All's Well on a Midsummer's Twelfth Night in Winter with Much Ado and the Shrew
Adapted and written by Noelle Fair
Directed by Michael Hagins
We opened our 2011 season by producing a BRAND NEW SHAKESPEARE...well a new work that takes several Shakespeare plays and creates a new romanctic tragi-comedy. The Shakespeare conventions that you all know and love, love sick ladies, studly lords, snarling villians, bickering couples meant for each other, cross dressing femailes, tears and journey, and the eventual reconciliation are all found in this celebration of the Shakespeare conventions that we know and love.
Antonio, An official of Bohemia……………Michael Hagins
Alonzo, a young Prince……………………..Chance Andersen
Valentine, a soldier…………………………….Lawrence Lasher
Ursula, Antonio’s wife………………………..Kara Addington
Setting: The Island of Boehmia, circa 1600
Synopsis
The war on Bohemia has ended! William, the noble Duke of Bohemia has invited the Prince Alonzo, along with his soldiers, Valentine and Sebastian, to a feast in order to celebrate everyone's good fortune. William has also called upon his servant, Feste to bring forth a troop of actors to entertain the soldiers at the feast. Feste leads cousins Isabella and Katherine, a pair of traveling entertainers, to Bohemia's feast. Meanwhile, Antonio, William's servant, asks William to reconsider his proposal for marriage to William's daughter, Marianna.
Later on, at the feast, distressed lovers Valentine and Katherine are reunited and abuse everyone'e ear with a battle of wits. Alonzo comes upon the mysterious singer, Isabella and woos her later that evening at her balcony window. After everyone has gone to sleep, a drunken William finally consents to Antonio's marriage to his daughter - little does he know that Marianna and Sebastian have already stolen away into the night to elope.
Synopsis Continued
Antonio hatches a plan to pull apart these love affairs and finally get the dukedom he feels he deservers. He hatches a plan to claim Isabella is having an affair with Sebastian and tells Alonzo as much. Ursula, Antonio's wife (gasp!) agrees to help Antonio with his plan in hopes that Antonio will realize her faithful love to him.
William finds out about the secret marriage of his daughter and banishes Sebastian from his kingdom and commands Marianna to marry with Antonio.
Antonio and Alonzo come upon Sebastian and Isabella speaking together in private and Alonzo vows to shame her in the church the next day.
During their wedding, Alonzo shames Isabella for being a strumpet. Katherine makes Valentine promise to get revenge for the wrong Alonzo has done her cousin.
William, the Duke of Bohemia (Tox Cox) prepares for the arrival of Prince Alonxeo and his entourage. Above, he instructs his servant Feste (Anna Wallace-Deering) to prepare for their arrival and Feste reminds her master that had promised to release her from service. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
William’s daughter Marianna (Jamie Thiessen) carries on an affair with Sebastian (Reynaldo Piniella), one of Prince Alonzo’s soldiers. An affair her father does not approve of. Mahnattan Theater New York, NY
William hires the services of the traveling players headed by Katherine (Katherine Mullis) and Isabella (Noelle Fair) to entertain Prince Alonzo at a masquerade ball. The players arrive on the shores of Bohemia and are greeted by Feste (Anna Wallace-Deering) and Sebastian (Reynaldo Piniella). Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Antonio (Michael Hagins) an apparently dutiful courtier of William’s (Tom Cox), pleads William for the court to marry Marianna, despite the fact that he is already married to a woman named Ursula. William seeing it as a way to get Sebastian away from his daughter and have her marry up in society. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Feste (Anna Wallace- Deering) gets in the act herself and regails the arriving players Katherine (Katherine Mullis) and Isabella (Noelle Fair) along with Sebastian ( Reynaldo Piniella) and Duke William (Tom Cox) with a rousing, passionate speech. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Prince Alonzo (Chace Parker) arrives with his best friend Valentine (Lawrence Lasher) at the court of Duke William aniticipating the night festivities. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
As the soldiers are greeted, Valentine (Lawrence Lasher) is met by an old love of his Katherine (Katherine Mullis). The two, not parting on the best of terms, exchange some spirited quips in front of the whole court. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Isabella (Noelle Fair) sings a song of lovers in springtime at the masquerade party of Duke William. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Prince Alonzo (Chance Parker) quite taken with the mysterious singer quickly moves to engage her in dance. A secret romance begins between them. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Antonio (Michael Hagins), having no love for Prince Alonzo decides to use his new romance against him and further his aim to marry Marianna and eventually gain Duke William's court. Here Antonio's estranged wife, Ursula (Kara Addington) unknowning of his plans questions why he has been so distant lately. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Antonio (Michael Hagins) begins his plot against Prince Alonzo (Chance Parker) by planinting insinuations that Isabella has been cheatin on him with his friend and subordinate Sebastian putting a monkey wrench in wedding plans. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Duke William (Tom Cox) discovers his daughter Marianna (Jamie Thiessen) in bed with Sebastian (Reynaldo Piniella) and banishes him from his realm. William tells Marianna that he intends to wed her to Antonio. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
With love in the air for his two friends, Valentine (Lawrence Lasher) tries to smooth over thigns with Katherine (Katherine Mullis) but Katherine doesn't want to make peace and this futher irritates Valentine. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Ursula (Kara Addington) becomes a confidant for Isabella and users her to go to Alonzo and asks his true intentions. Alonzo (Chance Parker says he intends to marry Isabella. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Sebastian (Reyanaldo Piniella) tries to back into William's good graces by having Isabella (Noelle Fair) assit him. However, Antonio (Michael Hagins) uses this opportunity to mislead Alonzo (Chance Parker) and Valentine (Lawrence Lasher) into thinking that Isabella is cheating on Alonzo.
Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
At their wedding. Alonzo (Chance Parker) publically denounces Isabella (Noelle Fair) as strumpet and leaves her. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Katherine angered at her cousin being publically humiliated tells Valentine if he wants her love to kill Alonzo. Valentine (Lawrence Lasher) thinks that Alonzo (Chance Parker) has gone too far and honor must be served so he challenges his friend to duel. In their duel news arrives that Isabella is dead.
Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Unbeknowst to the men, Isabella (Noelle Fair) is not really dead but this bit of news is a ruse. Ursula (Kara Addington) says that the only way that Alonzo will ever feel Isabella's pain is by mourning her loss. So she gives Isabella a sleeping potion to fake her death. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Isabella (Noelle Fair) hides out in a local church disguised as friar. Marianna (Jamie Thiessen) comes to the friar asking for assistance in her impending wedding to Antonio. Antonio (Michael Hagins) arrives on another matter and has a testy encounter with his future bride. After Antonio leave, Isabella reveals herself to a dumbstruck Marianna and they decide the only recouse for both of them is to run away. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
A penitent Alonzo (Chance Parker) daily mourns at Isabella’s monument but this is not enough for her cousin Katherine (Katherine Mullis) who seeks to kill him. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Feste (Anna Wallace-Deering), under Duke William’s orders, keeps tabs on the Prince (Chance Parker) and stops Katherine from killing him. She uses some her magic to induce a temporary insanity on Katherine to stop further assassination attempts. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
While Alonzo continues his vigil at the woodside monument to Isabella, he encounters Isabella (Noelle Fair) disguised as a man and Marianna (Jamie Thiessen) also disguised. Isabella, unsure if Alonzo truly is sorry for shaming her, tries to test him to see how much he loves Isabella by coming each day and pretending to woo “him”. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Valentine (Lawrence Lasher) and Sebastian (Reynaldo Piniella) are distraught at seeing Katherine (Katherine Mullis) in her fits of madness which they surmise is over Isabella's death.
Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Not backing from down from a challenge especially when it comes to showing love for his dead wife, Alonzo (Chance Parker) arrives to pretend to woo the disguised Isabella (Noelle Fair), who he thinks is a man. Here they do a mock wedding officiated by a disguised Marianna (Jamie Thiessen). Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Antonio finding out of Isabella’s faked death arrives to confront the Alonzo and Isabella but Ursula (Kara Addington) arrives with the Duke. She publicly exposes his plots in front of the Duke and Alonzo. A disguised Isabella (Noelle Fair) and Marianna (Jamie Thiessen) watch the entire proceedings.Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Now that secrets are out, Isabella (Noelle Fair) reveals her true self to Alonzo (Chance Parker) and the two have joyful reunion. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Feste (Anna Wallace-Deering) restores the mad Katherine (Katherine Mullis) reuniting her with cousin Isabella (Noelle Fair). Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Sebastian (Reynaldo Piniella) defeats Antonio and he is arrested by Feste. Duke William (Tom Cox) accepts him back and he and Marianna (Jamie Thiessen) are reunited.. A now lone Ursula (Kara Addington) is courted by William and they all live happily ever after. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Antonio (Michael Hagins) having run off when his plan was revealed returns to kidnap Marianna and here he engages in a fight with Sebastian (Reynaldo Piniella). Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Finding out that her cousin is alive and well, Katherine (Katherine Mullis) sees Valentine (Lawrence Lasher) and demands to know if he does love her or just trifling with her affections. Although Valentine stammers he finally admits his love, she admits her love and the two FINALLY get together. Manhattan Theatre Source, New York, NY
Tempest
