King-Sized To Do List

The preparation for The Kingship Cycle is occasionally overwhelming. This is the largest project that ADK Shakes has undertaken to date, so there's a lot to keep up with. I really enjoy writing posts about what is taking place behind the scenes on all our projects, so here's a look at the many things going on right now in order to prepare for next fall and spring's two-part Kingship Cycle.

Tudor Rose Window. Source.

• Character Maps

Also known as "French Scenes," these maps track each character's trajectory throughout the course of the play. This helps me build Character Tracks to assign to each individual actor, as I can see how the roles can conceivably double up. Luckily, since we have already produced 1, 2, 3 Henry VI and Richard III, we already have maps for these shows complete. I reorganized the doubles based on the concept for this project, but I didn't have to start from scratch. Henry V is also already complete, and we just finished Richard II yesterday.
To Do: 1 & 2 Henry IV

• Casting Matrix

You can view the Casting Matrix for the first part of The Kingship Cycle and get an idea for how complex this project is! I have only just begun the Matrix for Part Two, but I won't be able to complete it without the aforementioned Character Maps. What makes this project particularly difficult to map is that I want individual actors to follow a character through multiple plays. For example, Falstaff appears in 1 & 2 Henry IV, and therefore the same actor will play Falstaff in both plays. Exciting stuff! But it can be messy when building the Matrix. I learned last weekend that it's better to start from the end and work backwards. The Richmond / Edward double in Richard III is clear from the Map, so that meant Edward and Richmond double in 3 Henry VI. OK, no problem, but where I had Edward placed in 2 Henry VI (in which he speaks only 1 line) didn't work at all. I had to unravel and re-do the Matrix three plays back. Now I know! I will start from Henry V and work backward!
To Do: R2-HV Matrix

• Scripts

When Patrick and I prepare scripts for performance, we begin with the First Folio. I love the Applause texts of the individual plays. Neil Freeman's notes are terrific. He marks alterations between the various Folio and Quarto texts and describes in detail the changes that appear in each iteration. In our scripts, we preserve First Folio capitalizations and punctuation always, and spelling sometimes. Decisions on alterations to the line are discretionary, and sometimes I will make a note in our script so an actor can see the change and make the decision for themselves. Here's a peek into how different the versions can be. When we first started producing Shakespeare IN THE RAW, though, we had not yet developed this method. So our early scripts are ... well ... kind of a hot mess. I'm currently going through and re-setting the format, fixing typographical errors, and adding footnotes. I won't lie, it's kind of tedious. And there's a giant ticking clock ... the actors are going to need these scripts just as soon as possible. The actor who will be playing Richard III will have approximately 1900 lines to learn. To put that in perspective, an uncut Hamlet speaks 1476 lines. Yeah! What?!?
To Do: Formatting and editing for 1 Henry VI. Light editing for 3 Henry VI and Richard III.
Footnotes for 1, 2, 3 Henry VI, Richard III, Henry V
Everything (!) for Richard II, 1 & 2 Henry IV

• Auditions

Right! I have to cast these shows! Because the actors playing Richard III and Henry V in particular have such a massive line load, I need to cast and get these scripts out so they have time to actually learn all these lines and prepare these intricate characters. That means auditions have to happen soon! So -- any actors reading this blog, this is for you! -- I'm planning to hold auditions for Part 1 of The Kingship Cycle on Sunday, April 1 and for Part 2 of The Kingship Cycle on Monday, May 14. You can send me your interest at casting@adkshakes.org now, but I'll also be emailing a notice to our Actor Mailing List. (If you're not on that and you want to be, email info@adkshakes.org.)
To Do: Actor Info Sheets and Sides from all eight plays.

• Calendar

We have come up with a schedule for these rehearsals and performances. It's intense, and I love it! I'm planning a series of weekly workshops leading up to our intensive Shakespeare IN THE RAW style of rehearsal and performance. These workshops will include read-throughs, movement rehearsals, discussions on the genealogy, history, and socio-political issues in the plays. The rehearsals will be set up to put up two plays over the course of a weekend (as we have done in the past with the Bookend and Justice Projects) and then perform the same two plays the following weekend. Weeks 3 and 4 will be putting up and performing (twice each) the second two plays. And Week 5 (my favorite!) will be a marathon of all four plays. This week we have a meeting to ensure that we can hopefully get the specific dates we are looking at -- keep your fingers crossed!
To Do: Reserve all dates for workshops, rehearsals, and performances.

• Research

This is just an ongoing piece of the puzzle. I am fortunate to be doing a portion of this work as my directed research for the spring semester. It's fascinating reading, and it's great exercise for my brain. I can't wait to dig into more reading on the law and history of the period. I'm swimming around in the first tetralogy of plays right now and also looking forward to diving into the second tetralogy.

Even though this To Do List is big and long and complicated, it's a wonderful feeling to realize that there's nothing else I'd rather be doing.

Recap: The Justice Project

What a weekend! Adirondack Shakespeare Company closed 2012's The Justice Project to immense success. The Moot Courtroom at St. John's University School of Law was jam-packed with audience members to see Measure for Measure on Friday night and even more folks to see The Merchant of Venice on Saturday. I am proud to say that we delivered some really top-notch productions to our audiences this weekend.

One of the strangest things for me is how my mind is always jumping ahead to the future. Even in the midst of our shows this weekend, I couldn't help but picture what other productions would look like in the Moot Courtroom. This is a really beautiful space. It seats a little over 150 people. It is a friendly room, in that the actors don't require amplification. In fact, the only complaint we had was the heat! We had so many people in the seats, and we just couldn't get access to a thermostat. Now we know for next year.

Part of me struggles with the looking ahead. One of the most important aspects of performance is immediacy and being present in the moment. Without a doubt, when I was onstage, my mind couldn't possibly be wandering. I had to focus on every word coming out of my mouth and out of the mouths of all the other actors. Shakespeare IN THE RAW just feels like life or death. But when I was offstage, out in the hallway, peeking in on the action, I just had visions of the histories unfolding. I couldn't help myself. Patrick admitted to picturing Romeo and Juliet in here too! So it's not just me!

With such a rousing success with The Justice Project, though, we are able to look ahead to future productions in the Moot Courtroom. Many thanks especially to the St. John's University School of Law and the Department of English. We can't wait to back!

Andi Dema, our Shylock. He calls this one: "I am content."

Meet Collin!

Last but certainly not least, meet Collin!

Can I tell you how much I adore this guy? We first brought Collin on board for last year's Bookend Project and he returned to work with us again for Summer 2011. I'm so pleased to welcome him back again for The Justice Project!

Collin is a man of many talents. Not only is he an incredibly talented actor, but he is also a musician, a teacher, stage-combat guru, dog-sitter, climber of walls, and an all-around amazing friend. The songs that are featured in Measure and Merchant? Collin wrote those. He also wrote the music for this summer's production of Midsummer. I know you will enjoy his performances in both of these productions, but I must put in a particularly wonderful word for his Abhorson. Bring diapers. You'll laugh so hard you'll ... well, you know.

COLLIN McCONNELL
(MERCHANT: Lorenzo, Magnifico; MEASURE: Lucio, Abhorson)

Collin is thrilled to return to the ADK Shakes family! With ADK Shakes: Titus Andronicus (Lucius); The Tempest (Ferdinand); A Midsummer Night's Dream (Demetrius); The Merchant of Venice (Lorenzo). Other select credits include Joan of Arc and Julius Caesar (Gorilla Rep); Macbeth (Redd Tale); Blood Brothers present... Freaks From the Morgue! (Nosedive); The Somnambulist (Dixon Place); The Magic of Mrs. Crowling (Horse Trade / Royal Circus). Collin is also the Educational Associate for Adaptive Arts Theatre Productions, a teaching artist for Town Hall, and tutors speech for non-native english speakers at BMCC. Much love and thanks to Tara, Patrick, and this incredible, fearless family.

Meet Lindsay!

I love this lady! Lindsay first worked with us over this past summer. She is simply wonderful to have around. Her energy is sparkling, and she is always looking for additional ways to pitch in and help out. She is also great fun to watch onstage! This weekend Patrick handed out a matrix of Lawful-Neutral-Chaotic and Good-Neutral-Evil. The cast had to sign in to this matrix sheet as their Merchant characters. We had a blast.

Image from Deviantart.net

Lindsay signed Nerissa in as "Chaotic Good" and after the performance that evening an audience member approached her with some comments about the show. She loved Linday's Nerissa, describing her as adorable but more interestingly as "like a little bunny holding a hand grenade." Chaotic Good? Nailed it!

Don't miss Lindsay this weekend as a touching Juliet, a hilarious Elbow, a singing boy, and as a little bunny with hand grenade!

LINDSAY BARTLETTE ALLEN
(MERCHANT: Nerissa, Leonardo; MEASURE: Juliet, Elbow, Boy)

Lindsay is excited to be working with the Adirondack Shakespeare Company after completing the run of the 2011 Summer Season: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Titania/ Philostrate), The Merchant of Venice (Nerissa/ Salarino), and Theseus & The Minotaur (Ariadne). She holds a B.A. in Theatre Performance from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and was a member of the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey’s Apprentice Company in 2009. Favorite roles include Lydia Languish in The Rivals, Celia in As You Like It and Dementia in Scenes from an Execution. Since living in New York, Lindsay has acted in several shows including Somewhere: An Alternate Ending to The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy) which performed in last year’s Strawberry One-Act Winter Play Festival.

Meet Michael!

I fell a little behind on these introductions. I like to have them up before the shows open, but as you might imagine -- last week became pretty hectic! We shall now be back on track for our final three introductions before our closing weekend begins.

So without further ado ...

I've been looking forward to working with Michael since our auditions for the 2011 Season. He had a great audition for us last fall. I could have used Michael in a number of roles last season. It's one of the biggest challenges of casting for repertory theatre. I'm not casting just a single play, but rather trying to fit a puzzle together casting two or even three plays. This year we finally had the right combination of roles for Michael. We're so pleased to have him on board as the Duke and in the ensemble of Merchant. It's been a great pleasure getting to know this brainy guy! Don't miss him in this final weekend of performances.

MICHAEL BERNSTEIN
(MERCHANT: Old Gobbo, Servant, Salerio, Gaoler; MEASURE: Duke)


Michael is delighted to work at last with Adirondack Shakespeare. With The Shelter NYC: "Kate" (playwright), F***ing Christmas (actor) and Night Windows (assistant director). Other theater: Grief and Celebration (Ugly Rhino), Two Gentleman of Verona (Extant Arts). Film: You Can't Kill Stephen King, Pro-Black Sheep. TV: Celebrity Ghost Stories, Burger King. Internet: The Onion News Network. Improv & Sketch: Alan Chan Improv, Punching Hal. Also: narrator for the JPS Tanakh (Audible.com). Art Director for Frank The Rat.


For more information, visit www.michaelbernstein.biz.

The Justice Project: One more weekend!

What a wonderful opening weekend for The Justice Project! Thank you to all our friends, family, and fantastic audience members who came out to support us in Manhattan.

There are still a few more acting company introductions coming your way this week. Stay tuned! I am so proud that we have gathered such a fantastic group for this project and so humbled to have the opportunity to work with all of you. You have a generosity of spirit that revives my belief in the value of the work we are doing. You have incredible talent and skill for what you do as well as boundless courage to take the leap of faith that is Shakespeare IN THE RAW. Thanks to each and every one of you. You are dazzling.

If you missed our performances in Manhattan, you can still catch both shows this coming weekend at the Queens Campus of St. John's University. Trust me when I say you absolutely do not want to miss these shows, among the finest our company has produced.

Measure for Measure performs on Friday, February 17 at 7:30 p.m. The Merchant of Venice will close the 2012 Justice Project on Saturday, February 18 at 7:30 p.m. You can purchase advance tickets by clicking here. Don't forget that St. John's students and faculty are admitted free of charge. Performances are held in the Moot Courtroom on the 2nd Floor of Belson Hall at St. John's University, Queens Campus. Doors open at 7:00 p.m. Seating is general admission. Early arrivers can even sit in the Jury Box!

This year we have a special event associated with The Justice Project. Sponsored by the Law School and the Entertainment Arts and Sports Law Society, we are hosting an academic roundtable discussion on the nature of law, justice, and equity in Measure for Measure and The Merchant of Venice. We will present selected scenes from the two plays, hold a discussion with eminent scholars and law professionals, and take questions for the acting company. The discussion will begin on Friday, February 17 at 12:00 p.m. and run for approximately 90 minutes. It will be held in the Moot Courtroom in Belson Hall (2nd Floor) at the St. John's University Queens Campus. This event is free and open to the public.

The Acting Company

Lindsay Bartlette Allen

Michael Bernstein

Tara Bradway

Matthew Castleman

Andi Dema

Christian Adam Jacobs

Julia Jones

Melanie Arii Mah

Collin McConnell

Lindsay Tanner

Shayna Vercillo

Meet Melanie!

I can't tell you how excited I am to be working with this extraordinary lady once again. You may remember Melanie from last year's Bookend Project, in which she appeared as Tamora in Titus Andronicus and Ariel in The Tempest. She is an incredible ball of energy, this one! Her Tamora absolutely crackled, and her Ariel was graceful and endearing. It is such a pleasure to welcome her back for The Justice Project.

In my post introducing Julia, I talked quite a bit about cross-gender casting. Melanie is tackling one of the most fascinating roles in the canon in Measure -- Angelo. I toyed quite a bit with casting Angelo with an actress. A lot of ladies read for it at callbacks for The Justice Project actually. I want to be clear that I am not in any way going for a homosexual undertone with this casting of Angelo. Angelo feels almost asexual to me, at least at the opening of the play. The other characters describe his sterile, icy, severe, stern nature. The Duke describes him:

Lord Angelo is precise,
Stands at a guard with Envy: scarce confesses
That his blood flows: or that his appetite
Is more to bread than stone (I.iv)

Lucio calls him:

A man, whose blood
Is very snow-broth: one, who never feels
The wanton stings, and motions of the sense;
But doth rebate, and blunt his natural edge
With profits of the mind (I.v)

"Snow-broth" -- one of my favorite images in Shakespeare, right there. This man is not one filled with passion. He is overcome by lust, yes, but he seems almost sexless to me in these early descriptions of his character. So casting a male actor in this role was not a high priority.

To let you into the casting puzzle a little bit, I also had to consider how I was casting The Merchant of Venice. It's a balancing act of female and male across two plays. I needed a Jessica, too! And I knew Melanie was just the right person for this job. I cannot wait for you to see her work this weekend. Don't miss it!

Reserve your tickets here.

MELANIE ARII MAH
(MERCHANT: Jessica, Duke, Solanio; MEASURE: Angelo, Mistress Overdone)

Melanie is honored to be a part of ADK Shakes's Justice Project for a second time around and wishes to thank her wonderfully talented and supportive cast and team for making this production possible. She is a San Francisco native and graduate of Boston University’s School of Theatre (BFA’10). Some of her favorite roles include Ofelia (Hamlet, First Quarto), Athena (The Eumenides), Gertrude (The Underpants), and R.C. (Bug). Thank you to her family and fabulous friends for their continued love and support. This performance is dedicated to her loving father, Melvin Mah, a great father and a best friend to all. 

Meet Christian!

Check this guy out! This is the first year we've gotten to see Christian read, and he kicked some serious you-know-what when he auditioned with Gloster's speech (yes, I like the Folio spelling, ok?) from 3 Henry VI. It was terrifying. In a good way. Some actors are just born to play certain roles. Patrick and I tend to think of these roles as an actor's spirit animal. Well, I have a feeling that Richard is Christian's spirit animal. He just inhabited this role physically, vocally, emotionally ... it was extraordinary. Such a treat for us!

He's also really quite funny. You'll see. Don't miss him in some of the best (if less well known) clown's roles in the canon. And maybe ... bring a change of clothes. Just in case.

I agree, he is a totally rad dude.

CHRISTIAN ADAM JACOBS
(MERCHANT: Morocco, Launcelet Gobbo, Magnifico; MEASURE: Pompey, Friar Peter)


ADK Shakes debut

Christian is very excited to be in his first production with ADK Shakespeare. He was most recently seen as Marcellus and Osric in the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival's first ever production of Hamlet. Other HVSF credits include Comedy Of Errors (Angelo, Solinus), The Bomb-itty Of Errors (Dromio Of Syracuse), The Taming Of The Shrew (Biondello), Troilus & Cressida (Paris, Calchas), Cymbeline (Guiderius), Macbeth (Witch/Murderer), and Julius Caesar (Cassius). Christian is an MFA graduate of the New School for Drama, where he had the great joy of playing the title role in their production of Richard III. Other NSD credits include On The Verge (The Male Player), The Drowned World (Darren), Hamlet (Claudius), and Stage Door (Keith Burgess). NYC credits: Looking At Christmas (The Flea Theater), FarAway (59E59 St. Theater), Crazy Eights (The Cell Theater), Author's Voice (The Cell Theater). Christian is a totally rad dude.

Meet Shayna!

I've fallen a little behind on my introductions this weekend. Oops! I've been battling a horrible cold and terrified that I won't have a voice for the performances or that I'll infect the entire cast on Wednesday night. Today, however, things are looking up! And now, let's get back on track introducing you to rest of the cast. There's still several people I know you're looking forward to meeting.


So without further ado, I'm pleased to introduce you to Shayna! She is brand new to ADK Shakes this year and it is such a pleasure to have her on board for The Justice Project. Shayna is one of those people who just exudes beautiful, positive energy. We met up to run some lines and talk about the rehearsal process and characters the other day. What a lovely chat (and coffee) we had! Shayna is observant and intelligent, open to discussion and willing to take chances. She is going to be an Isabella to reckon with, I can tell.


Do not miss this performance! Catch Isabella on Friday nights this week and next (and the 2nd Gentleman as well). How many Isabellas have you seen doubling in another role? Shayna is all over this. She is also tackling three roles in Merchant. Click here to reserve your tickets now!


SHAYNA VERCILLO
(MERCHANT: Salarino, Stephano, Balthasar; MEASURE: Isabella, 2nd Gentleman)


ADK SHAKES debut


Shayna Vercillo hails from Tucson, AZ, received her BFA in acting from Oklahoma City University and now officially calls New York City home. She is thrilled to be joining the Adirondack Shakespeare Company and getting to work with such a wonderful cast and crew! Favorite roles include Hypatia (Misalliance) with Oklahoma's Shakespeare in the Park, Angelina (The Angelina Project), CB's Sister (Dog Sees God), and Truly Scrumptious (Chitty Chitty…!) with Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma. She would like to thank her friends and family for all their continued love and support!

Meet Julia!

It is a great pleasure to welcome Julia Jones to our company of talented actors. I was immediately struck by Julia's headshot and resume when she submitted them to us, but they were nothing to Julia's presence when she arrived for her audition. We were absolutely taken by Julia's beautiful voice, graceful reading, and stunning ease with verse-speaking. You will be too, I'm certain.

If you're unfamiliar with ADK Shakes, you may be surprised when the first line of The Merchant of Venice is spoken next Saturday by a lady. That's right, Julia is playing Antonio, the titular character of Merchant. We often use cross-gender casting in our productions. In the past, we've had ladies playing such roles as Titus in Titus Andronicus, Lord Clifford in 3 Henry VI, Touchstone in As You Like It, and we've even had gents featured as the Duchess of York in Richard III and Marjorie Jourdain in 2 Henry VI. In the Justice Project, Melanie Arii Mah is appearing as Angelo, Lindsay Bartlette Allen as Elbow, Lindsay Tanner as Gratiano, Shayna Vercillo is playing several guys whose names end in -O, and I am playing Escalus. Ladies in the house.

Frankly, I love cross-gender casting. It can be an interest comment on a character or their relationship with other characters in the play. Plus, it's an exciting challenge for both the actor and the audience. This is what the theatre is all about, isn't it? We are building an imaginary world together. We are playing roles, not ourselves. It's part of the magic -- pretending we're someone that we're not, pretending we're somewhere that we're not, part of a story that's utterly removed from our regular lives. While we're at it pretending we're someone else, why don't we switch it up as much as we can? And honestly, I've seen women play more convincing men than men. It can be done! Magic!

Come appreciate the magic that Julia will help create next weekend. You can reserve your tickets here, and you can also support Julia by adopting her! A portion of your donation will go directly to her in addition to supporting The Justice Project.

JULIA JONES
(MERCHANT: Antonio, Tubal; MEASURE: Mariana, Friar Thomas, Servant)


ADK SHAKES debut


Julia is a native Texan and NYU graduate. She has worked at the Inwood Shakespeare Festival, Hudson Warehouse, and Shakespeare Santa Monica. Many thanks to Tara and Patrick for this opportunity.

Meet L.T.!

Since we have two Lindsays in the company, Lindsay Tanner has graciously agreed to go by "L.T." -- which I have to say is quite charming and a whole lot of fun to hoot. Try it. Go on.

Lindsay is one of those folks who has been on my radar for a while. I remember her headshot vividly from when she submitted last year, and her resume is killer. It was great to have her in the room for this season's auditions. Let me tell you, she does not disappoint. Lindsay's audition was, in a word, incredible. Not only does she speak like a master, she has a physicality that is, at once, impossible to pin down and able to fit anywhere. I felt as though I could cast Lindsay in any role in the canon and she would just shine. Come check her out as the impulsive and implacable Gratiano in Merchant and as the ever-professional Provost in Measure.

In addition to her work onstage, Lindsay is also a co-founder and co-Artistic Director of Accidental Shakespeare Company. OK, friends, this company is cool. You need to check them out. And you have the perfect opportunity this weekend to see their Hit & Run A Midsummer Night's Dream. What is Hit & Run, you ask? This group of actors does not even meet until right before the curtain goes up. You just have to come and check out the accidental moments that this kind of theater fosters. It's a blast. Plus, there's wine.

LINSAY TANNER
(MERCHANT: Gratiano; MEASURE: Provost)


ADK Shakes debut


Lindsay Tanner holds a BFA from NYU/Tisch, where she trained at Stella Adler Studios and RADA. NYC credits include: Mortimer, Edward II (WOW Cafe Theatre); Regine Olsen, When It Stands Still (Toy Box Theatre); 3rd Witch, Macbeth (Frog & Peach); Natasha, Three Sisters (Rebellious Subjects). Regional credits include: Lysistrata, Lysistrata (No. 11 Productions, Saratoga Arts Fest); Hermione, The Winter's Tale and Ophelia, Hamlet (Shakespeare in the Valley, NH). She is Co-Artistic Director of the Accidental Shakespeare Company and sings with the New York City Master Chorale.

Meet Matthew!

I didn't know Matthew at all before he walked into our audition room this past fall. He came in with a quiet assurance, which was really quite striking. Most actors when they "enter the room" have their most gorgeous smile, firm handshake, and a great, vivacious can-do attitude. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about! There was something else about this guy though ... maybe a little Mr. Darcy thing going on. Yeah, you know what I'm talking about!

And this guy could read! It's rare to see and hear such specificity of language in a cold reading. But when someone nails the image of "cowards whose hearts are all as false as stairs of sand", well, I just had to sit up and take extra special notice. Did you catch that image? Stairs.of.sand. It's powerful. Most people will fly right past it. Not Matthew. I suppose if you yourself are a writer, you are more attuned to such powerful imagery.

So you are in for a treat this February. I'm so pleased to welcome Matthew into the company for The Justice Project. We're all looking forward to getting to know this enigmatic gentleman!


MATTHEW CASTLEMAN
(MERCHANT: Bassanio; MEASURE: Claudio, Justice, Officer)

ADK SHAKES debut

Matthew Castleman has featured in many off-off-broadway productions since graduating from Oberlin College in 2008 with a degree in theatre, playing such roles as Octavius in Man and Superman, Angelo in Measure for Measure, Lussurioso in The Revenger's Tragedy, and the title role in Baal. His study of historical European martial arts has also led him to choreograph fights in a number of plays. When not acting, he has been working on the middle grade adventure novel Popular Clone under the name M.E. Castle, which was released in late January.




Purchase your tickets to The Justice Project online here.

The Cast of the Justice Project

You may have already seen my previous post introducing to you one of our company members for the upcoming Justice Project, but I decided that before I go any further with my individual introductions, I'd like to introduce our full cast to you. You know, just to whet your appetite a little.

Our individual intros will continue over the course of the next few weeks. I hope you enjoy meeting our very fine ensemble of actors, and we look forward to seeing you at the performances in February.

Reserve your tickets now through our TicketLeap page here!

LINDSAY BARTLETTE ALLEN

Measure: Elbow, Juliet, Boy

Merchant: Nerissa, Leonardo

MICHAEL BERNSTEIN

Measure: Duke

Merchant: Old Gobbo, Salerio, Servant, Gaoler

TARA BRADWAY

Measure: Escalus, Francisca

Merchant: Portia

MATTHEW CASTLEMAN
Measure: Claudio, Justice, Officer
Merchant: Bassanio

ANDI DEMA

Measure: 1 Gentleman, Froth, Barnardine, Varrius

Merchant: Shylock

CHRISTIAN ADAM JACOBS
Measure: Pompey, Friar Peter
Merchant: Morocco, Launcelet Gobbo

JULIA JONES

Measure: Mariana, Friar Thomas, Servant

Merchant: Antonio, Tubal

MELANIE ARII MAH
Measure: Angelo, Mistress Overdone
Merchant: Jessica, Solanio, Duke

COLLIN McCONNELL

Measure: Lucio, Abhorson, 1 Officer

Merchant: Lorenzo, Arragon, Magnifico

LINDSAY TANNER
Measure: Provost
Merchant: Gratiano

SHAYNA VERCILLO

Measure: Isabella, 2 Gentleman

Merchant: Salarino, Balthasar, Stephano

Meet Andi!

I am so pleased to welcome Andi Dema back to the ADK Shakes family. We were incredibly fortunate to have had Andi with us this summer, his first foray into Shakespeare IN THE RAW. And now, he has joined our ranks of RAW Veterans.

This winter Andi is reprising his role from the summer: the incomparable Shylock. I've seen The Merchant of Venice a few times, and I have honestly never seen an interpretation of this character like Andi's. While Andi is sensitive to the few sympathetic moments that Shylock exhibits, he fearlessly takes on the more terrifying aspects of this man. A man filled with pain, with hatred, with a desire for vengeance. You may have loved Al Pacino's Shylock, but I think Andi's Shylock is much more nuanced, more strongly based in Shakespeare's text, and an absolutely bold performance.

Welcome back, Andi!

ANDI DEMA
(MERCHANT: Shylock; MEASURE: 1st Gentleman, Froth, Barnardine, Varrius)

Andi Dema

ADK Shakes: A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merchant of Venice, Theseus and the Minotaur.

Andi Dema is an Albanian actor who is working with the Adirondack Shakespeare Company for the second time in his career. Favorite roles include Shylock in The Merchant of Venice and Peter Quince in A Midsummer Night's Dream with the Adirondack Shakespeare Company; Orlando in As You Like It and Clitandre in The Learned Ladies with the Texas Shakespeare Festival; Cassius in Julius Caesar and Joey Percival in Misalliance with Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park; Jack Tanner in Man and Superman and Capt. Jack Absolute in The Rivals with Theatre OCU. Mr. Dema holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Oklahoma City University.

When Mercy Seasons Justice

We are quickly getting under way for this winter's Justice Project. It has seemed far away for a long time, but it is rapidly approaching. Last week, we had our read-through of the plays The Merchant of Venice and Measure for Measure. Ladies and gentlemen, we have an absolutely terrific cast, and I cannot wait to introduce them to you.

Before I begin the series of introductory posts, however, I want to give you all the vitals for these productions. Trust me, you do not want to miss them. We will performing William Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice and Measure for Measure uncut and in repertory for two weekends in February. You can find us in both Queens and Manhattan. We are also very excited to announce a seminar we are running in association with the Law School at St. John's University on Friday, February 17.

You will find in these productions our typical Shakespeare IN THE RAW excitement and method! That means we rehearse only about 12 hours for each show. Yep! The cast has met for our read-through, but we officially begin intensive rehearsal on the evening of Wednesday, February 8 and we open on Friday, February 10. Expect these performances to be immediate, adrenaline-filled, exciting, and RAW. (Of course!) We perform with no sets, minimal costuming and props, and no safety net. Our actors come in fully memorized and prepared to put on a full, professional production of these amazing masterworks.

Friday, February 10 :: Measure for Measure

Saturday, February 11 :: The Merchant of Venice

at

Saval Auditorium

2nd Floor, Manhattan Campus, SJU

101 Murray St, New York, NY 10007

Friday, February 17 :: Measure for Measure

Saturday, February 18 :: The Merchant of Venice

at

Moot Court, Belson Hall

2nd Floor, St John's Law School

8000 Utopia Parkway, Jamaica, NY 11439

All performances begin at 7:30 p.m.

Doors open 1/2 hour prior to curtain.

Seating is general admission.

THE CAST OF THE JUSTICE PROJECT

Lindsay Bartlette Allen

Michael Bernstein

Tara Bradway

Matthew Castleman

Andi Dema

Christian Adam Jacobs

Julia Jones

Melanie Arii Mah

Collin McConnell

Lindsay Tanner

Shayna Vercillo

Audition for ADK Shakes!

It's that time of year again! Here is the most up-to-date information on our season auditions for our entire 2012 season. There are some changes from the website page already ... so I'm glad you're here. Check it out, pass it along, trade it amongst your friends.

Alexander Ristov as Flute and Tom Morin as Bottom,
A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2011.

Auditions for the 2012 season will be held in NYC in early November. We are now accepting headshot and resume submissions, as well as video auditions, for the 2012 season.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

You may submit a headshot and resume via email to casting@adkshakes.org. Please submit with “2012 Auditions” and your name in the subject line of the email. Headshots and resumes are best submitted as photo and document attachments (.JPG, .PDF, .TIF, .DOC or .DOCX files are accepted). You may include a link to a professional website, in addition to the attached files. Email submissions without attached files will not be considered.

We will begin contacting actors for in-person audition appointments in mid-October. Audition appointments are offered in one-hour blocks and must be confirmed in advance. The auditions are held in groups of 8-10 actors. Actors will present a prepared monologue (classical verse only) and will also read sides from the season. These are intended to be cold readings, but a complete selection of sides will be posted on the website in advance for your perusal.*

Due to a high volume of submissions, we are unable to schedule in-person auditions for every actor. If we are unable to schedule you for an audition, we strongly urge you to consider submitting a video audition (see requirements below). If you plan to submit a video, please contact the Casting Director at casting@adkshakes.org with a request for sides, which may be included in your video.

*If you require additional time to prepare specific sides due to a learning disability or other need, please contact the Casting Director at casting@adkshakes.org and your request will be considered.

Our 2012 Casting Call is for:

The Justice Project: The Merchant of Venice and Measure for Measure

(February, 2012 at St. John’s University, NYC) 

Please note, some roles in this project are already cast. Actors will be cast in both shows and perform in repertory over two weekends in Queens and Manhattan. All roles are paid.

The Summer Festival Season: Hamlet, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Twelfth Night, and an original children’s production of Hercules

(Scheduled for July - August, 2012 in the Adirondack Mountains, NY)

Seeking a company of 12 actors. Actors will perform in repertory over a period of three to five weeks. Housing is provided. We are also seeking a Production Stage Manager and an Assistant Stage Manager. All positions are paid.

More information on video submissions is available on our website. Also please note, we are dedicated to seeing as many new actors as possible during our limited audition time. Due to the nature of our hour-long group sessions, we can only see a small number of people, and we prefer to schedule auditions for actors whose work we don't know. So if you have worked with ADK Shakes in the past and would like to be considered on your past work with the company, please send an email to casting@adkshakes.org and let us know of your interest.

Thinking Ahead

In these early years of ADK Shakes's growth, it's a trial to figure out the seasonal rhythm. I feel like I need to be thinking a whole year ahead (or more) -- constantly. As soon as we closed our first summer season last August, I was already thinking ahead to Summer 2011. The Bookend Project goes up in just a few weeks, so of course I am thinking about our entire 2012 season and beyond.

What I love about being in school at the same time as being helmsman for choosing an ADK Shakes season is that I have the opportunity to delve into problems and questions both as a scholar and a theatre practitioner. The Bookend Project has been a consideration largely of violence and revenge. How do these things change over the course of Shakespeare's career as a playwright? Obviously this is a Bookend Project, so I only have the opportunity to stage the bookends of his career.  Someday I hope to consider the whole arc with more of the "middle"-- Hamlet, Othello, Much Ado, etc.

At the moment, however, I think I'm going to jump ship from the primarily revenge-oriented question. I am just not sure I want to spend the next decade with it. I am already thinking in terms of a dissertation project -- which will definitely take up (at least) the next decade of my life! What do I want to spend the next 10 years living and breathing and sleeping and eating and thinking about constantly? A revenge project would be pretty cool. But I'm not ready to commit. Sorry, revenge.

Battle of Agincourt.
Henry V = Ultimate King?

In the very broadest of terms, I am thinking about gender relations (in which cross-gender casting will figure heavily), power and politics, and the nature of kingship (which incidentally is also a big question in my Medieval Romance class -- probably more on that throughout the semester). At some point, I also want to begin looking outside the works of Shakespeare alone and possibly outside the Early Modern/Renaissance period. For this reason, I'm really excited to delve into the question of kingship in my Medieval class. I'll be reading around in a lot of Arthurian Romance and thinking about Arthur as the ultimate king.

I won't leave you without another plug for the Bookend Project. There's buzz going around the St. John's campus -- and St. John's students get in for FREE with their Storm Card. So to my theatre-going public, reserve your tickets now for $12 at adkshakes.ticketleap.com. Otherwise, it's $15 at the door! Don't miss it! And of course, come February 27, it will be full steam ahead towards Summer 2011.