Sword fights? A dog? Shakespearean prose? All that and more takes over the Waconia High School Performing Arts Center stage May 9-11 as the WHS Theatre Department presents their 2024 spring play Shakespeare in Love.
It’s a month for Shakespeare fans. As the Guthrie Theater stages William Shakespeare’s history plays ("Richard II," "Henry IV" and "Henry V"), Waconia High School will present "Shakespeare in Love" on Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
Okay, that’s not a play by Shakespeare, but Shakespeare is the lead character.
Based on the not-so-historically-accurate 1998 Academy-Award winning film, "Shakespeare in Love" follows a young William Shakespeare (sophomore Oliver McKeever) as he writes Romeo and Juliet, and struggles with inspiration until he meets his muse. In the midst of Shakespeare’s inspiration crisis, two competing theaters - the Rose and the Curtain - battle it out over the best actors and plays.
If you can keep up with the play-within-a-play concept, cases of mistaken identity, and courtly dance, this show promises to make audiences laugh. But directors Bailey Fields and Melissa Ricard say they can’t take credit for the laughs.
“We don’t want to give anything away,” said Ricard, “but most aspects of this show that are truly funny are things the kids came up with themselves. This group has a knack for comedy.”
Sophomore Abby Rausch, starring as Viola De Lesseps, sees the show a little differently.
“This show involves a lot more seriousness and romance, which is something we have not done at WHS in a very long time,” she said. “You might look at the title and be like ‘what is this?’ Believe me, that’s what I said auditioning, but as time went on, I have really fallen in love with this show!”
While McKeever is just happy to not be playing a villain, Rausch feels as if she has finally broken out of the funny, childlike roles she has had in the past.
“It’s definitely different from the other characters I have played,” she said. “It allows me to feel more mature and independent on stage. At first, it was a little hard stepping into the character. However, as time passed, I have learned more of Viola’s perspective on life.”
While McKeever and Rausch are already experienced actors on the WHS stage, senior Loren Olsted decided to come out for her first production just before graduation. A trained figure skater, Olsted assumed the proverbial theater ship had sailed.
“I was worried about not being accepted by my fellow peers, and I was worried about not being given a proper chance to prove myself,” she said, adding she is pleased to be wrong, saying the cast has been incredibly welcoming and accepting. “I had dreamed for so long about pursuing acting and theater, so it brings tears to my eyes to finally understand the feeling you get while onstage.”
The show features the added talents of fellow graduating seniors Justin Clemons (Richard Burbage), Daniel Golden (Lord Wessex), Claire Kerber (Queen Elizabeth I), Tessa Paulson (Nurse), and Eve Roell (Sir Robert De Lesseps), along with an ensemble cast of Lilly Batters, Noah Becker, Alaina Bode, Ben Doty, Elizabeth Eldred, Makayla Keiser, Luke Lilly, Kora Paulson, Julian Riemer, Sarah Thoelke, and Shane Zimmerman.
Rausch says her favorite part of the show has been adding the technical elements, like microphones and costumes.
“It helps me feel more confident and comfortable on stage and it helps me get more into character,” Rausch said. “Also, did we mention we have a dog?”
True, they do! A 16-month-old golden retriever named “Yoshi” adds hilarity in between sword fights, play-within-a-play rehearsals, and love scenes.
While the students finish up this show, the directors are already planning ahead for 2024-2025, having slated “Frozen Jr.” as a one-week summer camp through Community Education, “Newsies” as the 2024 fall musical playing Oct. 10-13, and “Clue” as the spring play in May 2025.
“Shakespeare in Love,” runs just one weekend, with four shows May 9-11. Tickets are available at the door or at ShowTix4U.com. This show is rated PG-13 and may not be suitable for younger audiences.
Melissa Ricard is co-director of Waconia’s “Shakespeare in Love” production and a former Patriot staff member.
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