August 5 – September 4, 2016
Sanborn County Park, Saratoga
Thursdays – Sundays at 7 pm
“All for one, and one for all!”
D’Artagnan and his sister Sabine join The Three Musketeers to defend the Crown against the evil Cardinal Richelieu and formidable Countess de Winter. Adventure, treachery, romance, and swords dominate this hilarious new adaptation, based on Alexandre Dumas’ timeless swashbuckler!
Synopsis
The Three Musketeers
Written by Ken Ludwig
Directed by Doug Brook
Rating: PG – This play is swashbuckling and funny, and includes extensive swordplay, some sexual innuendo, and adult language which some parents might find questionable. There is no online version of the script, but you can get a copy here.
D’Artagnan, leaving home with dreams of becoming a Musketeer, is saddled with delivering his sister Sabine to a convent school in Paris. On the road, Sabine reveals her adventurous nature, posing as her brother’s manservant Planchet.
After a failed encounter with Rochefort, chief henchman to the notorious Cardinal Richelieu, D’Artagnan is told he must begin in the King’s guard. He unwittingly challenges each of the Three Musketeers (Athos, Porthos, and Aramis) to duels, but all four join together against Richelieu to defend the honor and rule of the crown.
Hilarity, deception, and romance ensue, as the fight for France’s future unfolds…
Meet the Cast
Myles Rowland
D’Artagnan
The Three Musketeers marks Myles’ debut for Silicon Valley Shakespeare. Past shows in the Bay Area, New York and New Jersey include The Star Without A Name (Professor), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lysander), Romeo and Juliet (Mercutio), Our Town (George), The Pillowman (Katurian), The Government Inspector (Hlestokov), As You Like It (Silvius), Twelfth Night (Antonio), and The Passion of Dracula (Renfield). He holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Cornell University.
Marc Gonzalez
Aramis
Marc is thrilled to be making his debut with Silicon Valley Shakespeare! Credits include: Barefoot in the Park (Paul) with Pacifica Spindrift Players; Arsenic and Old Lace (Mortimer) with Pinole Players; Moon Over Buffalo (Howard), Twelve Angry Men (Juror #5) with Playhouse Merced; A Christmas Carol (Young Scrooge/Husband), Dearly Beloved (Justin Waverly), The Grapes of Wrath (Tom Joad) with Good Company Players; Inherit The Wind (E.K. Hornbeck) with Woodward Shakespeare Festival; Sould (Westerveldt) in the 2007 Rogue Festival; Reading of Flawed (Seth) with The New Ensemble. Marc would like to thank Doug Brook for this fantastic opportunity, his family for their love, and his friends for their support.
Tom Shamrell
Athos
Tom is thrilled to join SVS again with sword in hand! Some of Tom’s past SVS roles include Mr. Bingley (Pride and Prejudice), Pericles (Pericles), Orlando (As You Like It), Hortensio (Taming of the Shrew 2013), & Tybalt (Romeo and Juliet 2012). Other favorite roles include Mickey/Lucius in Greetings (Broadway West), Serge in Art (Northside Theatre), and a whole heap of characters in A Tuna Christmas (Broadway West). Tom holds a BA in Theatre from SJSU and is a graduate of the Foothill Conservatory. Things Tom would fight for: his wife, his honor and chocolate.
Andrew Simchik
Porthos
Drew is thrilled to return for a second season with SVS, after debuting as Sebastian in The Tempest and Enobarbus in Antony and Cleopatra. Bard fans may also have seen him at Cafe Stritch in the ShakesBEERience productions of The Tempest and The Winter’s Tale. Drew is also active in the Bay Area improv scene. This August marks his 14th year as a ComedySportz improviser, referee, teacher, and sometime director of longform shows (including Much Improv About Nothing, a fully improvised, never-repeated play in Shakespearean style) at CSz San Jose.
Ella Tarczy
Sabine
Ella has performed with SVS twice before in Antony and Cleopatra and Shakespeare in Hollywood. Some of Ella’s favorite roles include Rose Alvarez in Bye Bye Birdie, Dotty Otley in Noises Off, Alice Miller in My Favorite Year, and Cosmo Brown in Singin’ in the Rain. Ella graduated high school this past June and plans to pursue a career in comedy.
Nick Mandracchia
Cardinal Richelieu
Nick is thrilled to make his Silicon Valley Shakespeare debut!! Regional credits include: The Beard of Avon (Santa Cruz Shakespeare), The Kid Thing (NCTC), The Liar (Western Stage), Super Villain (The Pear Theatre, SVSTA standout), She Loves Me (Foothill Music Theatre), Coney Island Christmas, Amadeus, The Elephant Man (City Lights) Swift Justice (Tabard Theatre Company). Favorite roles include Benedick (Much Ado About Nothing) and Antipholus of Syracuse (Comedy of Errors). He has also appeared in the independent film “The Biggest Game in Town” which releases this summer.
April Culver
Constance / Adele / Sister at School,
April is glad to be back for another fantastic summer with SVS. Recent roles include Sonya (Uncle Vanya, Pear Theatre), Olivia ( Shakespeare in Hollywood, SVS), Miranda (The Tempest, SVS), Desdemona (Othello, Iowa Shakespeare Experience), Ophelia (Hamlet, Little Apple Creek Theatre) and Viola (Twelfth Night, Drake University). She would like to thank her friends, and family for their constant love, humor, and support.
Caitlin Lawrence Papp
Milady
Caitlin is so excited to be in her first show with Silicon Valley Shakespeare. Past performances include Anna in Truce (CLTC), Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing (FTE), Lana Sherwood in Its A Wonderful Life: A Radio Show (BBB) and Gloria Thorpe in Damn Yankees (FMT). She’s a graduate of the Foothill Theater Conservatory and teaches childrens acting classes locally. She would like to thank her friends and family for their endless support, especially to her two boys Nicholas and Andrew.
James Lucas
Rochefort
James is ecstatic to be returning to his home away from home on SVS’s stage after having to take the last year off. Previous credits include Antonio in SVS’s production of The Merchant of Venice, Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet at Broadway West, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at City Lights Theater Company, and Actor/Arthur Kipp In Northside Theatre Company’s The Woman in Black.
Joel A. S. Butler
King Louis XIII / D’Artagnan’s father /Basille / Fouquet / Fache
Joel is glad to be back at SV Shakes, he was Thyreus in last year’s Antony and Cleopatra. Previous roles include Sir Studley in Once Upon a Mattress, Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol, Radioman Harold Bride in Titanic, and Gus in It’s Only a Play at Stage1 and Capt. Whitaker in A Few Good Men, Radioman in Diary of Anne Frank, Potter in It’s a Wonderful Life, Max in Lend Me a Tenor, and Monster in Frankenstein at Broadway West. He thanks his husband for the love and support.
Spencer Stevenson
Treville/Duke of Buckingham/ Ravanche/Ruffian/Innkeeper/DeBris
Spencer is thrilled to be invited back to SVS, after appearing as Jack Warner last season in Shakespeare in Hollywood. Other recent roles include Mr. van Daan in The Diary of Anne Frank, Markinson in A Few Good Men, and Drummond in Inherit the Wind. Spencer received his theatre training at Studio A.C.T. in San Francisco.
Sarah Thermond
Everywoman II
Sarah is thrilled to perform with SVS for the first time! Favorite roles include the title role in Educating Rita, Charlotte in The Contrast, Carol in Black Comedy, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (all at California Theatre Center), Dolly in Anna Karenina, and Clytemnestra in Agamemnon (USC School of Dramatic Arts). Bay Area native and proud graduate of USC (B.A. Theatre and Comparative Literature) and USF (M.A. in Teaching). Currently the full-time drama teacher at Saratoga High School.
Anna Benedict
Acting Intern – Understudy for Constance
Anna is thrilled to intern at Silicon Valley Shakespeare! Though this is her first show at SVS, she has experience acting at her high school, Westmont. Some of her favorite roles include Lady Macduff in Macbeth, Brooke in Noises Off!, Athena in Argonautika, and Lina Lamont in Singin’ in the Rain.
Sarah Sinizer-Hopkins
Understudy for Sabine, Milady, Everywoman II
After last summer’s Antony and Cleopatra, Sarah is delighted to be back with SVS working alongside such a genuinely fantastic company. Sarah is currently a BFA Theatre major at Marymount Manhattan College and has appeared in roles featured in plays such as Cymbeline, The Heidi Chronicles, and The Whole Shebang. Sarah is also an avid solo and synchronized competitive ice skater, in which she has been involved since age 5. Thank you for supporting the arts and enjoy the production!
Meet the Staff
Doug Brook
Director
Doug recently directed SBMT’s Curtains, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and Finian’s Rainbow, SCP’s Little Women, WCT’s The Sound of Music, and all six offerings at Theatre Chevruta in Los Gatos — where he is Artistic Director. He previously directed Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Tenor, Crazy For You, and SVS’s Shakespeare in Hollywood last summer. A VP of the Association for Jewish Theatre, he has written twenty plays produced nationwide. He studied writing and theatre at Carnegie Mellon University. http://brookwrite.com/. He is also SVS’s Executive Director.
Larry Barrott
Fight Choreographer
Larry is happy to be returning to the Sanborn Stage following his performance in SVS’s 2015 Tempest (Prospero) and directing last season’s Antony and Cleopatra. Some of his other roles at SVS include Mr. Bennett (Pride and Prejudice), Francisco (Tempest 2007); and, Ghost of Hamlet’s father (Hamlet). Larry would like to dedicate his performance to Joe Barra, may he rest in peace, and John Rutski who saved my buttocks last season.
Tonya Duncan
Stage Manager
Tonya is ECSTATIC to be stage managing for her second summer in a row for SVS. Past SM credits include: Shakespeare in Hollywood (SVS), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Sunnyvale Community Players), and Gypsy (SCP). When she’s not lovingly yelling at actors to stop playing with the wildlife, Tonya can be found racking up high scores on pinball machines, posting cute pictures of her dog on Instagram, and forcing her husband to watch terrible horror movies with her on Netflix. Enjoy the show!
John Bernard
Lighting Designer
John is happy to be back with SVS for another season. He was last at SVS for the 2014 season, where he lit Othello, and Pride and Prejudice, as well as the 2013 season of Romeo and Juliet, and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged). John is the current lecturer in Lighting design at San Jose State University, where he Lit The Great Gatsby, and A Midsummer Nights Dream. John Holds a BA in technical Theater from San Jose State University, and MFA in Lighting design from The University of Washington.
Ron Gasparinetti
Scenic Designer
Ron is currently the resident scenic designer for City Lights Theater Company in San Jose and has been designing scenery in the Bay Area for the last 20 years. His most recent work for SVS was last summer’s productions of Shakespeare in Hollywood and Antony and Cleopatra. He has been nominated for three TBA Outstanding Scenic Design Awards and received the award for his design of Los Altos Stage Company’s production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. Most recently, he received the Artist Laureate award from SV Creates honoring his design work in and around Silicon Valley.
Mae Heagerty-Matos
Costume Designer
Mae has a passion for historical costumes and has been a costume designer in the Bay Area for over 35 years, working at theatres such as Hillbarn, SBMT, Peninsula Center Stage, Los Altos Stage Company, Coastal Repertory, Dragon, Northside, Pear Avenue, Youth Actors Workshop, Cal Shakes, and Broadway by the Bay. Co-producer Will Rogers Follies, Producer Ragtime. Member of the Greater Bay Area Costumers Guild and Foster City Rotary Club. Mae lives in Pacifica with her husband Mike.
Christina Sturken
Properties Designer
Christina returns for her fifth season with SVS. Recent Bay Area work includes prop designing for Los Altos Stage Company’s production of Catch 22 and City Lights Theater Company’s production of Tigers Be Still. She also serves as a resident Stage Manager for Red Barn Production’s Great Dickens Christmas Fair. Christina earned her B.A. in Theatre Arts from San Jose State University.
Adam Weinstein
Sound Designer
Adam has worked as a sound designer with SVS since 2008. Some of his favorite work with Silicon Valley Shakespeare includes Pride and Prejudice, Pericles, Much Ado About Nothing, and As You Like It. Other productions he has worked on include Educating Rita at Northside Theatre, and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead and The Children’s Hour at Broadway West. He was recently seen onstage at Broadway West in It’s A Wonderful Life.
Melissa Weinstein
Hair and Makeup Designer
Returning for her ninth season, Melissa’s SVS hats include makeup designer, actor, and Education Program Director. Since receiving her BA in Theatre (SJSU), she’s moonlighted as a makeup designer/artist for SVS, Pixar, Disney Channel UK, West Bay Opera, Opera San José, and more. Favorite SVS acting roles include Dromio of Syracuse (Comedy of Errors, 2015), Emilia (Othello), Oswald (King Lear), Hero (Much Ado), Phoebe (AYLI), and Ariel (Tempest, 2007). In a previous life, she also “daylighted” as a children’s theatre teacher/director.
Mara McLean
Assistant Stage Manager
Mara is a rising Junior at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, where she is studying stage management and lighting in the Production and Design Studio. This is her second production with SVS, and she’s thrilled to be back at the Sanborn stage!
Doll Piccotto
Dramaturg
Doll has been with Silicon Valley Shakespeare since its first production, appearing as Feste in Twelfth Night. Since then you may have seen her as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Lady M in Macbeth, the Chorus in Henry V, or most recently as Antonia in The Tempest at SJSU. Doll has a BA in English from USCB and a Masters from SJSU where she emphasized Renaissance Drama.
Louis Stone-Collonge
Scenic Construction
Technical Internship Advisor
This is Louis’ fourth year working at Sanborn and his second leading SVS’s massively successful internship program. Louis is also the Founder of The Audacity Performing Arts Project where his team produces 10-15 productions a year in schools where performing arts opportunities don’t exist. The best thing about Louis is his daughter and his wife.
Jarku Tang Virtanen
Master Electrician
Returning for his third season with SVS, Jarku is delighted to electrify the parks of San Jose, Saratoga, and San Mateo once more. In addition to his place in the SVS family, Jarku is the resident lighting designer of Palo Alto’s Cubberley Community Theatre and the master electrician of West Bay Opera. He is also an ensemble member of the Renegade Theatre Experiment and is passionate about the company’s upcoming resurrection.
Adrianna Scalzo
Light Board Operator
This is Adrianna’s first production with SVS and she is extremely excited to be working with the company. She has Stage Managed past productions at her high school, such as The Wiz, As You Like It, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, and Smile. She is also currently attending San Francisco State University.
Frequently Asked Questions
About The Three Musketeers
How long is the performance?
The show runs approximately two hours and twenty minutes, including intermission.
What time are the performances?
All performances of Shakespeare in Sanborn Park begin at 7pm.
How long do the plays run?
Sanborn Park has a curfew requiring all participants (audience, performers, and staff) to leave the park by 10 pm. Therefore, all performances end at or before 9:30 pm.
How much are tickets?
Tickets for Shakespeare in Sanborn Park are $22, with discounts available for students, seniors, and SVS members. Kids 17 years of age attend for FREE, with a paid adult admission. Although children attend for free, they are still required to reserve a ticket so that we can guarantee their seat availability. Prices include online ticketing fees. No hidden fees!
Where can I buy tickets?
Tickets for all productions are available here. Due to the limited capacity of the space, we recommend purchasing tickets in advance. All ticket holders need to check in with at the Box Office upon arrival. Online Ticket holders will be asked to present their online confirmations to receive physical tickets. People purchasing tickets at the park can pay with cash, Visa, Mastercard, or a check made out to Silicon Valley Shakespeare.
What is the parking situation?
Parking at Sanborn Park is $6 per vehicle. There is very little light in the parking lots after performances, so you might consider bringing a small flashlight.
Is the seating reserved?
Seating in Sanborn Park is available on a first-come, first-served basis. The house opens for seating at approximately 6:30pm, though SVS members get earlier access. At that time, you can claim your seats with a blanket and then continue to enjoy a picnic in the park.
All seating consists of gray folding chairs with padded seats and backs.
Will there be food available at the show?
We have a well-stocked concessions stand where you can purchase wine, water, snacks, cookies, candy, and both cold and hot beverages, perfect for complementing a picnic you bring for before the performance.
Can I drop my child off at the park and pick him or her up after the play?
Children must be supervised at all times. SVS asks that at least one adult be present for every six children in attendance. If you choose to drop a teenager off, note that Sanborn Park closes for entry at sunset and you cannot drive into the park later to retrieve your child. Cellular phone service in the park is very limited, so your child will not be able to reach you if they wish to leave early. Silicon Valley Shakespeare is not responsible for any child left unattended.
Is Shakespeare in the Park a dress-up affair?
Not at all! The performance is outdoors in a park where the terrain is primarily dirt and gravel. We recommend wearing shoes that let you walk safely to and from the theatre (high heels are not a good choice). The weather can change quickly, so we recommend that you bring something warm to put on later in the evening. If you bring/wear a hat we request that it be one that won’t obstruct someone else’s view.
What about dogs?
Well-socialized dogs on a leash are welcome, but we ask owners to choose seats on the left side of the audience, closest to the creek. This lets people with allergies or fear of dogs to keep a suitable distance. Exceptions can be made for qualified service dogs.
Are the plays appropriate for children?
We pride ourselves on providing entertainment for the entire family. Due to graphic content inherent in many of Shakespeare’s works, we recommend parents familiarize themselves with the plays and determine if they are appropriate for your particular child. To assist parents we have provided a rating system (see the Family Rating Page).
Can we bring a picnic?
Of course! There are several areas in the park to enjoy a picnic. If you come early to picnic, we recommend you have someone line up 30-45 minutes before the performance to reserve seats, then return to finish your picnic. Peterson Grove, though conveniently located, is not available to our patrons. Sanborn Park has provided several picnic tables just down the hill from the theatre entrance, marked as The Shady Grove, for your convenience.
What are those cool thrones in the back of the theatre? How can I sit there?
Royal Seating is an exclusive SVS experience! Extra-comfortable seats, a private seating area, a designated usher pre-show and at intermission – this is the lap of luxury for your evening’s entertainment.
Available primarily to members of our Royal Court, though some are available for purchase at some performances. You can become a member of our Royal Court, or ask about upgrading at the Box Office if you see those seats are empty.
Will SVS pass the hat at Sanborn Park?
SVS does not pass the hat at ticketed performances. However, if you wish to make a donation to continue to support Shakespeare in the Park, and to help us keep it free for kids, there will be a donation basket in the concession area. Checks can be made out to Silicon Valley Shakespeare.
Family Rating System
The Three Musketeers — Rated PG for Parental Guidance
Rating: This play is swashbuckling and funny, and includes extensive swordplay, some sexual innuendo, and adult language which some parents might find questionable. There is no online version of the script, but you can get a copy here.
About the Family Rating System
Silicon Valley Shakespeare makes 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. To assist parents and guardians in assessing which of our plays might 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. Our assessment can’t fit every family, so we 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 — Suitable for all audiences.
PG for Parental Guidance — 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 — Might 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 — Not recommended for audiences under 17.
About very young children: Infants and toddlers are always welcome at all outdoor plays. We’re thrilled to offer newer parents an opportunity to enjoy live theatre! We ask that at least one parent or guardian of these tiny theatergoers be prepared to take a break with them out of earshot of the theatre space if they become upset or very vocal.
SPONSORED IN PART BY
Donors Circle
Enjoy ticket discounts, special events, cozy blankets and seat cushions, free beverages, and other great perks. All while you help support SVS – it’s 100% tax-deductible. Become a part of our Donors Circle today!
PRESS & MEDIA
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