Minnesota Shakespeare Company

Midsummer Night's Dream

2011-05-31T19:19:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota Shakespeare Company opens its 2011 season with A Midsummer Night's Dream at Gremlin Theater in St.Paul July 5 through July 10, 2011.

Gremlin Theater

2400 University Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55114-1706

July 5, 2011-
7:30 p.m. (PAY-WHAT-YOU-CAN PREVIEW)

July 6-9^th,
2011 7:30 p.m.

July 10^th Sunday matinee performance at 2:00

Tickets: Age 12 and under $10. Others $20.

Reservations: 651-641-0906

Directed by Mikel Clifford, A Midsummer Night's Dream is a typical Shakespearean comedy, opening with what looks like tragedy.

An Athenian, Hermia, rejects Demetrius, her mother's choice for a husband, and is told to accept him, enter a nunnery, or be put to death. So Hermia elopes into the forest outside Athens, accompanied by HER choice: Lysander. The couple is followed by Demetrius, the rejected suitor. Demetrius is followed by Helena, who loves HIM.

The woods are full of ancient mythic beings. Best-known of this group is Puck, a resident fairy whose mischievously earnest enchantments keep humans and spirits in an uproar. Although they embody Father & Mother Nature's powers, Oberon and Titania--the king and queen of the Fairies--have their own troubles. Added to the forest ensemble are a group of innocent workmen, who go there seeking a peaceful spot to rehearse a play they're working on.

Little do they know . . . .

Accompanied by a live band, magic spells, and mayhem, the play leaves us wondering--was it all a dream?

"Hamlet" Featured at Caponi Art Park, June 26, 2010

2010-05-28T23:38:00.001-07:00

The Minnesota Shakespeare Company's celebrated and final performance of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark will be featured at Caponi Art Park's Shakespeare Festival, Saturday June 26, 2010 at 6:30pm. The Shakespeare Festival is set in the beautiful outdoor amphitheater of Caponi Art Park located in Eagan Minnesota. This event is free with a suggested donation of $4.00 per person. No reservations are needed. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket.

If it rains the show will be cancelled by Caponi Art Park Staff and there will be no make-up performance.

Caponi Art Park is located in Eagan Minnesota, just off 35E and Diffley Road. The address to the park is 1220 Diffley Road, Eagan MN 55123.

Parking: In addition to the main parking lot, performance parking is available at the Lexington-Diffley Athletic fields. Banners and signs will be posted. Walking distance to amphitheater is a hilly 5-minute hike from either entrance.

For more information about Caponi Art Park and The Shakespeare Festival please go to:

http://www.caponiartpark.org/programs/shakespearefestival

Minnesota Shakespeare Company contact information:

email: minnesotashakes@gmail.com or 651-786-9102

"Hamlet" a Director's Note

2010-05-02T19:13:00.000-07:00

Director’s Note:
Hamlet is Shakespeare's best known work: the most widely performed of his tragedies, and the topic of scholarly commentary sufficient to cover--if burned onto CDs--the state of Utah. Besides notoriety, Hamlet celebrates an Urstatus. From Hamlet, modern drama descended. Hamletintroduces the inner monologue: the soliloquy from which audiences learn how a character thinks, ponders, considers his predicament—tells them who he is.

Most importantly, it is a fine play. Hamlet has vivid characters, unanswered questions, arresting wit, a whole-grain plot, and a title role reserved for the very gifted and, preferably, the very self-absorbed. Shakespeare presents a man, mad with grief over his father's death and floored by his mother's tastelessly quick remarriage. In Hamlet, Shakespeare creates a new generation turning toward the Renaissance, in opposition to the old feudalism. Hamlet is a student intellectual oppressed by an older generation whose lives are governed by political expediency and by military force. He's an aristocrat, who's rebelled against his class by going to a forward-thinking University and making friends with commoners, by falling in love with a politician's daughter, and by hanging around with actors. As a man, Hamlet is everything that the world of politics and soldiering isn't. His world is bound by feelings and intellect, and--like most young people, he's inflamed by the compromises and the duplicities of the adult world.

Our production was fraught with disasters: actors stricken with food poisoning, chest pain, automobile accidents (3), Panic Attacks, better-paying offers, and an actual broken leg--the last suffered by Hamlet himself while rehearsing the fencing scene two weeks from our originally scheduled opening in January. Many of these disasters left us seeking replacement personnel. Through it all, five of the original actors and five original staff members remained for what unexpectedly totaled nine months of rehearsal.

Now, the birth.

Hamlet, a post-performance discussion

2010-04-28T21:26:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota Shakespeare Company is delighted to announce that Dr.Joe Hughes, Professor of English at the University of Minnesota, will lead post- performance discussions of Hamlet on June 5 & June 12. Dr. Hughes is featured among the top ten people with whom you would want to have a drink.

We hope you can join us in what will prove to be a lively and entertaining performance and discussion.

Hamlet Cast List

2010-04-27T20:30:00.000-07:00

The following talented actors have been selected for the June production of Hamlet.

Nick James-Hamlet

Robert Larsen-Claudius

Brian P. Joyce-Polonius, Captain

Christine DeZelar-Tiedman-Gentlewoman & Player Queen

Bill Gorman-Ghost of old Hamlet, Player King

Will Holmes-Laertes

Adelin Phelps-Ophelia

Steve Schmalz-Bernardo, Guildenstern, Priest

Nathan Tylutki-Marcellus, Lucianus, Gravedigger II

Luke Weber-Rosencrantz, Osric

Eric Wood-Grave Digger

Andrew Lamp-Horatio

Beth Henningsen-Violin

Chris Thompson-Piano

Mikel Clifford-Director

Shira Levenson-Stage Manager

Erica Fields-Producer

What, Has This Thing Appeared Again, Tonight?

2010-03-30T19:03:00.000-07:00

The Minnesota Shakespeare Company's celebrated production manquee, Hamlet, Prince of Denmark, opens at the Lowry Lab, Thursday, June 3rd. Nick James--playing the title role--again has two working legs, after breaking one during a rehearsal of the swordfight scene last December.

Hamlet, William Shakespeare’s most celebrated work. presents a new man of the Renaissance, seen in opposition to the old feudalist. He is a student intellectual, oppressed by an older generation whose lives are governed by political expediency and by military force. Hamlet is an aristocrat, who has rebelled against his class by going to a forward-looking University, by making friends with commoners, by falling love with a politician’s daughter, and by hanging around with actors. He is inflamed by the compromises and duplicities of the adult world. Religion is more frequently described, discussed, and acknowledged in Hamlet than in any other of Shakespeare’s plays. The production charts one of the great rites of passage: from immaturity to accommodation with death.

A live band accompanies the action. Mikel Clifford directs.

The show opens Thursday, June 3, 2010, and plays Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday through June 13, 2010. Performances begin at 7:00 PM in the Lowry Lab Theatre, 350 St. Peter Street, St. Paul 55102.

*Pay What You Can Performance Monday June 7, 2010 7:00 pm

Note: An entrance into the Lowry Building from Wabasha is often locked.

All tickets are $15.00.

For reservations, phone 612-836-7529

Kindly include your phone number, preferred date, number of tickets.

Checks and cash accepted.

Parking discount for the Lowry Building Garage (Auto entrance on Wabasha).

email: minnesotashakes@gmail.com

"Hamlet" June 2010

2010-01-27T20:31:00.000-08:00

The Minnesota Shakespeare Company presents, "Hamlet" at the Lowry Lab Theater in downtown St.Paul June 3-13, 2010. Performances are planned for Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, and Sunday at 7:00 PM. The company's January performance of, "Hamlet" was canceled when the actor playing the title role broke his leg in rehearsal two weeks before the show was scheduled to open. We look forward to seeing you in June!

Hamlet-AID "Variety Show"

2010-01-13T17:37:00.000-08:00

Minnesota Shakespeare's performance of "Hamlet" which was to open January 8 and run through the end of January is....not to be.

Actor Nick James, who was to play "Hamlet" broke his leg in three places while rehearsing the ACT V fencing scene. As a result the show has been cancelled.

There will be two "Variety Show" benefit performances for Nick who is uninsured. The performances feature the cast and crew of "Hamlet" and "Good Boys"

This benefit will be held January 22 & 23 at 7:00 pm at the Lowry Lab Theater in downtown St.Paul. This event will feature live music, four ten-minute plays, two story tellers and one character sketch.

Tickets are by donation and no reservations are needed.

Please call 651-786-9102 if you have any questions.

The Lowry Lab is located at 350 St.Peter Street in Downtown St.Paul

Entrance is between Pazzaluna and Sakura Restaurants.

"Hamlet" Performance Update

2009-12-23T19:29:00.000-08:00

Celebrated Twin Cities’ actor, Nick James, broke his leg Saturday, December 19, rehearsing for the Minnesota Shakespeare Company’s Hamlet, in which he played the title role. While practicing the Act V fencing scene, Mr. James executed a maneuver that fractured an ankle bone and both lower leg bones. He will be on crutches for several weeks. Like many upcoming actors, he is uninsured.

Mr. James appeared as the shooter in MSC’s summer & fall production of Jane Martin’s Good Boys. The young actor comes from Kentucky, and is a graduate of the University of Minnesota, Morris.The original run of MSC’s Hamlet slated to open January 8th at the Lowry Lab in downtown St. Paul, is cancelled. The fate of the production is under discussion.

There will be two variety show benefits for Nick James, featuring comical-tragical, historical-pastoral sketches, monologues, songs, storytelling and live music January 22 & 23, at 7:00 PM at the Lowry Lab, in St. Paul. By donation. For further information call 651-641-0906.

Praise for "Good Boys"

2009-08-23T12:43:00.000-07:00

Wow what a great opening, the audience did not want to leave!

This resulted in the actors and director coming back on stage to answer questions from the audience about the play, and it's themes of grief and forgiveness. This back and forth discussion between the cast and audience is rare, and it reminds us of the power of live theater. Come see for yourself this rare compelling drama.

Quotes from opening week

"A beautiful heart wrenching play, now three days after I saw it, I tear up when thinking about certain scenes. I plan to come back and bring my teenage son to see it with me."

"It is a truly challenging piece of theater. The terrific cast took the material on with gusto and passion, and left us feeling the emotional impact of such a difficult set of circumstances."

Diane Swanson, Drama Council Member, Phipps Center for the Arts

"I guess when it comes to plays we are not looking for an escape, but want to come see something with meaning, and this play provided it."

Good Boys by Jane Martin

2009-07-11T15:18:00.000-07:00

Bill Gorman and Eric Wood in Good Boys
(Other players are Nick James, Pedro Juan Fonseca, and Anthony Galloway)

Good Boys centers around the patriarchs of two families--one white, one African-American-- suffering eight years after a Columbine-like school massacre. Both lost sons, one of whom was the killer.

Good Boys was written by the mysterious Jane Martin, of whom little is known except her plays. It is speculated that she is Jon Jory, who directed every Jane Martin premiere, including the Good Boys Premiere at the Guthrie Theatre.

The play concerns forgiveness. In the face of terrible guilt under terrible circumstances, a father seeks another father. One is a minister who has lost his vocation in the aftermath of his son's murder. The other father tries living a life after his son killed 8 students, and himself. It is a raw, tragic story, with Hope at play's end, appearing as a nuanced possibility.

Venue: THE LOWRY LAB, 360 St. Peter St., St Paul, MN, 55199--In the Lowry Building.

Dates: Friday, August 21 Sat, Aug 22 Sun, Aug 23 Fri, Aug 28 Sat, Aug 29 Sun, Aug 30 Fri, Sept 4 Sat, Sept 5 Sun, Sept 6 and Labor Day.

Show times: Fri, Sat eves at 7:30 PM; Sundays & Labor Day at 6:30 PM
Ticket prices: $20.00, with two for the price of one Saturday, August 22, and a Pay-what-you-can performance Labor Day.

Ticket phone: 651-786-9102
Ticket email: minnesotashakes@gmail.com. Please include your telephone number, your preferred date and number of tickets.
Website: minnesotashakes.blogspot.com

Nick James plays Ethan Erskine, killer of eight of his peers.