22nd Season (2010 - 2011)

By Russell Davis

Click here to download the Curriculum Guide.

FAMILY COMEDY Follow a crooked path through the forest to grandmother’s house with Little Red, her resourceful mother, and Malarkey, the biggest and baddest of the big bad wolves. This exciting, new adaptation is not your grandmother’s Little Red Riding Hood!

Bright House Networks

- Jennifer: Megan Goldman
- Malarkey: Austin Farwell
- Mother: Nonalee Davis
- Grandmother: Robin Olson

Adapted by Patrick Barlow
From the novel by John Buchan
From the movie by Alfred Hitchcock

COMEDY Mix a Hitchcock masterpiece with a classic spy novel, add a bit of Monty Python and you have THE 39 STEPS, a fast-paced hilarious whodunit! Broadway’s longest running comedy, winner of 2 Tony Awards, comes to Orlando!

"...gut-bustingly funny farce...the inspired and disciplined silliness of those four actors, along with the same from director Jim Helsinger and his top-notch designers, that makes this 39 Steps race along as riotously as it does."
By Elizabeth Maupin

"...visual comic treats...they deserve every bit of the cheers and applause they get."
By Matt Palm, ORLANDO SENTINEL

"It’s an exciting chase down the spiral stairs in this wild, whacky slapstick comedy...don’t miss it even if you’re in the middle of childbirth."
By Carl F. Gauze, ARCHIKULTURE DIGEST

"I don't know how you guys did it...But I will never question such genius from you guys again!!  LOVED 39 STEPS!!  Bravo guys (and most talented lady).  Bravo."
Facebook comment from Nelly P.

"I always enjoy your shows -- but this one was spectacular. The acting was particularly outstanding and the props (throwing hats, train, etc.) very effective."
Audience comment

Darden Foundation
Lowndes, Drosdick, Doster, Kantor & Reed, P.A.
CCR Certified Public Accountants & Business Advisors
Larson Allen LLP

- Director: Jim Helsinger
- Set Designer: Ray Recht**
- Costume Designer: Denise R. Warner
- Lighting Designer: Jim Hunter**
- Sound Designer: Britt Sandusky
- Accent & Vocal Coach: Marlene Johnson
- Stage Manager: Andrea Herbert

Adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher
From The Novel by Henry James

Click here to download the Curriculum Guide.

DRAMA A young governess journeys to a lonely English
manor house to care for two orphaned children. Her
inquiries intothe children's unusual behavior uncover
a dark secret about their relationships with their previous
governess and the valet.

"This is a ghost story in which the horror takes place in your own thoughts, your own confused mind. Then, add the gloomy set, off-kilter lighting, weighty costumes and two actors as expressive as Eric Hissom and Suzanne O'Donnell."
By Matt Palm, ORLANDO SENTINEL

"...this handsome, well-crafted spook story is an ideal antidote to the severed limbs and spurting blood that saturates this season."
By Seth Kubersky, ORLANDO WEEKLY

"...that's the essence of horror -- paint the shadows, and let them do the talking. They positively scream on this stage."
By Carl F. Gauze, ARCHIKULTURE DIGEST

"This was a captivating performance by both actors. Carrying this story -- all the characters and elements -- was handled beautifully. Bravo to all!"
Audience comment from Kathy E.

"I saw it opening night: INCREDIBLE! AWESOME! and so MUCH FUN to watch!!"
Audience comment

Darden Foundation
Larson Allen LLP

- Director: Anne Hering
- Scenic Design: Bob Phillips**
- Lighting Design: Eric Haugen**
- Costume Design: Denise R. Warner
- Accent and Vocal Coach: Marlene Johnson
- Stage Manager: George Hamrah*
- First Production Assistant: Anna Katherine Moore
- Production Assistant: Hannah Hudson
- Light Board Operator: Anna Neufeld

Based on the book by Kevin Henkes
Adapted by Kevin Kling
Click here to download the Curriculum Guide.

FAMILY COMEDY Lilly is a mouse who knows what she likes. She likes that she is “Queen of the World,” and she likes the way her red cowboy boots go clickety-click down the hallway. She especially LOVES her purple plastic purse. If you like to laugh, you are going to love Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse!

Bright House Networks
Radio Disney 990 AM

- Lilly: Kelli Rose Sleigh
- Chester: Christopher Kiley
- Lilly's Father/Mr. Slinger/Store Clerk/Bully: Trent Fucci
- Wilson: Mason D. Criswell
- Lilly's Mother/Raphael/Bully: Brooke M. Haney
- Garland/Granny/Bully: Pascha Weaver

Book by Jahnna Beecham & Malcolm Hillgartner
Vocal Arrangements by Malcolm Hillgartner and Chip Duford

MUSICAL COMEDY It's Christmas Eve, 1944. America's favorite singing cowboy Tex Riley and his troupe are late for a special holiday broadcast at the BBC in London. A frantic young producer grabs whomever he can and shoves them in front of the studio audience. The resulting performance is one that England will never forget! Full of Christmas songs and boy-howdy humor!

"...a whole lot of comic chops and some major musical talent. What they've wound up with is as quirky a Christmas show as you'll find -- funny, nonsensical and just sweet enough to get you through the holidays with a smile on your face."
By Elizabeth Maupin

"...a bright comic showcase for a finely tuned cast of six...I'm thankful to the Shakespeare Theater for this holiday treat."
By Matt Palm, ORLANDO SENTINEL

"...entertaining holiday show that avoids the tropes of ghosts, holiday thievery and unfulfilled commercial purchasing fetishes...You truly feel these folks really are singing for the troops in frozen foxholes with bullets flying overhead..."
By Carl F. Gauze, ARCHIKULTURE DIGEST

"Absolutely fantastic performances by all of the cast. The production was perfect."
Audience comment from Keith G..

"Yee-ha and tally ho! That was a rootin' tootin' shootin' stiff upper lip kind of dress rehearsal (with some darn fine yodelin')."
Audience comment from Ken T.

Darden Foundation
Massey Services Inc.
Holland & Knight
U.S. Trust

- Clive Cooper: Michael Edwards*
- Leslie Briggs Stratton: Philip Nolen*
- Miles Shadwell: Mark Whitten*
- Archie Leitch: Michael Gill*
- Mabel Carter: Melissa Mason
- Stan: Brandon Roberts

- Fiddle/Mandolin: Daniel Flick
- Guitar: Ted Henderson
- Bass: Matt Tonner
- Guitar: Michael Gill*

By William Shakespeare

ROMANTIC COMEDY Magic and laughter are on the loose in the woods outside of Athens in Shakespeare’s most popular comedy! Puck leads two pairs of young lovers on a wild and merry chase in search of true romance.

"David Lee has deliberately emphasized the farcelike elements in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' staging the scenes for the four young lovers as a long, seamless arc of comic action whose propulsive physical energy I found exhilarating...it's been a very long time since I saw a 'Midsummer Night's Dream' that made the audience laugh so loud and long." -- Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal [full review]

"Drop-dead gorgeous...a riot..." -- Elizabeth Maupin [full review]

"The result is as funny to contemporary audiences as the original surely was to theatergoers in Elizabethan England...a truly magical place for Shakespeare's tomfoolery..." -- Matt Palm, ORLANDO SENTINEL [full review]

"While these mortals may well be fools, they are exceptionally funny fools." -- Carl F. Gauze, Archikulture Digest, INK19 [full review]

"I am honoured to say that my husband and I witnessed an absolutely stunning rendition of A Midsummer Night's Dream last eve!! A brilliant performance with exquisite performers!! If I had more than 2 thumbs to put up; I most definitely would!!" -- Rachael H.

"I had a blast at last night's preview of MIDSUMMER NIGHTS DREAM... Very fun production...!" -- Glenn W.

"I became an Avery Clark fan after seeing his Hamlet. What a talent! This production is stupendous." -- Clare M.onal Material

Darden Foundation
A. Brian Phillips
City of Orlando
Foley & Lardner LLP
Harriett Lake
OUC
Wells Fargo
Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs

- Theseus/Oberon: Wynn Harmon*
- Hippolyta/Titania: Sarah Ireland*
- Puck/Philostrate: Claro Austria*
- Lysander: Avery Clark*
- Bottom (Pyramus: Michael Daly*
- Quince: Anne Hering*
- Hermia: Michele Vazquez*
- Helena: Courtney Moors*
- Demetrius: Walter Kmiec
- Egeus: Darryl Pickett
- Snug the Joiner (Lion: Matt Wenge
- Starveling the Tailor (Moonshine)/Oberon Guard: Mason Criswell
- Cobweb: Brooke Haney
- Snout the Tinker (Wall)/Oberon Guard: Trent Fucci
- First Fairy (Moth: Pascha Weaver
- Peaseblossom: Kelli Rose Sleigh
- Mustardseed: Kristin Shirilla
- Flute the Bellows Mender (Thisby): Christopher Kiley

Based on the Novel by Jane Austen
Adapted by Jon Jory

ROMANTIC COMEDY All of the wit and romance of Jane Austen’s classic novel comes vividly to life in this fast-paced and engaging new adaptation. In a society where manners and birth mean everything, can independent Elizabeth and handsome Mr. Darcy look beyond their pride and prejudice to find their true and lasting love?

"Thomas Ouellette's light-footed, virtuosically coordinated staging flows as smoothly as a ballet and has just the right amount of comic crackle." -- Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal [full review]

"Heartfelt laughs, engaging characters and Austen's delightful story that takes more twists and turns than a trip to 'Peyton Place'." -- Matt Palm, Orlando Sentinel [full review]

"Deliciously fun… beautifully fashioned….canny and quick. You don't want to miss a word." -- Elizabeth Maupin, Maupin on Theater [full review]

"Orlando Shakes puts on staged performance of wildly popular Jane Austen novel" by Al Krulick, Orlando Weekly [full review]

"They captured the wittiness of Jane Austen. The dancing was entertaining and helped to illustrate the formality of the social scenes." -- Leslie T.

"Excellent show last night! The intensity between Elizabeth and Darcy was electric!" -- Sultana A.

Mr. Bennet: Wynn Harmon*
Miss Bingley: Sarah Ireland*
Ball Guest/Officer/Servant: Claro Austria*
Fitzwilliam Darcy: Avery Clark*
Mr. Collins: Michael Daly*
Mrs. Bennet: Anne Hering*
Elizabeth Bennet: Michele Vazquez*
Jane Bennet: Courtney Moors*
Charles Bingley/Servant: Walter Kmiec
Mr. Gardiner/Ensemble: Darryl Pickett
Ball Guest/Lady Catherine De Bourgh/Housekeeper: Robin Olson
Sir William Lucas/Ensemble: Matt Wenge
Officer/Servant/Ball Guest: Mason Criswell
Mary Bennett/Charlotte Lucas: Brooke Haney
Ball Guest/George Wickham: Trent Fucci
Mrs. Gardiner/Ensemble: Pascha Weaver
Catherine "Kitty" Bennet: Kelli Rose Sleigh
Lydia Bennett/Georgiana: Kristin Shirilla
Colonel Fitzwilliam/Servant: Christopher Kiley

Adapted and performed by Charlie Bethel

DRAMA A one-man masterpiece over 1000 years in the making! Beowulf kills the monster Grendel, becomes a great and prosperous king, and finally must battle a deadly dragon. An epic about the courage required to engage in the simple act of living.

"Bethel is a craft storyteller, always aware of his audience, slipping into characters where need be to punctuate the action." -- Matt Palm, Orlando Sentinel [full review]

"His writing is powerful, and he performs Beowulf with such force, such precision and such wit that he erases everything but Danes and Geats, fens and moors, monsters and dragons from your mind." -- Elizabeth Maupin [full review]

Orange County Arts & Cultural Affairs

Book and lyrics by Judith Viorst
Music by Shelly Markham

Click here to download the Curriculum Guide.

FAMILY MUSICAL COMEDY Alexander has just received some really bad news from his parents. His dad has taken a job in a city far away, which means he is going to have to move away from all his friends and the things he loves. Alexander already knows that he’ll hate it, so he decides that he just won’t move!

Bright House Networks
Orlando Magic
Radio Disney

- Alexander: Mason Criswell
- Nick/Albert/Rooney Girls: Brooke Haney
- Anthony/Rooney Girls: Christopher Kiley
- Mother/Mrs. Baldwin/Mrs. Oberdorfer: Pasha Weaver
- Father/Mr. Baldwin/Mr. Rooney/Seymour/Mr. Friendly: Tony Dietterick
- Paul/Swoozie/Moving Man/Rachel/Rooney Girl: Kristin Shirilla

By Kathleen Cahill

ROMANTIC COMEDY Margaret Fuller and the Transcendentalists are not a rock group. And Charm isn't your typical history play; but Margaret is the woman who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Directed by Patrick Flick, Kathleen Cahill's Charm is a romantic comedy of manners that follows the life of Margaret Fuller, a remarkable woman who lived during the mid-1800s. Fuller, a contemporary of three great American thinkers -- Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne -- was a brilliant writer, philosopher, and social critic far ahead of her time. Full of luscious language and juicy anachronisms, Charm is a modern, hilarious and stimulating piece that magically weaves in and out of history.

Parental guidance suggested for anyone under 18. Strong language and sexual content. Please contact the Box Office for more information.

"...a quirky fantasia on the life of Fuller that discards conventional storytelling technique to explore Fuller's personality in an almost dreamlike world." -- Matt Palm, Orlando Sentinel [full review]

"Charm is a comic, yet compelling, look at a largely forgotten pioneer whose influence is still felt today." -- Seth Kubersky, Orlando Weekly[full review]

"...script that's both comical and moving, a handful of vibrant performances, a gorgeous physical presence..." -- Elizabeth Maupin, Maupin on Theater [full review]

"...Tanner, who played Laura in Orlando Shakespeare's lovely Glass Menagerie in 2008, makes a transcendent Margaret, a woman who has one leg in the present and another in the future, a woman in love with ideas and yearning to break free." -- Elizabeth Maupin, Maupin on Theater [full review]

"I LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF 'CHARM'." -- Connie B. 

"I was equally charmed by the play and the playwright. I've been furiously Googling Margaret Fuller and Kathleen Cahill since Sunday's matinee and talk-back session. This play from the 19th century has a great deal to say about the way women are being treated today, especially by more extreme members the GOP. More plays like this one, please! Stellar." -- Gina-Renee C.

Darden Foundation
Larson Allen LLP
Regions Bank
UBS

Margaret Fuller: Katherine Michelle Tanner*
George Parker/Sam Ward/Descartes: Avery Clark*
Ralph Waldo Emerson: Eric Zivot*
Orestes Brownson: Trent Fucci
Henry David Thoreau: Brandon Roberts
Nathaniel Hawthorne: Walter Kmiec
Lydian/Old Woman/Italian Woman: Allison DeCaro*
Anna Barker/Sparkler: Kelli Sleigh

PlayFest is a ten-day theater event packed with dynamic new plays and new play programming for anyone who loves great theater. Readings, workshops and a world premiere! In past years, we've welcomed Oscar winner Olympia Dukakis and Philip Seymour Hoffman to our stage.

Harriett Lake
Comfort Suites
National New Play Network
United Arts
Orlando Weekly
Frank Santos & Dan Dantin
Coleman & Ingrid Cordell

Chat With Mark Brown

Margeson Theater
Friday, April 8 from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m.

Former Orlando playwright and PlayFest veteran Mark Brown (Around the World in 80 Days, The Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge, and China – The Whole Enchilada) returns to the Margeson Stage for an Inside the Actor’s Studio format conversation with Orlando Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Jim Helsinger.  We will also present Mr. Brown’s new play, Don Quixote – The Reckoning as one of our two workshops during PlayFest.

Charm
By Kathleen Cahill

Goldman Theater
March 23 - April 17, 2011
Previews Wednesday, March 23 and Thursday, March 24 ($14)
Wednesdays, Thursdays at 7 p.m. ($34, $28, $22)
Fridays, Saturdays at 8 p.m. ($38, $32, $26)
Sundays at 2 p.m. ($34, $28, $22)

Romantic Comedy

Margaret Fuller and the Transcendentalists are not a rock group. And Charm isn't your typical history play; but Margaret is the woman who inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter. Directed by Patrick Flick, Kathleen Cahill's Charm is a romantic comedy of manners that follows the life of Margaret Fuller, a remarkable woman who lived during the mid-1800s. Fuller, a contemporary of three great American thinkers -- Henry David Thoreau, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Nathaniel Hawthorne -- was a brilliant writer, philosopher, and social critic far ahead of her time. Full of luscious language and juicy anachronisms, Charm is a modern, hilarious and stimulating piece that magically weaves in and out of history.

Don Quixote - The Reckoning
By Mark Brown
Directed by Jim Helsinger

Mandell Theater
Saturday, April 9 from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 10 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 16 from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 17 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.
[download program]

A Comic, Epic Adventure

Don Quixote – The Reckoning is an irreverent and comical retelling of the Cervantes novel. It’s not your mother’s Man of La Mancha.

Glassheart
By Reina Hardy
Directed by Laurel Clark

Mandell Theater
Saturday, April 9 from 8:30 to 11 p.m.
Sunday, April 10 from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 16 from 8:00 to 10:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 17 from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m.
[download program]

A Fairy Tale Ending

In this comedy of disenchantment, a Beast and his one remaining magical servant sign the lease and move into a shabby Chicago apartment. In the threatening, impossible, completely ordinary world of paying rent and taking public transportation, is a happy ending even possible?

Anno Menander
By Ross Maxwell
Directed by Patrick Braillard

Studio B
Sunday, April 10 from Noon to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 16 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
[download program]

An Ancient Greek Brothel Comedy

Anno Menander is a good old-fashioned family sex farce set in post-Golden Age Athens, and follows the many mishaps of the arrogant-but-cowardly playwright, Menander, inventor of the sitcom. Loveably crass and poignantly vulgar.

Bakersfield Mist
Written and Directed By Stephen Sachs
A National New Play Network Showcase Selection
Presented by the Fountain Theatre - Los Angeles, CA

Studio B
Saturday, April 9 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 10 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.
[download program]

Comedy/Drama

Maude Gutman, an unemployed chain-smoking bartender living in a trailer park, believes the painting she bought in a thrift store for three bucks is really a priceless Jackson Pollock worth millions.  Is it authentic or not? Inspired by a true story, Bakersfield Mist is a lively and delightful serio-comedy about the meaning of art.

Do Not Go Gentle
By Patricia Cornelius
In Partnership with PlayWriting Australia
Directed by Patrick Flick

Studio B
Sunday, April 10 from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.
Wednesday, April 13 from 7:00 to 9:30 p.m.
[download program]

A Drama of Epic Proportions

In this exploration of the aging process, the story of Scott’s failed attempt to conquer the South Pole is used as an allegorical parallel to the lives of the residents of an aged-care facility. The result is a vital, compassionate and sometimes hilarious depiction of the human condition.

The Exit Interview
By William Missouri Downs
Directed by Michael Marinaccio

Mandell Theater
Friday, April 15 from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday, April 17 from 1:00 to 3:30 p.m.
[download program]

An Absurdist Comedy

The Exit Interview is a comic look at existential uncertainty and metaphysical isolation. If you have ever wanted to know the answer to the question, “Why does God hate civil servants?” – You’ve got to see this play!

Exit, Pursued by a Bear
Exit, Pursued by a Bear
By Lauren Gunderson
Directed by David Lee

Southern Revenge Comedy

Exit, Pursued by a Bear is a play based on one violent stage direction (Shakespeare’s Winter’s Tale). Likewise, our heroine will sacrifice it all to get out in this hilariously brutal comedy - Part "I Love Lucy", part Jacobean revenge tragedy, part nature special, and part feminist power ballad set in the North Georgia mountains. Exit is not over till the bears are in pursuit.

Jericho
By Jack Canfora
A National New Play Network Showcase Presentation
Directed by Aradhana Tiwari

A Laugh Out Loud Tragedy

Set in Manhattan and its suburbs, Jericho is a thought-provoking exploration of how people cope with collective and personal tragedy. In 2005, a Jewish 9/11 survivor and a Palestinian 9/11 widow find themselves embroiled in one family’s personal and political dramas. With surprising humor, Jericho reminds us that all struggles, even political ones, are ultimately personal.

ReEntry
By Emily Ackerman & KJ Sanchez
Director John DiDonna

Documentary Theater

An unflinching look at the lives of Marines getting ready for and returning from combat, ReEntry is a docudrama exploration of the relationships between Marines and the civilians they fight for overseas and must contend with when they return home. Honest, moving, and surprisingly funny, this play is based entirely on interviews with Marines and their families.

Sweet Water Taste
By Gloria Bond Clunie
Directed by Paula Rossman

Studio B
Saturday, April 9 from 3:00 to 5:30 p.m.
Tuesday, April 12 from 7:30 to 10:00 p.m.
[download program]

A Serious Comedy

All hell and a little bit of heaven break loose when Elijah Beckford, a prominent Southern black undertaker, approaches his wealthy white cousin, Charlie Beckford, and demands to be buried in “the family cemetery.” Hilarious and irreverent.

Fringe 101 - $20
How to Fringe - with Orlando Fringe Artistic Director, Beth Marshall
Saturday, April 9 from Noon to 3:00 p.m.
Patron's Room

There is no charge for this event and reservations are not required.

When Shakespeare was writing and staging his plays, he did so with an all-male cast as it was illegal for women to appear on stage. Orlando Shakespeare Theater has decided to even the gender score by looking at three of his plays in a bold new way.

This free Sunday reading series - which mixes up gender roles and reverses ages for a fresh spin on the Bard's tales – will present readings of Shakespeare’s most beloved work as part of our 2010-2011 Season.

5:30 p.m. Drinks & hors d'oeuvres
6:30 p.m. The Trial
7:30 p.m. Case closed!

Where
Orlando Shakespeare Theater
Margeson Theater at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center
812 East Rollins Street, Orlando, FL 32803

It seems that everyone did not in fact live happily ever after at the conclusion of Austen's work. Old wounds have not healed, and Mr. Darcy has brought a lawsuit for defamation against Mr. Wickham. Darcy claims that Wickham spread numerous falsehoods about him, to his harm. Wickham, in response, has claimed that it is Darcy who is the wrongdoer, depriving Wickham of his rightful inheritance.

Although not wishing to divulge the legal strategy of the parties, it is anticipated that the principals -- Darcy and Wickham -- will testify, along with others. In one twist from previous productions, the audience itself will be impaneled as an advisory jury to render a verdict. A panel of five special guest judges will then consider that verdict.

Join us at 5:30 p.m. for hors d'oeuvres and drinks before the event, and mingle with leading members of Central Florida's legal, business and artistic communities. The public is welcome. There is a suggested $20 donation ($10 for students). You may reserve seats in advance by calling (407) 447-1700. Limited seating available.

The High Court of Hertfordshire
Mayanne Downs, King Blackwell Downs & Zender, P.A.
Leon Handley, Rumberger, Kirk & Caldwell, P.A.
Margot Knight, United Arts of Central Florida
Scott Maxwell, Orlando Sentinel
Taylor Simpson-Wood, Professor, Barry University Law School

The Advocates
Kimberly Ashby, shareholder at Akerman, Senterfitt
John Hamilton, shareholder at Foley & Lardner

Akerman Senterfitt Attorneys at Law

First American Title Insurance Company - National Commercial Services