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Summer Season at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Two of William Shakespeare's most popular plays and Thornton Wilder's universally relevant tale about Grover's Corners will be presented on the outdoor Elizabethan Stage/Allen Pavilion through October 10-12. New artistic director Bill Rauch is pleased to celebrate these two Shakespearean classics as well as to stage the first American play in OSF's outdoor theater. "Our Town is the right play to push the boundaries," Rauch said, "because, like Shakespeare, Wilder put emphasis on the imaginative exchange between audience and the actors. Sitting outside with the moon and stars overhead, audiences will have a more immediate connection to Wilder's themes of human connection amidst the vastness of the universe," Rauch said. Director of Othello, Lisa Peterson has set the play in the Jacobean period and the costumes, set and music emphasize the intensive divisions and dichotomies of this wartime story. Scenic design is by Rachel Hauck, costume design by Christopher Acebo and lighting design by Alexander V. Nichols. Dramaturg is Jeff Rogers, voice and text director is Scott Kaiser, movement director is John Sipes and sound designer is Paul JamesPrendergast. Peter Macon, in his de
Othello (Peter Macon) and Iago (Dan Donohue) pledge allegiance to each other to uncover the deceit of Desdemona. Photo by T. Charles Erickson. Thornton Wilder's Our Town is the timeless story of the residents of a turn-of-the-century (20th) New Hampshire town. While on the surface the tale seems like a simple retelling of everyday life, underneath powerful currents of love, joy, disappointment and heartbreak transform ordinary lives into something extraordinary. Directed by Chay Yew, this production offers audiences an opportunity to revisit and be reminded of the depth and complexity of this play. The costumes are designed by Anita Yavich, scenic design is by Richard L. Hay, lighting design by Robert Peterson, dramaturg is Judith Rosen, voice and text direction by Louis Colaianni and music by Todd Barton.
Rebecca Gibbs (Rachel Kaiser) and her brother George (Todd Bjurstrom) marvel at the beautiful moon. Photo by Jenny Graham. The Comedy of Errors is directed by longtime OSF favorite Penny Metropulos in a zany Old West adaptation that features plenty of Shakespeare and a strong infusion of music and song. The two sets of separated-at-birth twins are played by Jeremy Peter Johnson and Mark Bedard (the Antipholi twins) and John Tufts and Tasso Feldman (the Dromio twins). Miriam A. Laube and Emily Sophia Knapp play Adriana and Luciana, respectively. Also in the cast are Hassan El-Amin, David Kelly, René Millán, Cristofer Jean, Armando Durán, Linda Alper, K.T. Vogt and many more. Musicians are Sterling Tinsley, Frank Sullivan, Bruce McKern and Crystal Reeves.
The Town sees double when the Antipholi and Dromios come together. Photo: T. Charles Erickson. The outdoor productions join six productions already in repertory at OSF. Playing in the Angus Bowmer Theatre are Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, August Wilson's Fences, Sudraka's The Clay Cart and Jeff Whitty's The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler. In the New Theatre is Julie Marie Myatt's world premiere production of Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter and Shakespeare's timely wartime and election story, Coriolanus. Luis Alfaro's Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner opens July 5 in the New Theatre, and Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge will open July 26 in the Angus Bowmer Theatre. |
but at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, plays Othello and veteran OSF actor Dan Donohue plays Iago. Sarah Rutan is Desdemona and Vilma Silva is Emilia. Others in the cast include Danforth Comins as Cassio, Christopher DuVal as Roderigo, and Tony DeBruno as Brabantio and Gratiano.
The cast of 25 includes a mix of OSF veterans and newcomers. Anthony Heald will play the Stage Manager; Todd Bjurstrom is George Gibbs, Mahira Kakkar is Emily Webb, Hassan El-Amin and Demetra Pittman play Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs, and Kimberly Scott and Richard Howard play Mr. and Mrs. Webb. Also in the cast are Rex Young, James Edmondson, Dan Donohue, Catherine E. Coulson, Jonathan Haugen, Bill Geisslinger, Dee Maaske and Robynn Rodriguez.
Scenic design is by Michael Ganio, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Robert Peterson, music by Sterling Tinsley and choreography by Suzanne Seiber. Jeff Rogers is dramaturg, Louis Colaianni is voice and text director, John Sipes is movement and fight director, with assistance from U. Jonathan Toppo. Rebecca Easton is the FAIR assistant director.