July 31 – August 30, 2015
Thursdays – Sundays at 7:00pm
Shakespeare in Hollywood
WRITTEN BY KEN LUDWIG
DIRECTED BY DOUG BROOK
RATING: WHILE THIS PLAY IS A CHARMING AND FUNNY LOOK INTO HOW SOME OF SHAKESPEARE’S FIERCEST FAIRIES MIGHT FAIR IN 1934 HOLLYWOOD, THERE IS SOME SEXUAL INNUENDO AND ADULT LANGUAGE WHICH SOME PARENTS MAY FIND QUESTIONABLE. THERE IS NO ONLINE VERSION BUT YOU CAN PICK UP A COPY OF THE SCRIPT HERE.
It’s 1934, and Shakespeare’s most famous fairies, Oberon and Puck, have magically materialized on the Warner Bros. Hollywood set of Max Reinhardt’s film A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Instantly smitten by the glitz and glamour of show biz, the two are ushered onto the silver screen to play (who else?) themselves. With a little help from a feisty flower, the blonde bombshells, movie moguls, and arrogant “asses,” our duo are tossed into loopy love triangles, with raucous results. The mischievous magic of moviedom sparkles in this hilarious comic romp. You won’t want to miss this Shakespeare-inspired production that was originally commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company.“Will charm your socks off” — Terry Teachout, The Wall Street Journal
CAST
Shawn Andrei…James Cagney
Courtney Baldwin… Film Crew
Erik Browne…Joe Brown
Stephanie Crowley… Louella Parsons
April Culver… Olivia
Alex Draa… Dick Powell
Keenan Flagg… Daryl / Scenic Construction
Roger Hooper… Max Reinhardt
Lucy Littlewood… Puck
James Lucas… Will Hayes
Walter Mayes… Oberon
Spencer Stevenson… Jack Warner
Danielle Williams… Lydia Lansing
Ella Tarczy… Film Crew
CREATIVE TEAM
Doug Brook…Director
Lisa De Leeuw… Production Manager
Shannon deMello… Assistant Director
Tonya Duncan… Stage Manager
Ron Gasparinetti… Scenic Design
Kendall Goodin… Lighting Intern / Board Operator
Jackson Hoeke… Intern – Scenic Build
Nick Kumamoto… Lighting Design
Mae Heagerty-Matos… Costume Design
Mara McLean… Assistant Stage Manager
Doll Piccotto… Dramaturg
Louis Stone-Collonge… Scenic Construction/Technical Internship Advisor
Christina Sturken… Prop Design
Jarku Virtanen… Master Electrician
Adam Weinstein… Sound Design
Melissa Jones… Hair and Makeup Design
About Shakespeare in Hollywood
Shakespeare in Hollywood — Rated PG for Parental Guidance
While this play is a charming and funny look into how some of Shakespeare’s fiercest fairies might fair in 1934 Hollywood, there is some sexual innuendo and adult language which some parents may find questionable. There is no online version but you can pick up a copy of the script here.
About the Family Rating System
Silicon Valley Shakespeare endeavors to make theatrical classics enjoyable and accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Families love to attend our plays, and we’re proud to have introduced thousands of young people to the Bard. In order to assist parents and guardians in assessing which of our plays may be right for their children, we offer a Parental Advisory that features a general rating followed by a more nuanced recommendation and description of the content. Since our assessment can’t possibly fit every family, we also offer a link to the actual text of our plays whenever possible so that parents can make their own decision. Our ratings are:
E for Everyone — Self-explanatory.
PG for Parental Guidance — This play is appropriate for most audiences under 13, but we recommend that parents inform themselves as to the content of the play and its themes, and exercise their best judgment for their individual child.
T for Teen — This production may be inappropriate for audiences under 13. Parents of younger children are welcome to attend with their children, but we recommend that they prepare for any questions their children may have about some of the more sophisticated and mature content and themes of the play and its particular presentation.
M for Mature — This play is not recommended for audiences under 17.
A note about very young children: Infants and toddlers are always welcome at all outdoor plays, and we’re thrilled to be able to offer newer parents an opportunity to enjoy live theatre. We do ask that at least one parent or guardian of these tiny theatergoers be prepared to take a break with them outside the immediate theatre space if they become upset or very vocal.