At this point, it would seem unnecessary (bordering on silly) to marvel at the variety of offerings at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. They are, after all, one of the oldest and largest regional repertory theater companies in the United States and have been providing incredible theater to those willing to travel to southern Oregon since 1935. However, with each visit to Ashland, I am more and more impressed and astounded at the depth and breadth of works available in the otherwise sleepy hamlet. Everything is represented from classical theater to new works; from slapstick comedy to the most heart-wrenching tragedy (sometimes all within the same play).
La Comedia of Errors
As one of Shakespeare’s more complicated, farcical comedies, the last thing one would think to do would be to add in an entirely other language to The Comedy of Errors to further muddle the story. The bilingual adaptation (by Lydia G. Garcia and Bill Rauch) of a Play On! translation (by Christina Anderson) has only brought more clarity, weight, and insight to Shakespeare’s story and its characters.
The show begins with a brilliant 5-ish minute, wordless interpretation of the back story, and then we are right in the middle of some serious family drama. Two sets of twins were separated as babies with no knowledge of their identical counterparts. One set lives in Mexico with their father Egéon and the other set is in the United States. When Egéon tells his sons (Atífolo and Drómio) of their brothers (who happened to be named Antipholus and Dromio), they decide they must go to the United States to find them. Unsurprisingly, hilarious hijinks of mistaken identities ensue and the wrong people get the wrong wives, the wrong punishments, and the wrong jewelry. There are also some very somber and moving moments of Egéon being detained by border patrol and desperately trying to get to his family before being deported. However, in the end, everyone is reunited and happy and this story is given the ending we so wish to give to the real families that have been separated.
The Comedy of Errors as it stands, is already a tough story to tell in an understandable way but with the added difficulty of another language, it seems near impossible. The incredibly talented cast assembled is more than up to this challenge. They are all incredibly charming with seemingly boundless energy. Fidel Gomez and Tony Sancho play double-duty as the two sets of twins. They have an easy and crackling chemistry and they are endlessly winning, even when the characters themselves are not as likable. Meme García as La Vecina (the Neighbor) serves as a narrator/interpreter interjecting her own feelings on the proceedings throughout. García is strong and hilarious and, at the height of the craziness, is responsible for some of the most touching and inspiring moments of the show. I have called out only a few actors but I could write a novel on each performer and all of the unique and perfect things they bring to this truly magical night on the stage.
As with any Bill Rauch venture, this 90-minute, one act play is chock full of enough clever ideas and innovative ways of storytelling to fill 10 more shows. There is no real set to speak of and no lighting whatsoever (This is a show built to travel!). All of the brilliance comes from the actors onstage and they amazing ways they have found to tell this story.
As You Like It
As the curtain rises on Shakespeare’s As You Like It, the audience would not be faulted for thinking we were led to the wrong theater. The palace intrigue, the complicated family drama, people being exiled – it all seems to be straight out of any one of the histories or tragedies for which director Rosa Joshi has made quite a name. That is, until the world opens up into full technicolor like Dorothy discovering the Land of Oz. Suddenly, gone is the stilted, uniform movement of the court and we are happily ensconced in the free-wheeling, free thinking forest of Arden.
Production Dramaturg Amrita Ramanan states in the playbill notes that this is “a comedy that begins like a history.” The heroine Rosalind flees persecution in the court, accompanied by her cousin Celia (and the resident fool Touchtone) and we transition into the “comedy” portion of the evening. They end up in the forest of Arden where Rosalind is reunited with the object of her affection, Orlando. She is, unfortunately, disguised as a man in order to ease the escape. As is to be expected, this leads to a host of misunderstandings and shenanigans. Once all is revealed, there is forgiveness all around and we get the happy ending we deserve.
As the central females of this well known tale, are Jessica Ko as Rosaline and Kate Hurster (played from May 28-August 17 by Nancy Rodriguez) as her cousin and bosom friend Celia. The two ladies have a wonderful and instantly believable, intimate connection. You can easily see them as little girls giggling and sharing secrets under the covers. Román Zargoza as Orlando de Boys is charismatic and exuberant and brings an amazing physicality to the role. Among the commune of Arden, Rachel Crowl as the banished Duke Senior shines. She radiates a royal air without having to demand it from her followers.
Alice in Wonderland
“We’re all mad here”
That promise is fulfilled (and then some!) in the current production of Alice in Wonderland adapted from Lewis Carroll by Eva Le Gallienne and Florida Friebus. Director Sara Bruner has taken the ubiquitous and pervasive images of this iconic work and manipulated, flipped around, and exploited them. Alice has ditched the Peter Pan collar and white apron for a pair of patchy blue overalls. The Cheshire Cat is filled out with a series of hoops constantly rearranging themselves as the Cat disappears and reappears. The Caterpillar is a tie-dye wearing hippie-esque figure with some extra actors thrown in to meet the leg requirements of the insect.
As the titular character, Emily Ota has a herculean task ahead of her. Not only does she remain onstage for the entirety of the show, she is in no way a passive observer of the chaotic goings on of Wonderland. Ota’s Alice is strong, sure of herself, and totally game for anything. The other sixteen actors play a myriad of characters each wackier and more captivating than the next. At any given point in time there are at least five interesting things going on onstage and one would have to see this show ten times over (probably more) to notice all of the ingenious ideas and choices being made.
When going to the OSF, the bar for the technical elements of the shows is high. With this production, they seem to have gone even further and pushed past what could be expected. Special attention should be paid to the truly spectacular costume designs by Helen Q. Huang and the spot on sound designed by sound designer and composer Matthew Webb.
Bruner states in the Director’s Notes they “offer unabashed, exposed theatricality.” One only need to look at the state of the stage after Act I (and the stage technicians frantically trying to clean it up during the short intermission) to know that they have been completely successful. This production walks the line perfectly between showy, special effects and the charm of the more ragtag, fill-it-in-with-your-own-imagination elements. Bruner concludes her notes with the invitation to “meet in that magical space between the stage and your seat where anything is possible”. I know I am not the only one eager to meet her there again.
How to Catch Creation
Often times, the works that garner (well deserved) attention in Ashland are the ones with the flashiest costumes, the cleverest interpretations or adaptations, or the big musical numbers. In the West Coast premier of Christina Anderson’s How to Catch Creation, we are reminded that a small, impeccably executed, character driven piece can pack just as powerful of an emotional punch as the most epic of stories.
Directed by Nataki Garrett, the festivals newly minted Artistic Director, Anderson’s work is an intimate exploration of love, connection, the reverberation of consequences, and, of course, creation. In a time that spans from 1966 to 2014 we meet three different couples (both romantic and platonic) whose stories intersect in many different and surprising ways.
Griffin is a newly freed and exonerated man who begins the play with confessing to his best friend and painter Tami that he wants to have a baby. Griffin, played beautifully by Chris Butler, is open, hopeful and exceedingly vulnerable. As a counterpoint, Tami, brought to life by the compelling Christiana Clark is the pinnacle of strength and stoicism. Though, as we begin to delve deeper into the character, we see this is born from deep pain and self-preservation. Clark deftly portrays the depths of love and desire hidden beneath the detached demeanor. The relationship between Griffin and Tami is incredibly sweet and grounded in honesty.
Stokes is an aspiring painter turned writer who lives with his computer programmer/musician girlfriend Riley. William Thomas Hodgson as Stokes is earnest and sweet despite being more than a little obtuse about what effect his personal journey is having on his relationship. Kimberly Monks brings a brilliance and self-confidence to the character of Riley. She bounds around the stage, commanding the attention of whichever story she is a part of.
G.K Marche is feminist writer in the 1960s in an illicit (due to the times they exist in) relationship with Natalie. Marche, superbly played by Greta Oglesby, is smart and fierce. Safiya Fredericks, as the oft neglected partner Natalie, is winning and graceful. Their relationship is incredibly engaging, even as it begins to disintegrate.
With a story such as this, it is not the sets, sound, lights, projection, or costumes (though these are all fantastically done and really do further the narrative) that are the real showpieces. The complex characters, skillfully portrayed by a stellar cast led by a gifted director can absolutely captivate an audience.
Between Two Knees
From the moment the pre-show speech begins, the tone for the show is set. Not only are we are in for a deep exploration of the incredible tragedies and atrocities committed against indigenous peoples but we are given permission, nay encouraged to laugh. Between Two Knees is a world premier piece created collaboratively by the sketch comedy group The 1491s (Dallas Goldtooth, Sterlin Harjo, Migizi Pensoneau, Ryan Redcorn, and Bobby Wilson) and commissioned by OSF. The play is bookended by two significant events at Wounded Knee – the 1890 massacre and the 1973 occupation by federal and state law enforcement agencies. The narrative is framed around Isaiah, Irma, and their family. The broader effects of genocide and oppression are interpreted through the smaller and more personal lens of this singular family and their experiences.
Now, you might not think a story where the two lovers meet at a re-education orphanage run by a sadistic, racist priest would be riotously funny but, I promise you, it really, really is. Derek Garza as Young Isaiah is able to cut through some of the wackiest moments with some honest to goodness sincerity and vulnerability. In Shyla Lefner’s Young Irma there is an inherent strength, drive, and honor that is truly inspiring. Around these two grounded pillars revolves a whole mess of crazy. Special attention should be paid to ensemble member Rachel Crowl. She plays everything from a perverse priest to a trippy, hippie, wedding officiant and so much in between and she completely disappears into every role.
Between Two Knees is the epitome of you have to laugh or you’ll cry – though there are a few blubbery moments. In fact, the play can swing wildly from campy to devastating and back again and every turn of the roller coaster is breathtaking.