let go of the intimidation you may be feeling. If you can understand the broad strokes you are well on your way to being able to sit back and appreciate the poetry in the dialogue. But first try to get the basic story line. You may not understand everything a character says (we hope you get most of it, though!), but if you don’t, that’s okay. Let it wash over you…like opera!
LA: What do you feel are the “wow” elements of As You Like It?
SO: The characters’ sense of joy, delight, awe and wonder. Just about every character experiences such moments. This is a reason why this play is buoyant for me.
LA: Comment on the talent level in the cast.
SO: I am privileged be working with these actors. They have brought a sense of passion and honesty to the process and have endured my intense directing style. (At least, I think they have ….)
Some have never been in a play, or haven’t be in one since they were in high school; others have appeared in many community theater productions throughout the Twin Cities and others have aspirations of being professional. Each has brought to the table a willingness to be guided and to play in the world that Shakespeare has so richly painted for us.
LA: Anything else you’d like to touch on that wasn’t mentioned our asked.
SO: Some essential bits of knowledge about Shakespeare’s time: all the actors were male. So the female roles were played by young men or teenage boys. As You Like It plays on the gender bending game of Rosalind disguising herself as Ganymede (a boy) to entice and toy with her potential lover, Orlando. In reality many of the jokes were inside jokes based on the fact that a boy was playing a woman playing a boy.
Also Shakespeare’s plays were accessible to the basic workers and lower classes. This was a main form of entertainment; so it was anything but high brow an elitist.
Finally, Shakespeare’s audiences were accustomed to a more heightened sense of listening-they were into oral traditions, and could sit or stand for long periods to hear songs, poems, and stories. We, on the other hand, are a visual audience and have short attention spans. We get restless if things don’t move or change fast enough. That I think is a significant difference between the two times, and our biggest shortcoming.
Here’s a fact about me, I’m a sucker for trivia. That girl with the intense look of concentration on her face and an NTN trivia box in front of her, yeah that’s me. Or that uber competitive girl you spy out of the corner of your eye at pub trivia, yup guilty. So, because I love trivia and tidbits of obscure info so much, I thought I’d bring you some of the bits of knowledge I’ve uncovered during the course of this Shakespearience.
Now *this*, my friends, is the tidbit most likely to be found in a Trivial Pursuit game. Shakespeare’s birthday is commonly considered to be April 23rd. The very same day of his death. Bizarro, huh? Oh, and less trivial – Lyric Arts will be celebrating his birthday with cake, live music, travelling players, and costumes at the show that night. It’s worth mentioning again, that if you come in costume, you’ll get yourself a free ticket to the Renaissance Festival.
Next random fact…there’s been some arguments over whether Shakespeare really *is* Shakespeare. What do I mean by that? Ok, there definitely was a guy named Shakespeare, but people argue over whether or not he was really the one who wrote the plays. The other possibilities? Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford; author Sir Francis Bacon, and playwright Philip Marlowe. Conspiracy lovers, pay attention, here come the details… de Vere was a nobleman at Queen Elizabeth’s Court, and people talk about the similarities between de Vere’s life and that of Shakespearian characters. Bacon kept a notebook or journal that supposedly contains many of the same themes as the plays. But my favorite is Marlowe. He was killed in 1593, but his proponents say that he faked his death and thus had to publish the plays under a pen name.
So, this picture you see here is known as the Droueshout Engraving. “What’s so special about it?” you ask. Oh, yeah more controversy. Lillian Schwartz, a digital artist who also worked as a consultant at Bell Laboratories, compared the Droueshout engraving of Shakespeare to a portrait of Queen Elizabeth. Through computer analysis, Schwartz found that the features in Elizabeth’s portrait were the very same as in the engraving of Shakespeare, even down to the distances between their component features. That they are in fact the very same person. Some people believe that this means that Elizabeth was the author, and this was someone’s way of illustrating that fact.
Have some more tidbits or tadbits you’d like me to uncover? Drop a line down in the comment box, and I’ll have an answer for you on Friday. Wondering just what a Shakespearience is? You can find out more at Jessica’s Shakespearience.
Well, my lovelies, I have new information from behind the scenes at Lyric Arts to share with you today. In the Behind the Seams entry, I talked about how costuming may not be something that everyone notices, but everyone would notice if it were wrong. Well, lighting and sets fall into those categories too. Last week, I got a peek at Cue to Cue. What’s that you ask? Well, I’ve got some video here from Dan, who’s in charge of lighting for As You Like It. This will explain it all.
Who knew all that went into just one production? And if you’re interested in being one of those volunteers that Dan talked about, just click on Get Involved.
I also got to have a chat with Patrick, who fashions all of the sets and scenery for Lyric Arts. Watch the video below for a sneak peak at the stage and what goes into it.
Asking yourself, who’s this lady with camera? Click on Jessica’s Shakespearience to learn a little more. And don’t forget that I’m here to be your literary detective. Leave me a question in the comment box, and I’ll be back on Friday with an answer to your most pressing question.
So, my little chickens, you must know a lot more about Shakespeare and Lyric Arts that I do, cause I didn’t get any questions this week. Lucky for me, I did have some questions pop up in different venues.
Last week, Joanna, the Production Manager at Lyric Arts, and I were talking about As You Like It, and the word pastoral came up. Now, we both knew the definition of pastoral, but how does that work with Shakespeare?
Well, I put on my literary detective hat and set out to find out what this was all about. My first hint came from Laura, the Managing Director. Second stop, the Googles. Huh, look at this if you google pastoral and Shakespeare, a majority of the results center around As You Like It. Hrm, am I missing something here?
Digging deeper, I found that there’s a whole genre of pastoral literature during the Renaissance Era, but of course, Shakespeare’s the most famous. See, it turns out a lot of people were moving to the city and there was a move to idealize country life. Now look here, if you’re like me, this whole idea sounds like something that would have happened during the Industrial Revolution, at the earliest. I mean, really, it’s hard to imagine people living in a city bemoaning the loss of a simple country life during Shakespeare’s time, but there it is. How does As You Like It fit into this? Well, the majority of the play takes place in the Forest of Arden and features love and magic. I’d love to tell you more, but really now, if you’re unfamiliar with the play, perhaps you should just plan on joining me at a production. I’d hate to give it all away.
So maybe it’s a bit weird of me, but in my life on the internets, I tend to disguise who I am to some extent. But here I am trying to convince you that I’m just like you, so I guess it’s time to break that little habit. If I’m going to try to make Shakespeare accessible, perhaps I should’ve started with myself. Frequent readers may notice a change to that picture up there on the right. Yup, there I am in all my shameless glory (if you haven’t guessed by now, I’m a bit of a ham).
So, you want to know more about me, huh? Well, I’m just your average girl living in Anoka. I’m passionate about nonprofits, and so last summer I called up Lyric Arts to see how I could help out. I know it makes me a bit of an odd duck, but I really enjoy doing all the little tasks associated with marketing, and wanted to see if I could put this enthusiasm to use in a theater setting. Well, like any nonprofit, Lyric Arts can always use volunteers, and so here we are.
And despite my love of writing, when Joanna asked me about Shakespeare, I have to admit I wasn’t so interested. In my first post, I used the phrase “Le sigh” And it was really like that. Look, you already know that I’m excited about the things that Lyric Arts is doing, but I never imagined I’d be excited by Shakespeare. Hopefully, some of you are beginning to change your minds too.
Think you want to get in on this? Don’t forget that Lyric Arts is setting up a Virtual Street Team. Point your mouse on over to Get Involved to find out more. And if you didn’t get enough background about me and what we’re doing, head on over to Jessica’s Shakespearience.
We’ve got a few weeks left to go here, and I need your help. Drop those questions on down in the comment box, and I’ll do my best to entertain you with irreverent answers.
“Welcome to the pandemonium that is costume parade.” These are the words that 
met me as I entered Lyric Arts last week. And chaos ensued, but in an oddly controlled way.
And again I was treated to an enlightenment of just how much goes into one production at Lyric Arts. I’ve seen a great many performances, but it seems that I just took the whole production for granted. Take costuming for example. There are things that would stand out as glaring errors if they were done incorrectly, but when they’re done right, it just all seamlessly (pun intended) blend into a successful production.
Let’s get back to costume parade here. My guess is you’re wondering what the heck it is. Well, I was too. This is the point in the production where most of the costumes are completed, and the costumer and director get together to make sure it all works. Are the costumes aligned with the director’s vision? Do the costumes fit the period? Do they work together? Work with the set? All these questions need to be answered at costume parade. And costuming even helps separate the good from the evil. Color is super important here too, both in illustrating character transformations, and in harmonizing the characters. Part of costume parade is ensuring the characters don’t clash with each other or the set.
Luckily, you don’t have to take my word for it. Check out these sneak peak, behind the seams pics of the upcoming costumes.
Seeing all of these lovely costumes had me questioning just where they come from. See each production has a costumer who’s responsible for pulling all the outfits together. But that still doesn’t answer our questions. Luckily Becky, the friendly costumer for this production was ready to share some secrets. So like any good community theater, Lyric Arts takes donations for costumes, but a lot of them still need to be made and purchased. And if making costumes wasn’t enough, Becky’s responsible for making alterations. And ladies, we all know how important those accessories are. Well, they’re just as important on stage. Well, duh, right? But seriously, these things don’t occur to me as I sink into a theater seat brimming with anticipation. Can you imagine, though, if all the actors came out barefoot?! And what’s more, Becky shared that these are the most costumes that she’s had to prepare for any one show. I like to think that’s a sign of how awesome it’s going to be.
So, bet you didn’t think all these nitty gritty issues went into one production. Look what we’re learning here kids.
And don’t forget you can haul out your own period costumes. Shakespeare’s birthday is April 23rd. If you come in costume to that performance, you’ll be treated to a little birthday cake, live music from the Black Velvet Band, and get to meet actors from the Renaissance Festival. What’s more, if you’re in costume, you’ll even get a free ticket to this year’s Ren Fest! Yup, it’s Shakespeare’s birthday, but you’re the one getting the gift, in addition to seeing a fabulous play.
So, if this is your first time checking out my Shakespearience, mosey on over to Jessica’s Shakespearience to learn a little more about what we’re trying to do here.
I think this may be something that everyone’s aware of, but just doesn’t understand (or perhaps it was only me that was blissfully unaware) – there’s a heck of a lot to creating a production at Lyric Arts.
As a part of my Shakespearience, I was able to attend a production meeting for the play last week. What’s a production meeting, you ask? It’s actually more interesting than it sounds. Everyone from lights to choreography to scenery design has been toiling away to get this performance ready for you. A production meeting is essentially where everyone gets together to make sure they’re on the same page. I know you think this may sound boring, but surprisingly it wasn’t.
So, I enter the meeting and in addition to scripts, most everyone’s hauling around this Maxfield Parrish book. “Huh, wonder who he is, and what does he have to do with Shakespeare?” I mused. Turns out, he was an American painter in the early 1900’s whose work included bringing to life some of my most beloved childhood stories. We’re talking beautiful paintings of Ali Baba and even Jack Sprat. Later, Parrish created landscapes that evoke a sense of magic in the viewer. Now, you’re probably wondering why I’m gushing over some painter, and still asking what it has to do with Shakespeare. Ok, ok, I’m getting to it, but first check out this painting from Parrish.
Princess Paraizade Bringing Home the Singing Tree, Maxfield Parrish, 1906, oil on paper.
Ok, back to Shakespeare. So, scenery ideas don’t just appear from nowhere, right. Director Stephen O’Toole has decided to use the Maxfield Parrish imagery as an inspiration for the set and even costuming of As You Like It. At the production meeting, books were hauled out as decisions were made on everything from sashes to tree stumps. And if you’re wondering just which Parrish paintings were used, you’ll have to join me for the performance. And don’t forget about the Playbook that Lyric Arts is introducing. If my ramblings on about what I’ve learned about Shakespeare just aren’t clearing things up for you, Stephen O’Toole will be hosting a Playbook, where the audience can join him prior to selected performances to gain a greater understanding of what to look for. For more details, check out the link over on your right, and come back on Wednesday for another exciting entry – Behind the Seams.
Have questions about what we’re doing here? Find out the whole story at Jessica’s Shakespearience, and don’t forget to keep those questions coming!
