This Thursday's performance of The Winter's Tale will feature seasoned actors, English teachers, novice performers, and everything in between. In a mere 3 hours, this motley group will conduct its one and only rehearsal, and immediately following that frenzied process, the show will begin.
And, believe it or not, that's how Shakespeare's original performances happened, more or less. The actors would get together with their own lines and cues memorized, and have an incredibly brief rehearsal. Then, they'd perform the show. There was no director. There were no designers. There were only the actors, the space, and the audience. That's the way we like it!
Now, in case you didn't know, The Winter's Tale is one of Shakespeare's "Romances," which essentially means there's at least one shipwreck, a plot spanning decades, and a very "deus ex machina" ending. You may recognize those plot devices from The Tempest, another of Shakespeare's so-called Romances. These plays were particularly popular duing the Jacobean era, and are known for thier perplexing mixture of deep psychological drama and light slapstick comedy. They also reflect the burgeoning popularity of the masque, and often contain elements of magic and redemption. So, look for that stuff.
Also, you should know that the Grassroots Shakespeare Company began in May 2009, and is funded solely by donations. If you like what you see, please consider making a contribution.
We'll see you on Thursday, July 16th, 9pm at SCERA park in Orem, for our One-Night-Only performance of The Winter's Tale!
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