“To infinity and beyond!” is the best way to describe Community Shakespeare’s 14th Annual Fall Festival, playing from Nov. 18-21 at Lopez Center. The company blasts into an uncharted galaxy in The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged). This legendary spoof of all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays has been reinvented for the Lopez stage by writer/director Richard Carter, with a cast of more than 20 student and adult actors portraying 60-plus characters. The show was originally created and performed by only three very gifted improvisational artists, under the admiring gaze of some local talent.
Veteran Lopez actress Mary Wondra watched the birth of the Reduced Shakespeare Company at a California “Renaissance Faire.” So did contributing CSC artist Jack Tate, who helped the talented trio cultivate the “Reduced” concept. He recalls admiringly: “From the time they went from great big Shakespeare to Reduced Shakespeare, they were the top comedy act at the original Renaissance Faire. Adam shimmied up a tent pole to play the balcony scene, Jess tossed Yorick into the crowd, Daniel’s doddering slow death of Polonius was breathless. Ye Daffye Ducke.”
On the Lopez stage, this zany spirit will be recreated by first-time actors as young as 4th grade, together with returning students in middle and high school. Adults rounding out the cast include actor/musician Jesse Hammond, local favorite Rosie Sumner, and CSC stalwart David Rucker, who doubles as Stage Manager. Costume delights by Tracey Cottingham will lend even more than their usual flair, and Greg Ewert’s original Globe Theatre set has been lovingly restored by Jack Tate.
Company co-founder Richard Carter, directing his 25th production, observed: “This is by far the funniest show we’ve ever done. I’ve been dying to do farce, but it’s not easy to find a script that works for this diverse company of actors. By envisioning Compleat Works for 20-plus kids and adults, we’ve created an absolutely unique theater experience – very Lopez. Did I mention that it’s hilarious?”
Carter cautions that some of the humor is sexual in nature: “Shakespeare’s plays are full of sexual humor but modern audiences often don’t understand the language; this time they will! People need to know this before buying tickets.” He gives the play a rating of “B” for “Bawdy.”
Compleat Works (abridged) will play at Lopez Center from Nov. 18 through 21, with two performances on Saturday and the annual “pay what you can” preview on Wednesday evening. Student tickets are $10 for Thursday through Saturday; adults are $15. Wednesday is “admission by donation.” The Saturday matinee begins at 2 p.m. and the evening performances at 7 p.m. The show lasts, well, about 97 minutes.
