Imagining Shakespeare by Studio Two

IMAGINING

BY KEVIN SPRAGUE

IMAGINING

BY KEVIN SPRAGUE

©Copyright 2010 Kevin Sprague All Rights Reserved. www.kevinsprague.com ISBN 978-1-4507-0068-9 Please do not use any part of this book without permission. You may apply for permission by contacting the author at Kevin@KevinSprague.com. Published by Studio Two, LLC PO 2215 Lenox, MA 01240 Printed in China The Author would like to thank Actor’s Equity for allowing its members to appear in this publication, and the individual members of Actor’s Equity who appear in this book for granting their permission to be portrayed within. 4

contents Introduction...............................................7 Imagination...............................................9 Creativity................................................. 11 1996 ........................................................12

1997.........................................................24

1998.........................................................26

1999.........................................................42

2000........................................................56

2001.........................................................82

2002....................................................... 112

2003.......................................................138

2004...................................................... 158

2005....................................................... 174

2006.......................................................202

2007.......................................................226

2008.......................................................240

2009.......................................................260

Special Thanks.......................................271

Technical Notes..................................... 274

Index......................................................276 5

Epilogue from The Tempest SPOKEN BY PROSPERO“Now my charms are all o’erthrown, And what strength I have’s mine own, Which is most faint: now, ‘tis true, I must be here confined by you, Or sent to Naples. Let me not, Since I have my dukedom got And pardon’d the deceiver, dwell In this bare island by your spell; But release me from my bands With the help of your good hands: Gentle breath of yours my sails Must fill, or else my project fails, Which was to please. Now I want Spirits to enforce, art to enchant, And my ending is despair, Unless I be relieved by prayer, Which pierces so that it assaults Mercy itself and frees all faults. As you from crimes would pardon’d be, Let your indulgence set me free.”

introduction Theatre is such an ephemeral art - its great power is that it only lives in this moment, now, and then is never repeated in exactly the same way ever again. So for those of us who work in the theatre (as opposed to film and television) there is no artifact, no reel, no thing, no moment when Ingrid Bergman looks at Humphrey Bogart for the last time, to be watched by millions over the years. And yet we yearn for something which captures the spirit of what we are doing, it may not be the thing itself, but it is a correlative which says “Yes, that was it”. Such are Kevin Sprague’s photographs of Shakespeare & Company’s work. It is not that Kevin is making a recording of our work; it is that he is making another piece of art that captures the essence of what we are creating, or attempting to create. We look at his pictures and get inspired by them - because he is an artist in his own right. He feeds his creative energy right back into what we do and then produces something which lives for all to respond to! His pictures touch the soul, his own perspective opens the heart, and and his work feeds the spirit! Over the years Kevin Sprague has become part of our creative process and we thank the fates that he decided to join us. Long may he do so. -Tina Packer

imagination William Shakespeare was a man of imagination. Through his plays, sonnets and poems he conjured worlds and characters that have withstood the test of time like few others. To live in Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s world is to revel in emotion, and passion, and beauty and love, and violence and death, and redemption and rebirth. For a visual artist, the plays present an unending canvas. These pages are my expression of that world, and the expression of a gifted, driven band of actors, clowns, fighters and lovers called Shakespeare & Company.

Image created for Conversations With Shakespeare, a project created by Daniela Varon.

creativity Starting in 1996 I had the professional task and the personal journey of working with Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts. The troupe came into being as a vision of a youthful Tina Packer in 1977, and growing up in the Berkshires I often found myself being pulled into the orbit of the organization as unpaid furniture mover at The Mount, the grand historic former home of author Edith Wharton. After 24 years as the theatre in residence at Edith Whartonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s estate, the company moved to their new quarters on Kemble Street, closer to the center of Lenox. My professional career as designer and photographer for the company began in 1996 with the appointment of Dan McCleary, talented actor and the marketing director. My business associate at Studio Two, Mary Garnish, Dan, and I worked together over the years to craft a new, dynamic image of a theatre built on passion, imagination and commitment. This book is a look into the work I have done as a photographer and image-maker for the last decade and more in the course of addressing the complex design and marketing demands of this creative Berkshire institution.

Jonathan Croy as Caliban (center), Christianna Nelson and TenĂŠ A. Carter as goddesses in The Tempest, 2001.

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I still recall the first meeting we had with Dan McCleary. Mary and I were working in my house at the time in pretty tight quarters. Dan’s physical presence and energy were quite impressive. He talked with us about a need to rebrand the company and bring to light the experience of the outdoor space at the Mount to a broader audience. The Berkshires were just entering the renaissance of the ‘90’s and new energy and money were coming into the county supporting the cultural organizations. The date, if I recall, that Dan approached us was already late spring, maybe April. The short time frame, lack of visual resources, and our wonderful naivete contributed to the first brochure cover and layout, a conventional start to an unconventional future. 1996 Season Brochure. Note a young Allyn Burrows lower right from the previous year’s Much Ado About Nothing. The composite was done in Photoshop 1.0, a real novelty at the time and the piece of software that changed my life. It probably took a few days to do this, and now it would take mere moments.

Our first brush with the company revealed a paucity of images and materials to work with. Although the company had worked with photographers every year to document the performances, the weaknesses of conventional film-based photography, the lack of any kind of organized archive (mostly piles of shoe boxes) and the limited budgets meant that the archives comprised a handful of scratched, somewhat blurry, black-andwhite 8x10 prints. I thought, “I can do better than this.” At first, I was wrong. Shooting live theatre on film is technically very difficult as you work to compensate for vast differences in exposure placed on the scene by theatre lights. The first production I attempted to shoot was Merchant of Venice in 1998. I think that I got two usable frames. We did indulge in some fun set-up photos in and around the grounds with fairies, fights and Edwardians. I barely had a clue as to what I was doing, but I didn’t let anybody else know that!

Jennifer Grant.

Dan McCleary and Allyn Burrows fencing in the driveway at The Mount.

Kevin G. Coleman

Left page: Dennis Krausnick, Tina Packer and Kevin G. Coleman. Top: Assorted Edwardians. Left: Jonathan Epstein.

This was also the first year that we started helping out the Education Department with the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. Still in its infancy, we developed posters and graphics for the festival with original images shot on site at Monument Mountain High School of some of the young actors in costume. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not sure what I had in mind with the paint-stained backdrop, but I think it was all we could scrounge together...

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This year, with a little more time on the schedule, we worked up a brochure that picked up on the past (it was the 20th anniversary season, after all) and built on the principal members of the company. Note the images of Dennis Krausnick, Tina Packer and Kevin G. Coleman on the cover, images we pulled in from the ‘96 photo shoot. That’s about it. I can’t find much other evidence of our activities that year.

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A beautiful girl and photoshop: a theme that would be recurring in the coming years. Actress Karen Tor-Bjornson consented to pose for the cover. This image and others that year started my fascination with image composition: telling stories through many images, elements, and textures layered together.

Two things started opening themselves up to me this year. The first was a new-found fluency in the tools of image manipulation. The second was an increasing comfort with photography in its many forms; studio, location, and theatrical. That’s my wife Kristine’s engagement ring coming out of the venetian bottle for All’s Well that Ends Well . The lovely Amelia Burkhardt is the model.

Mainstage at the Mount.

Left: Private Eyes. Right page: The Comedy of Errors.

The Mainstage show at the Mount this year was The Merchant of Venice. Jonathan Epstein played Shylock. The image to the right was a first draft for the play, using some stock imagery. I redid the image (facing page) in time for the brochure with a photo I had shot of Jonathan the previous year, composited with images from a trip to Venice that my mother had brought back. The Merchant of Venice was the first production I attempted to shoot live. I think I exposed about 10 rolls of film. The two frames to the right are about all that came out.

The Merchant of Venice.

Also in 1999 was the Play Wit, with the lead role being played by Frances West. I had not met Frances before she came to the studio for the shoot, but I later discovered her extensive history with the Company. She was going through chemotherapy at the time of the shoot and was weak and concerned about her appearance. I put one light up high and asked her to extend her arms up to it. The image became one of my favorites as the years passed. She looks so determined, and joyous, and sad all at once. Frances passed away soon after the season was over.

Left: The Taming of the Shrew. Right page: Wharton One-Acts.

1999 saw the studio working with all of the different departments of Shakespeare & Company. We worked with Education on the Spring Tour of Henry V. This image of an archer was developed for those materials and was the beginning of a trend in the Education Department for bold, iconic imagery for the tour. The Fall Festival began to get goofier and sillier thanks to the infinite willingness of high-school students to dress up and act out.

Left page: Ty Skelton.

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It was always a challenge to convey an image of the magic, the natural spaces, and the sheer fun of Shakespeare & Company in performance at The Mount. The cover for this year featuring Elizabeth Aspenlieder was a semisuccessful attempt to convey some of that feeling. The small figures beneath her are outtakes from the brochure shoots and some willing participants from the Fall Festival promotion the year before. This was the first year I picked up a camera and really started to address the need for better images of the performances.

In 1999 I created the image on the right page for Love’s Labors Lost. Actress Corinna May came to the studio and we shot a number of different poses against a seamless background. I had her lay down and take a restful pose at one point. Some weeks later as I was struggling with coming up with an image for the play, I happened to bring the image of Corinna together with a lily I had in my image library. The two images just snapped together in a beautiful way. This was the beginning of my realization that creativity is often just a happy coincidence of timing. You bring together all the elements you have at hand with an emotional idea of the end product and see what happens. Still one of my favorite images. Shakespeare’s plays are always full of magic, and an intimate connection to the natural, pagan world. The outdoor performances at The Mount always seemed to channel that magic. I’ve tried to bring that fantastical quality to my work for the company.

Left: Glimpses of the Moon. Right page: As You Like It.

This image for King Richard III was created using an incredible new 3D modelling tool called “Bryce” that allowed one to render photo-realistic landscapes quickly and easily. It illustrates a moment in the play when Richard III arranges the drowning of a rival. The Tempest was built out of stock imagery from my own collection. I imagined Prospero “conjuring” up worlds on his exotic island.

King Richard III. Right page: The Tempest.

The image for Summer, adapted from Edith Wharton, was very simple. We wanted to evoke the plight of Charity Royall, caught between her origins “up the mountain” and her fate ahead. Looking at it now, I realize how lucky we must have been to shoot such a lovely fall image for the play, as usually the titles for the season weren’t set until the dead of winter.

At The Mount, there was a small outdoor stage called the “Oxford Court” which was used primarily for productions by the SPI’s (The Summer Performance Institute, the professional actor training program). This was an easy place to shoot as the shows happened during daylight hours. The energy of these young actors was always terrific.

The Tempest

Right page: The Tempest.

The cover for the Training Program brochure for 1999-2000. I tried to bring together the feel and the passion and the nature of the program in one image. This year I was very focused on textures, and bringing a kind of gritty feel to the images. I wanted to convey a sensation of reality, and tension and to take away some of the gloss from what was fundamentally very hard work.

2000

season

2000 was a year of huge highs and lows at Shakespeare & Company. The Company had taken the huge leap of acquiring a new piece of property in Lenox and had begun the long, painful goodbye to The Mount. Crafting a season around the theme of passion, centered on Romeo and Juliet at the Mainstage and a ground-breaking production of Coriolanus in the Stable Theatre presented a rich vein to work with. 2000 was also the year that I went alldigital, acquiring my first professional Nikon digital cameras. This step would affect my work in profound ways in the years to come.

Right page: A flaming heart, made with gasoline on my driveway during the creative struggle with how to illustrate Romeo and Juliet.

This is, after all, non-profit theatre. The timing of the planning of the season calendar and the creation, design and release of the brochure to the ticketbuying public meant that the bulk of the creative work on the images had to take place during the dead of winter: December and early January. The deadline in 2000 meant that I was home alone right around the holidays trying to pull together the brochure. The cover had me stumped, but I knew I wanted a male figure on it, with this theme of “Rouse Love’s Fire”. As there was a dearth of models about just before Christmas, I took advantage of the remote shutter release on a little 2-megapixel Olympus camera I had acquired. The photo here is one of several I managed to take before the batteries died. My upper hand is cupping the tiny remote. I scanned in a couple of pigeon feathers to make the wings, and layered on the fire from a sequence of shots I took of my fireplace. The mask was left over from a previous education program shoot. Nothing like a deadline to fix that pesky creative problem.

Coriolanus is a play that is not often produced from the Shakespeare Canon. The production in 2000, directed by Tina Packer and starring Dan McCleary in the title role was done in the “bare bard” tradition in the Stables Theatre. It was a breakout hit; a profound success and the kind of theatre that makes you sit up in your seat and take notice. Of course, when I was working on the image for the play in mid-January, nobody knew this was going to happen. I was inspired by this passage from the play: - VALERIA O’ my word, the father’s son: I’ll swear,’tis a very pretty boy. O’ my troth, I looked upon him o’ Wednesday half an hour together: has such a confirmed countenance. I saw him run after a gilded butterfly: and when he caught it, he let it go again; and after it again; and over and over he comes, and again; catched it again; or whether his fall enraged him, or how ‘twas, he did so set his teeth and tear it; O, I warrant it, how he mammocked it!”

I was really stuck in the dead of winter with how to portray this classical warrior. One day I was in Pittsfield, MA and noticed the sculpture that adorns the veteran’s memorial there. It was covered in snow, but the figure of Mars in the center stood out. I composited that picture with one of my hands coming through paper in the studio and the rest of the image fell into place. 60

Coriolanus was the first play that I shot digitally. It was the start of a revolution. Instead of coming out of the shoot with barely one or two usable shots, I came out with about 900. We whittled them down to the best 20 or so, and released them to the local press on CD. It completely transformed the marketing and communications of theatre in the region overnight. The photos ran everywhere, and the rest of the show sold out. This was the start of something I had always believed but hadnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really proved yet: good pictures sell tickets. I was sure, at first, that everyone else would follow our lead and this small window of competitive advantage would quickly evaporate. I was wrong. It took years for the other photographers in theatre to catch on to this powerful new medium of communication.

Dan McCleary in Coriolanus.

Romeo and Juliet is such an icon of culture that one approaches it with care, at first. I wanted to do something different, to somehow take the focus off the â&#x20AC;&#x153;star-crossed loversâ&#x20AC;? and bring something to the larger story. The Columbine massacre had happened in April of 1999, and for months afterwards, the news was always showing these shrines that the friends of the murdered students had erected. Candles, flowers, notes. All these things. I tried to imagine what it would be like today, if the tragedy of Romeo and Juliet were to happen among us. So I built a shrine to Juliet. In the end, I had to compromise the image for the sake of commercial viability and the fact that Juliet had been cast in time to include her in the brochure. But I think that it was still successful in some ways. The images on the right page are some of the textures, elements and inspiration I used to come up with the final version.

Carolyn Roberts.

Photographing Romeo and Juliet on the mainstage at The Mount was a joy. The glittering costumes by designer Arthur Oliver still stand out in my mind, and the freedom I had to move around during the dress rehearsal was wonderful. At The Mount you could be amazingly close to the performers and the fights.

Below: Ty Skelton as Paris dancing with Carolyn Roberts as Juliet. Right page: Jason Asprey as Mercutio.

Carolyn Roberts as Juliet and Manu Naryan as Romeo.

The Winter’s Tale is one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. It has a depth and maturity that stand out. I’ve always enjoyed the way he manages to mix tragedy within a comedic wrapper; a technique that comes up again in Much Ado About Nothing and in Pericles. The iconic image that stays in my mind is the character of Hermione, the Queen, who is stricken by the accusations of her husband, Leontes and his suspicions of her infidelity. She dies of grief, and he erects a statue to her memory. After much trial and tribulation, in the end, she comes back to life magically from the statue. The image I worked up first for the play is this one, of a woman frozen within a hillside. I don’t recall the reason, but at the time we didn’t see fit to run it, so I worked up the image that is on the next page. Sometimes, you have to live with an idea for a while before you understand it. This was one of those times.

I imagined Hermione in her magic looking down on her baby, cast adrift in a stream like Moses in the rushes. I had recently been on a trip to Prague, and had a photograph of the clock in the main square, with its strange, astrological symbols. I used this as a way of evoking the passing of time and the magic within the story. It also makes a nice Elizabethan-style collar.

Kate MacQueen

Above: Lesley Desaulniers as Emilia and Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;metrius Conley-Williams as Leontes. Right page: Dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;metrius Conley-Williams as Leontes and Kelly Cawley as Hermione.

As the transition away from The Mount began to become a reality, the Company struggled with its identity and with logistics. A very elegant production of Twelfth Night was erected on the new stage at the Lenox High School. It was my first time shooting under conventional, professional theatrical conditions and I was really pleased with the results. The exposures were spot on and the scrim background was much easier to work with than the forest.

Michael Hammond as Malvolio.

Top: Annette Miller as Maria, Walton Wilson as Toby Belch, and Michael Toomey as Fabian. Right: Christianna Nelson as Olivia and Michael Hammond as Malvolio. Left page: Kristin Wold as Cesario and Christianna Nelson as Olivia.

For the Fall Festival in 2000 we did a shoot with a group of high-school students on a wild â&#x20AC;&#x153;gone-nativeâ&#x20AC;? theme. We made up the students in all kinds of ways. It was moderately successful as a concept. I liked this image in particular.

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The 2001 season was about transition: from the old world to the new one. It would see the final performances at The Mount and the first performances in the newly-built Founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre at 70 Kemble St, Lenox: Shakespeare & Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new home. For the season cover, I created this image of actress Kristin Wold rising from the water, creating new worlds.

The first time I saw A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Mount, I was 11. I remember the moment when the fairies came running up through the woods from the darkness and thinking, “Now THIS is theatre!” It probably helped that they were (from my adolescent perspective) nearly naked. Dream was the signature production at The Mount. So it was only fitting that it be the play that closed the 20 year relationship of Shakespeare & Company with the estate. Tod Randoph played Titania. For the photo, Dan McCleary filled in as Bottom with Ass’s head. I filled the space around them with a complex fractal pattern which evoked for me both the natural world of the forest and the magical world of the Fairy Kingdom. The shoots for the 2001 season were done very quickly on a shoestring budget. The company was totally strapped. I learned a lot that year about how much I could rely on my skills in photoshop to save a lessthan-ideal original.

Top: Allyn Burrows as Oberon. Below: The backstage area of the Mainstage at night. Right page: Tod Randolph as Titania atop Jonathan Epstein as Nick Bottom.

Allyn Burrows as Oberon, Tod Randolph as Titania.

The Closing night of A Midsummer Nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dream was picture-perfect. A full moon rising in the foggy distance, the summer air cool enough to hint of fall. The voices of actors past echoing from out of the woods. A final pavanne to The Mount in farewell. It was a privilege to be a part of it.

Mary Hartman

Mark Woollett

90 Jonathan Epstein

The image for The Tempest in 2001 was driven by a desire that Dan McCleary had to somehow show the new theatre that was under construction within the context of the season. We came up with this somewhat wacky concept involving duct work, scissorlifts and a lot of special effects in photoshop. I like the version below where I ran around with a road flare. We used the image on the right of Michael Hammond as Prospero (apparently using the Force...) on a billboard with more success. The Tempest was a terrific show, and to this day stands as one of the finest shows mounted in the Founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre from a scenic and lighting perspective. It just had a great look.

The Tempest.

Left page: Michael Hammond as Prospero.

Right: Jason Van Over as Ferdinand and Lucia Brawley as Miranda. Left page: Dan McCleary as Stephano.

Other shows of 2001. Coriolanus returned to a mainstage production at the Founders. We used an image I had shot the previous year in rehearsal as the poster image. I particularly liked that one, as it really told the story of the play and was a feat of photographic prowess: shot handheld under a single small light at the end of a dress rehearsal when everyone really wanted to just go home. The image of Annette Miller in Collected Stories was shot in the Springlawn Mansion on the theatre property. She is looking out into the woods. I photoshopped in the New York street scene and the reflection of Christianna Nelson from the Twelfth Night shoot the previous year. The Compleat Works came back for a second successful year. Brilliant farce.

The Comedy of Errors played in the Stables at The Mount. We shot the â&#x20AC;&#x153;twinsâ&#x20AC;? theme in and around the new campus and the studio. I like the outtakes as much as the one we used.

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The Wharton One-Acts were performed at the Springlawn Mansion, an elegant gilded-age cottage that the company owned briefly as part of their new property. It mimicked the interior of The Mount â&#x20AC;&#x153;Salonâ&#x20AC;? theatre and filled a necessary creative niche. The Rembrandt, about a valuable painting that turns out to be fake, was the inspiration for this shoot. Sometimes it takes a bit of experimentation to get the right image: all of the photos on the opposite page were outtakes.

David Demke.

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The Summer Performance Institute put on a resounding production of King John, with an amazing fight sequence between actors Robert McDonald as Lewis the Dauphin and Kyle Terry as Hubert. Shortly after the play closed, Robert died in a fall while hiking. Although I never knew Robert beyond saying â&#x20AC;&#x153;helloâ&#x20AC;? to, I was happy to at least provide some solace to his friends and family by having created this photographic record of a young man in the prime of his life. King John image for the brochure.

Rebecka Jones as Constance and Robert McDonald as Lewis the Dauphin. Right page: Kyle Terry as Hubert and Robert McDonald as Lewis the Dauphin.

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Three new brochures for the Education and Training programs came out in 2001. We worked to create a fun, vibrant image of the programs and to give people an idea of the scope and depth of the experience.

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Fall

FFS’01

Fall Festival of Shakespeare

15-18 November

These the

500 performers 10 schools

are

y o u t h s th at

Th u n d er at a

PLAYING AT

The Fall Festival came to the Founder’s Theatre for the first time. Julius Caesar went on tour around the region. I made the poster opposite from the performance photographs as a souvenir for the actors who had taken the tour on the road. The image below was used on the publicity materials and guidebook. I like the menacing uplight on the conspirators.

The Founders’ Theatre 70 Kemble Street Lenox, MA

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playhouse

2001 spring tour

www.shakespeare.org

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By this time, the company was starting to realize the impact that all of these images were having on every department. I photographed the construction and opening of the new Founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre for the development office (multi-frame composite image of Coriolanus in rehearsal at right). We started a new trend of shooting creative publicity photos right in the middle of the season if we needed a stronger image to carry the story. This image was created for a new play called A Tanglewood Tale, about the relationship between Melville and Hawthorne.

Dan McCleary as Herman Melville and James Goodwin Rice as Nathaniel Hawthorne.

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2002

season

Anniversaries. Evolution. History. Everything changes, so much remains the same. The 2002 season had us digging into the archives to prepare a 25 year retrospective of the company. Looking ahead to the season, I tried to create a new aesthetic for the company. New theatres, no more evenings beneath the towering pines. Same magic?

Cover for the 25th Anniversary Program.

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Macbeth was the big ticket for the mainstage in 2002. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve never found it difficult to find the center of the play: itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Lady Macbeth and her murderous ambition. Macbeth himself is just a tool. This was the first time I illustrated Macbeth but not the last. Each time I find that the simplest, boldest approach is what comes to mind.

Dan McCleary and Carolyn Roberts.

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Above: Dan McCleary as Macbeth. Right page: Carolyn Roberts as Lady Macbeth.

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Allyn Burrows played the lead in Henry V. A veteran of the Company, Allyn always brought a courteous demeanor, great professionalism and his matinee-idol looks to the stage. I composited a shot I had of Allyn from a previous year’s production with a photo of Mexican soldiers I had taken on vacation. KING HENRY V We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne’er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition: And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accursed they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin’s day.

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This page: Allyn Burrows as King Henry V. Left page-top: L-R (clockwise): Johnny Lee Davenport as the Constable, Tony Simotes as Nym, Jason Asprey as Fluellen, and (front) Michael Toomey as Bardolph. Left page-bottom: Tony Simotes as Nym, Michael Toomey as Bardolph, and Jonathan Croy as Pistol.

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Two simple images for these plays, both built from images I had on hand from the previous season. I felt that the literal interpretation of the metaphor of the scarlet letter was a compelling idea.

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Ethan Flower.

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Jennie Israel as Hester Prynne and Jason Asprey as Rev. Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter.

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Ethan Flower as Odo Valsecca and Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Fulvia Vivaldi in The Valley of Decision.

Catherine Taylor-Williams as Dutchess Maria Clementina in The Valley of Decision.

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Susan Dibble is the Director of Dance and Movement at the Company. DibbleDance is her annual showcase of that work, usually presented one or two evenings as a special event. She co-opts everyone. My business associate Mary was recruited to dance in this year’s production and almost everyone in the company gets involved somehow. It’s always a tremendous creative expression on a blank canvas. Susan provided me with the images for the poster: a vintage photograph of her grandmother’s dance troupe and a Klimt print. A little smoke, fire and ash and it’s all set. In more recent years, DibbleDance has often fallen to the wayside as a victim of budgeting and an aggressive summer performance schedule. I still feel that it was a tremendous event that recharged everyone’s creative batteries just as they were reaching their lowest ebb.

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Right page: Sarah Hickler (above) and Grazia Della-Terza (below) in DibbleDance.

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Top: Susan Dibble in DibbleDance. Below: Ensemble in DibbleDance. Right page: Arthur Oliver in DibbleDance.

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Actress Annette Miller put on a wellreceived one-woman performance of Goldaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Balcony. During an interview with William Gibson, the playwright, I managed to make a rather nice portrait of him. This image was used extensively in 2009 when William passed away. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mysterious to contemplate the longevity and purpose of images that one creates.

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Another take on Macbeth. This image was used for the tour materials and then re-purposed as the packaging for the Teaching Macbeth CD/DVD kit which was developed by the Company and my studio with the assistance of an NEA grant.

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The Fall Festival followed the rest of the season with the new, stripped down look. A single image replaced the collage of past years. It corresponded with a leap in the profile of the Festival regionally and beyond. I began to really get invested in the amazing work that Kevin G. Coleman and his staff were doing in these local high schools.

Fall Festival of Shakespeare 21-24 November 2002

Hear my soul speak.

Chloe Paisley is pictured at right as Titania in Mt. Greylock High School’s production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I remember seeing the shot come together from the back of the house and I just knew it was going to be great, as long as I didn’t miss focus. I didn’t.

Shakespeare & Company

Founders’ Theatre 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, MA Call 413-637-1199 ext. 317 for reservations The Fall Festival of Shakespeare is made possible in part by the generous support of twelve Local Cutural Councils, nine western Massachusetts and New York high schools, and a coalition of individuals, families and businesses.

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In 2002 I started working frequently with actress Catherine Taylor-Williams. Catherine is not someone whom you can miss, both on stage and off. Her physical presence is always notable, and she has a wonderful Canadian directness. Catherine became my muse, both literally and figuratively. Her willingness to drop everything and model for me no matter what the circumstances made her invaluable. In 2007 I completed work on a 200 page graphic novel entitled Muse that was inspired in part by our working relationship and the images that we produced together.

Page spread from Muse.

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2003

season

During 2003 the circling vultures of 9/11 began to show themselves. The economic downturn and the tendency of people to put off any kind of travel had shrunk audiences throughout the region the prior year. With an austere budget we tackled the next season. This photo of Tony Simotes from the previous yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Henry V got picked as a cover. This year was one of the few where previous production shots came heavily into play for the marketing effort.

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We did have some fun during 2003. King Lear with Jonathan Epstein in the leading role was the major production that year. Dan wanted me to capture Lear in the famous “Howl” moment bearing his dead daughter in his arms. I was partially successful in what turned out to be a very tense, very technical exposure. Jonny had injured his knee and could only hold Actress Kristin Wold in his arms for a brief period. I only had a few minutes to light the exposure. But it worked. The image at right was one I worked up on spec before we knew Jonny had been cast. That’s Dennis Krausnick shouting during The Tempest.

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Kevin G. Coleman as The Fool.

142 Left: Jason Asprey as Edgar and John Douglas Thompson as Edmund.

Jonathan Epstein as King Lear.

Daniel Sherman as Albany, Ariel Bock as Goneril, and Jonathan Epstein as King Lear.

Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Regan and Johnny Lee Davenport as Gloucester.

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Sometimes a tiny budget is a good thing. The total outlay on this shoot was about $15 for two sets of wedding-toppers. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always felt that Hero gets the short end of the stick in Much Ado About Nothing, and I wanted to show a bride who had just HAD IT. On the poster the lower part got cropped, so you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t see that she is actually leaving the cake after stuffing the groom. I was pleased when the director Daniela Varon saw fit to mimic this in a bit of stage work during the play where Beatrice stuffs the plastic groom in anger.

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Mark Saturno as Claudio, Malcolm Ingram as Leonato, Jonathan Croy as The Prince and (foreground) Allyn Burrows as Benedick.

Stephanie Dodd as Hero.

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The Fly-Bottle was a contemporary play held in the Springlawn Theatre. I was particularly pleased with how this shot for the publicity worked out. Michael Hammond played an Oxford Don who gets into an argument with one of his peers (played by David Demke) and famously goes after him with a poker. This was a straight shot, no photoshop. I like the way his face is focused and distorted in the glasses.

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The rest of the 2003 season was fleshed out with images drawn from previous years and cobbled together. Kevin G. Coleman and Elizabeth Aspenlieder had revived Ethan Frome the previous fall for a short run, and there were some lovely new images from that, as well as some great moments from the one-acts.

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Catherine Taylor-Williams and Tod Randolph in Vita and Virginia.

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DibbleDance had a production in 2003. The image of the bed was the one that we settled on. I like the winged horse as well. The piece was titled: The Fools’ and Lovers’ Dream Dances.

Just about my favorite performance photo of all time, so far. This was the closing montage of DibbleDance and there was this exquisite moment when everything came together. This photo still helps me understand what is great and special about the Company to this day. It’s so full of joy, and friendship. 154

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The Spring Tour for 2003 was to be A Midsummer Nightâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dream. This image was built from available resources so the marketing for the tour could get started. I had images of Lucia, the model, from a previous shoot for a jewelry client. And since my success with lilies I thought I would try again. Mary figured out the typography and had me create the extension of the flower that flows into the dream. The photo on this page is from the Tour itself. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mark Woollett as Bottom, and Sarah Taylor as Titania.

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2004

season

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I got my stride back in 2004. Sometimes it just takes a couple of happy coincidences. The theme of “Mad Love” had a nice open brief to it, and I had this wonderful photo of Sarah Taylor from the A Midsummer Night’s Dream tour the year before that just fell into place with this flower I had in my archive. I love that her expression is fully her own; an actress caught in mid-flight. Beautiful.

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As You Like It kicked off the mainstage. Catherine and I had gotten together in the dead of winter to work on the image for this production. Catherine was hoping to play Rosalind, and with her androgynous looks she would have been a good fit for the part. In any case, it was not to be, but in the process we put together a couple of images which are among my finest work. This version was a marketing compromise. The other versions were â&#x20AC;&#x153;too darkâ&#x20AC;?. Turn the page and decide for yourself. As You Like It is one of the fantastical plays within Shakespeareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Canon: the magical forest of Arden is a kind of alternate dimension where the normal rules are suspended for a time. I had in mind the idea of a woman literally consumed by the forest, and by language.

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A sketchy idea I had worked up for As You Like It playing off of the phrase â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tongues in trees, books in the babbling brooksâ&#x20AC;?. The image with Catherine in it was much more compelling.

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Kevin G. Coleman as Touchstone.

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Left: Sarah Rafferty as Rosalind, Kevin G. Coleman as Touchstone.

Susannah Millonzi as Phebe, Dan McCleary as Silvius. Left page: Susannah Millonzi as Phebe.

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The Comedy of Errors was the other Shakespeare title of 2004. The poster image was drawn from a production still of Jonathan Epstein from 2003â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Much Ado About Nothing, with a little photoshop thrown in to play on the twins that figure in the play. I particularly liked the costumes, colors and inventive props and staging of this production, and Elizabeth Aspenlieder was terrific in her role.

Right page- top: Anne Gottlieb as Luciana, Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Adriana, Dave Demke as Pinch. Right page- bottom: Anne Gottlieb as Luciana, Zachary Green as the Jailor, Dave Demke as Pinch, Louise Rosager as the Courtesan, Nevin Kumar as a Townsperson, George Hannah as Antipholus of Ephesus.

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Top: Tony Molina as Dromio of Syracuse, Michael Milligan as Antipholus of Syracuse. Left: Anne Gottlieb as Luciana, Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Adriana, Michael Milligan as Antipholus of Syracuse, Tony Molina as Dromio of Syracuse.

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Louise Rosager as the Courtesan.

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This image for the Spring Tour of Romeo and Juliet was nothing ground-breaking, but I liked the way it came out and it was appropriate for the high-school age audiences we were working to attract. The version with the flame was just a concept. The poster ran 1-color to save costs, so black and white it had to be.

Romeo and Juliet

Spring Tour 2004

by William Shakespeare

www.shakespeare.org The Education Program gratefully acknowledges the support of the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the GE Foundation, the Massachusetts Cultural Council, and a coalition of local foundations, cultural councils, individuals, schools, and businesses.

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2005 Season

Faith Mounts Up

Tina Packer, Artistic Director Mark W. Jones, Executive Director

2005

season

In 2005 a fresh perspective was the order of the day. Dan McCleary left the company to pursue his career and for the period of time when I was pulling the images and the season brochure together in early winter I was without a Marketing Director. This state of relative creative freedom resulted in some of my best work for the company. Elizabeth Aspenlieder provided the coordination and oversight from the company perspective, and we crafted a great looking season together. The season image shown here is Lydia Barnett-Mulligan bravely bareback and side saddle. We actually shot this with her on a different horse, but I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like the way he looked so I swapped horses out from under her.

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King John was the serious play of the year. Allyn Burrows was cast in the role, which really helped when we got together to build the image for the play. I wanted to show the increasing insanity of the character without losing too much of Allynâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s marquee appeal. In the end I liked the way that the fire corrodes him, and the strange effect in his eye hinting at his descent.

Allyn Burrows, Barbara Sims.

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King John also rendered up some striking visuals in the performance photography. The costumes and lighting for this production, and for The Taming of the Shrew, were outstanding

Above: Allyn Burrows as King John. Right page: Peter Macon as Philip, the Bastard.

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Above: Barbara Sims as Constance, and Susannah Millonzi as her son, Prince Arthur. Right page: Walton Wilson as King Philip and Barbara Sims as Constance.

L-R: Dave Demke as the Earl of Salisbury, Bill Barclay as Count Melun of France, and Jonathan Croy as the Earl of Pembroke.

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What’s a modern man supposed to do with The Taming of the Shrew? This was the second time I had illustrated this play and I struggled with the problem of wanting to represent Kate in a positive, sexy light without losing track of the actual gist of the play, namely, a husband coercing his wife into submission to his will. Sarah Taylor came in to fill the role for the shoot. It was a case in point of photography being a creative process. After about a dozen different setups in the studio, the final image of her being “reined-in” by her corset strings suddenly came together. I’ve really liked the way that this image addressed both faces of the play: the fun war of the sexes and the politically-incorrect issue of subjugation and control. That’s an outtake on the right that I have always liked. The blank space lower left was where the brochure text would have gone.

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Robert Serrell, Sarah Taylor and Elizabeth Aspenlieder helping me figure it out during the shoot.

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Rocco Sisto as Petruchio and Celia Madeoy as Katherina.

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The Banquet: L-R: Jonathan Croy as Baptista Minola, Robert Biggs as Gremio, Celia Madeoy as Katherina, Rocco Sisto as Petruchio, Stephanie Dodd as Bianca, Matthew Stucky as Lucentio, Barbara Sims as the Widow, Kenajuan Bentley as Hortensio, and Dave Demke as Vincentio of Pisa. Right page: Celia Madeoy as Katherina and Rocco Sisto as Petruchio.

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Based on her input, we had a short portrait session with Kristin. I developed the image on the right, which I really like, as it encompasses the intimate, spiritual connection that Kristin’s character has with nature. The final image that ran in the brochure is on this page. I don’t recall who actually chimed in on this one, but again the forces of commerce came into play, and we lightened up the mood and added a bear.

Spring Lawn Theatre June 3 – September 4

regional premiere

Kristin Wold

Local Playwright Joan Ackermann created Ice Glen for the Company and for actress Kristin Wold. It was the only time so far in my career when I had the chance to speak with the writer about what she had in her mind as an image for the play.

Ice Glen

a Berkshire romantic comedy

by Joan Ackermann directed by Tina Packer Writing specifically for Shakespeare & Company, local playwright Joan Ackermann (Off the Map, The Batting Cage) sets her new romance at the end of the Gilded Age in a decaying, elegant Berkshire manse now for sale. Among the quirky family of servants soon to be “Do you think life in evicted is Sarah Harding, a gifted the country nurtures and unknown poet enthralled with a nobility of spirit, a Stonegate’s rolling countryside purity of thought?” and wildlife. When neighbor Edith Wharton passes Sarah’s poems on to a Boston publishing firm, editor Peter Woodburn comes calling. Though initially shocked at her refusal to have her words read by the public, Woodburn discovers a heart in her poetry, and in the Berkshires, that beats outside the commercial world – in its own creative home. FEATURING Elizabeth Aspenlieder, Michael Hammond, 8

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Dennis Krausnick, Gillian Seidl, Kristin Wold

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We often do pre-production photo sessions with the actors in rehearsal or as set-up shots for advance publicity. The photo on the left was shot during one of those sessions and I particularly like the way it came out.

Kristin Wold as Sarah Harding, and Brian Weaver as Denby.

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Spring Lawn Theatre June 25 – September 4 served with refreshments

Corinna May

For the Wharton One-Acts we had actress Corinna May in this great dress that Govane Lohbauer from the Costume Department put together. A simple image but it really matched the mood of the productions and the experience of the Springlawn Theatre.

The Wharton One-Acts:

The Mission of Jane and

The Promise

adapted from Edith Wharton by Dennis Krausnick In Wharton’s 1904 comedy of manners, The Mission of Jane, Lethbury, a childless New York husband, basks in the beige blandness of his marital bliss. While he is at ease with his serenity, his wife’s disquiet grows. When she suggests to her acquiescing husband that they adopt a baby, little did they expect the most unusual prodigy named Jane they would raise. And only in hindsight, many years later at Jane’s intended nuptial moment, do they learn what must have always been her Mission. In The Promise, adapted from Les Metteurs en Scene, a resourceful American woman, in partnership (and in love) with a penniless French aristocrat, arranges marriages between wealthy American girls and the titled families of Europe – until that fateful day when they step too far into the lives of the matches. FEATURING Jason Asprey and Corinna May 10

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Corinna May and Jason Asprey.

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2005 photo by Kevin Sprague

DibbleDance mounted a take on The House of Mirth in SpringLawn for 2005. Susan Dibble and Michael Hammond indulged me with this ladder from the prop shop for an afternoon shoot in-season so we could have a fun image to promote the performance. I call the one on the poster “Social Climbing”.

DibbleDance

TEA AND FLOWERS/PURITY AND GRACE

choreographed by Susan Dibble www.shakespeare.org 413-637-3353 Spring Lawn Theatre August 13, 14 at 10:30

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With passion would I shake the world!

Fall Festival continued to grow in stature and prominence over the years. In 2005 we started making a real effort to photograph every production the kids did at the Foundersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;. Some terrific images came out of that effort.

-King John

17th Annual

Fall Festival of Shakespeare Founders' Theatre November 17-20 2005

The Fall Festival of Shakespeare is made possible in part by the generous support of eleven Local Cultural Councils, the participating western Massachusetts and New York high schools, and a coalition of individuals, families and businesses.

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www.shakespeare.org 413-637-1199 ext.316

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Fall Festival 2005.

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2006

season

As we embarked on putting together the 2006 season, the long search for Danâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s replacement was made. Mike Clary, the new Director of Marketing arrived in time to bring his stamp on the design of the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;06 brochure. The marquee performance for the year was Hamlet, with Tina Packer playing Gertrude and her son Jason Asprey in the role of Hamlet. Elizabeth and I had coordinated an early shoot with Jason which gave us the raw materials for the season image. My favorite memory of this shoot was Elizabeth using a spray bottle on Jason to make him look sweaty. She had filled the bottle with cold water and every time she squirted him he would curse at her. It really helped him get into character.

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The Hamlet image is a good one for looking at how these composite images are made in photoshop. On this page, to the right, is a look at the â&#x20AC;&#x153;layersâ&#x20AC;? palette in photoshop. On the opposite page are the 3 basic images used in the build, and the result. The layers shows the stack of images in the document, starting from the bottom with the original studio photo of Jason, and 2 duplicates created to enhance contrast and color. The yellow/ brown image is actually a photo of a printing plate, complete with the text embossed into the copper and swirls of dried ink. The top 3 layers are overlapping images of a beaker with some red food coloring added. By controlling the amount of transparency and masking out areas that I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to show (the black and white rectangles to the right of the image thumbnails are the layer masks) I can manipulate and combine these elements to create the final effect.

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Jason Asprey as Hamlet.

Left page: Elizabeth Raetz as Ophelia.

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My contention since I began working with theatres and their marketing needs has always been that good images sell tickets, and great images sell a lot of tickets. A major review for Hamlet in The New York Times was literal proof of that. The show was basically sold out after the review (and the photos) ran.

Jason Asprey as Hamlet.

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For $15, Admission to the Met. For 50 Cents, a Real Museum Experience. By RANDY KENNEDY The first clerk had clearly heard it all, so many times before: the cheapskate’s whisper, the tone of moral calculus and finally the question, delivered with a sheepish grin: “What do I really have to pay?” Veteran visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art usually weigh the decision silently, even guiltily, as they stand before the cash register that serves as portal to one of the

MUSIC REVIEW

world’s greatest art collections. Tourists rarely think to ask, and just fork it over. But on Thursday, the day after word went around that the Met had decided to raise its suggested admission price to $20 — the same lofty figure that has earned the Museum of Modern Art its share of municipal scorn (at the Modern, it is mandatory, not just suggested) — The New York Times dispatched a reporter with a pocket full of quarters to conduct a small, slightly mischievous so-

CMYK

ciological experiment. He went up to five different cash-

iers, asked the question, humbly See that scowl on the ID NAME: Nxxx,2006-07-15,B,007,Bs-4C,E1 proffered 50 cents and waited to measure the levels of scorn that would pour down upon his head. In truth, there was not much noticeable scorn. There was, instead, that brand of aggressive disregard particular to New York that is sometimes much more effective in evoking shame and extracting money. The first clerk who was approached, a large man with a goatee, never

cashier’s face? That’s a suggestion. even looked up from his screen when asked. “It’s just suggested,” he mumbled. “What if I only have 50 cents?” he was asked.

“Uh-huh,” he answered, staring did not announce it the way it often momentarily at the two coins does such changes, by issuing a news YELOhis MAG CYANbefore BLK 7 15 25 50 75 85 93 97 plunked into palm ringing 3 release. Instead, it sort of slipped the up $15 on the cash register, punching news under the door, sending an in a 50-cent subtraction and sliding e-mail message at 3 p.m. on Wednesover a green metal admission button day to editors who supervise arts with the detachment of a Vegas deal- listings at news organizations. The Met argued that the change N B7 er parting with a dollar chip. If he had been trained in a psy-ops camp wasn’t really big news — it is just a in the most effective ways of wound- suggested price, after all, intended to aning a conscience, he could have done help the museum make up for anSATURDAY, JULY 15, 2006 nual operating deficit that has averno better. When the Met decided to raise the aged $3 million in recent years. And admission price, effective Aug. 1, it Continued on Page 12

For $15, Admission to the Met. For 50 Cents, a Real Museum Experience. THEATER REVIEW

TV’s Idols Sing Live: Some More, Some Less

By RANDY KENNEDY

The first clerk had clearly heard it all, so many times before: the cheapskate’s whisper, the tone of moral calculus and finally the question, delivered with a sheepish grin: “What do I really have to pay?” Veteran visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art usually weigh the decision silently, even guiltily, as they stand before the cash register that serves as portal to one of the By KELEFA SANNEH

ciological experiment. He went up to five different cashiers, asked the question, humbly proffered 50 cents and waited to measure the levels of scorn that would pour down upon his head. In truth, there was not much noticeable scorn. There was, instead, that brand of aggressive disregard particular to New York that is sometimes much more effective in evoking shame and extracting money. The first clerk who was approached, a large man with a goatee, never

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., July 13 — Usually these “Idols Live” conREVIEW certs are pretty predictable.MUSIC You get one “American Idol” winner and a whole bunch of, um, nonwinners, singing well-known songs without, to say the least, improving upon them; you get preteenagers and their minders, screaming contentedly. But Thursday’s concert at Continental Airlines Arena, starring finalists from the 2006 season, was something else altogether. Two of the singers found effective ways to make an impression: one wasn’t, it seemed, all there; the other wasn’t there at all. Let’s start with Taylor Hicks, the 2006 winner. His partisans showed up in T-shirts that advertised his gang, By KELEFA SANNEH

Excitable Dane, Not in the Mood To Sit and Brood

See that scowl on the cashier’s face? That’s a suggestion.

even looked up from his screen when asked. “It’s just suggested,” he mumbled. “What if I only have 50 cents?” he was asked.

“Uh-huh,” he answered, staring momentarily at the two coins plunked into his palm before ringing up $15 on the cash register, punching in a 50-cent subtraction and sliding over a green metal admission button with the detachment of a Vegas dealer parting with a dollar chip. If he had been trained in a psy-ops camp in the most effective ways of wounding a conscience, he could have done no better. When the Met decided to raise the admission price, effective Aug. 1, it

did not announce it the way it often does such changes, by issuing a news release. Instead, it sort of slipped the news under the door, sending an e-mail message at 3 p.m. on Wednesday to editors who supervise arts listings at news organizations. The Met argued that the change wasn’t really big news — it is just a suggested price, after all, intended to help the museum make up for an annual operating deficit that has averaged $3 million in recent years. And Continued on Page 12

THEATER REVIEW

Excitable Dane, Not in the Mood To Sit and Brood

TV’s Idols Sing Live: Some More, Some Less

Tina Packer, artistic director of Shakespeare & Company, as Gertrude, and Nigel Gore as Claudius. By BEN BRANTLEY

LENOX, Mass., July 12 — So is he or isn’t he — mad, that is? In Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” that’s what everybody asks everybody else about its title character, and scholars and theatergoers have continued to pose the question for more than 400 years. But for the EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., July folks at Shakespeare & Company, the invaluable and in13 — Usually these “Idols Live” conContinental Airlines Arena certs are pretty predictable. You get defatigable 28-year-old troupe that prides itself on clarity in interpreting the canon, the answer is obvious: Of one “American Idol” winner and a course, Hamlet is mad — but mad as a hornet, not as a whole to bunch of, um, nonwinners, the Soul Patrol. (You’ll be relieved singingof well-known songs without, to hatter. hear that despite the presence saynothereleast, improving upon them; Really, wouldn’t you be seriously ticked off if you these hooligans, there were get preteenagers and their minddiscovered, at a young and impressionable age, that the ports of violence.) But theiryou fearless ers, screaming contentedly. world you had grown up leader didn’t seem fit for command. But Thursday’s concert at Contiin so comfortably was Mr. Hicks, a 29-year-old white guy nental Airlines Arena, starring firiddled with artistic the vilest Tina Packer, director of Shakespeare & with graying hair, is dedicated to an nalists from the 2006 season, was corruption? That no one Company, as Gertrude, and Nigel Gore as Claudius. oddly old-fashioned version of soul something else altogether. Two of Shakespeare & Company can be trusted, including music; he often adds a few grunts the singers found effective ways to your mom (that slut), and exclamations to prove he’s feelmake an impression: one wasn’t, it your girlfriend (that traitor), your school chums (those ing it. But on Thursday, he offered alBy BEN BRANTLEY seemed, all there; the other wasn’t bootlickers) and, most of all, your bossy stepfather most nothing but grunts and exclathere at all. (that corporate fascist pig murderer), who presumes to mations. Let’s start with Taylor Hicks, the tell you how to live your life. LENOX, Mass., July 12 — So is he or isn’t he — One chestnut after another — 2006 winner. His partisans showed up Why not get back at themad, wholethat rotten them by is?lot InofShakespeare’s “Hamlet” that’s what “Sweet Soul Music,” “Jailhouse in T-shirts that advertised his gang, pretending to be crazy? Then you can asks give your anger else about its title characeverybody everybody Rock,” “Don’t Let Me Down” — met full, showy rein, and everyone youand because ter,will andindulge scholars theatergoers have continued to the same gruesome fate. He reyou’re sick. pose the question for more than 400 years. But for the phrased some songs, delivering the Such disgruntled thoughts familiar to & pretty folks — at Shakespeare Company, the invaluable and inlyrics in gulps, and often made the much everyone who has ever been a teenager — would defatigable 28-year-old troupe that prides itself on clarwords nearly unintelligible.Continental The re- Airlines Arena appear to be what motivates Hamlet of a the smolderitythe in interpreting canon, the answer is obvious: Of sponse from the Patrollers was, by ing, charismatic and largelycourse, unknown actorisnamed Hamlet mad —Jabut mad as a hornet, not as a the evening’s standards, themuted. Soul Patrol. (You’ll be relieved to son Asprey (whose mother, hatter. Tina Packer, is the artistic (That is, less than ear-splitting.) hear that despite the presence of director of Shakespeare & Company andwouldn’t — gulp! — this And, feeling doubly patriotic Really, you be seriously ticked off if you theseperhooligans, there were no reproduction’s Gertrude). His rancor propels Eleanor haps, he dedicated a wobbly “Do discovered, at a young and impressionable age, that the ports of Iviolence.) But their fearless 7 15 25 50 75 85 93 97 Holdridge’s enjoyably3 revved-up, pared-down version world you had grown up Make You Proud” to “all our troops Photographs by Kevin Sprague leader didn’t seem fit for command. in so comfortably was whiteasguy Continued on Page 12 Mr. Hicks, a 29-year-old Jason Asprey Hamlet. Mr. Asprey’s mother, Tina Packer, plays Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. Continued on Page 12 riddled with the vilest with graying hair, is dedicated to an corruption? That no one oddly old-fashioned version of soul Shakespeare & Company can be trusted, including music; he often adds a few grunts B12 N THE NEW YORK TIMES, SATURDAY, JULY 15, 2006 your mom (that slut), and exclamations to prove he’s feelyour girlfriend (that traitor), your school chums (those ing it. But on Thursday, he offered albootlickers) and, most of all, your bossy stepfather most nothing but grunts and excla(that corporate fascist pig murderer), who presumes to mations. REVIEW THEATER tell you how to live your life. One chestnut afterof the another — for “Face country artists may be in the offing, formed with a friend. country stations four years ago. As part promotion Why not get back at the whole rotten lot of them by By JEFF LEEDS “Sweet Soul Those efforts represent only the the Music,” Promise,”“Jailhouse Mr. Seger’s first al- too. Steven Tyler, the lead singer of pretending to be crazy? Then you can give your anger Rock,” “Don’t Let Me Down” — met latest moves to blur the lines bebum of new material in 11 years, his Mr. Seger’s return comes as a new Aerosmith, lent his trademark wail full, showy rein, and everyone will indulge you because the same gruesome fate. He relongtime label, Capitol Records, is crop of artists better known for their to a new single by the country singer tween pop, rock and country: 40 LOS ANGELES, July 14 phrased — Givensome you’re sick. songs, delivering the shipping his first new single, “Wait rock or pop hits are crossing into Keith Anderson, aptly titled “Three years ago, Ray Charles reimagined that the rock legend Bob Seger Such disgruntled thoughts — familiar to pretty lyricsfirst in gulps, and often made the for Me,” to country radio, in addition country territory. Earlier this year, Chord Country and American Rock Hank Williams and Eddy Arnold in Continued First Arts The Page bemoaned the eclipse of “old time much everyone who has ever been a teenager — would words nearlyFrom unintelligible. reto stations that play classic rock and Bon Jovi scored a No. 1 hit on the ’n’ Roll.” And Mark Knopfler of Dire recording his trailblazing album rock ’n’ roll” in 1978, one sponse can only appear to be what motivates theShakespeare; Hamlet of directed a smolderfrom the Patrollers was, by By William by Eleanor adult-contemporary formats. There country chart with “Who Says You Straits, who had recorded albums “Modern Sounds in Country and imagine how he feels now. Rock of most famous of Englishmuted. trageing, charismatic and largely unknown actor named Ja- by thethemuevening’s standards, Holdridge; sets by Edward Check; lighting are also to pair Mr. Seger with Can’t Go Home,” a song performed with Chet Atkins, is back on the coun- Western Music.” sic remains a popular radio genre, dies, which runs atplans the Founders’ Les Dickert; costumes is by the Jessica Ford; proson Asprey (whose mother, Tina Packer, artistic (That is, less than ear-splitting.) But the transformation of the ratry charts thanks to a collaboration an established country artist on with Jennifer Nettles of the hot counduction stage manager, Molly but part of its audience has been Theater through Aug. 27. director of Shakespeare & Company and — gulp!Elizabeth — this McAnd, feeling doubly patriotic perdio landscape in recent years seems Carter; music and sound by Scott Killian; with Emmylou Harris. “Crossroads,” the odd-couple pertry act Sugarland. Michelle Branch, drifting away. So where is haps, aDon’t resurput off by aMs. Holdridge’s production’s Gertrude).fight His rancor propels hebededicated wobbly “Do I to encourage crossovers once more. choreographer, Kevin G.Eleanor Coleman; asformance series on Country Music who broke onto the pop charts as a Many trace the most recent crossgent rock star, known for explanation hits like in thetoprogram notes Holdridge’s enjoyably Cybelle revved-up, version Make You Proud” “all our troops sistantCodish directorpared-down and fight captain, Stephen In particular, the country format Photographs by Kevinhas Sprague Television, and in other “Hollywood Nights” andthat “Night her production is centered “in nationally teenage singer-songwriter, showed over fervor to the unexpected suc- displayed relative resilience as other For his new album, Bob James Anderson. Presented by Shakespeare Seger Continued on Page 12 Jason Asprey as Hamlet. Mr. Asprey’s mother, Tina Packer, plays Gertrude, Hamlet’s mother. Continued on Page 12Packer, artistic director, televised & Company, Tina Moves,” to turn? To country themusic electrical synapseperformances. impulses of And an al- up on country radio with the debut of cess of “Picture,” a song performed hopes to reach fans of country. and Mark W. Jones, executive director. At the bumbrain.” of Seger covers performed by the Wreckers, the rootsy duo she by Kid Rock with Sheryl Crow, on Continued on Page 12 fans. Hamlet’s dying Fortunately, Founders’ Theater, 70 Kemble Street, Lenox, this show is focused more on high Mass.; (413) 637-3353. Through Aug. 27. Rundudgeon than on high concept. And ning time: 3 hours. those electrical zapping noises and WITH: Jason Asprey (Hamlet), Nigel Gore (Claudius), Tina Packer (Gertrude), Dennis flashes of light that are supposed to CRITIC’S NOTEBOOK Krausnick (Polonius/Priest), Kevin O’Donindicate neurons run amok can just nell (Laertes), Howard W. Overshown (Horaas easily be interpreted as natural tio), Elizabeth Raetz (Ophelia), John Windcountry stations four years ago. As part of the promotion for “Face country artists may be in the offing, formed with a friend. extensionsByofJEFF one young LEEDSman’s ex- the Promise,” Mr. Seger’s first al- too. Those efforts represent only the sor-Cunningham (Ghost/Player King/GraveSteven Tyler, the lead singer of digger), Tom Wells (Rosencrantz/Soldier), treme combustibility. Besides, such bum of new material in 11 years, his Mr. Seger’s return comes as a new Aerosmith, lent his trademark wail latest moves to blur the lines be- Kenajuan Bentley (Guildenstern/Osric) and special effects help keep an audience tween pop, rock and country: 40 better known for their to a new single by the country singer Stephen James Anderson (Fortinbras). LOS ANGELES, July 14 — Given longtime label, Capitol Records, is crop of artists That alert. situation provides merely the onate not only with lesbians, or Chi- ulous!” begins to embody tensions at shipping his firstBy new single, “Wait rock or pop hits are crossing into Keith Anderson, aptly titled “Three years ago, Ray Charles reimagined that rockmuch legendspectacle Bob Segeris first GINIA BELLAFANTE Notthethat rebase line of emotional difficulty be- nese-Americans, or Chinese-Amerithe heart of a fascinating debate its for Me,” to country radio, in addition country territory. Earlier this year, Chord Country and American Rock Hank Williams and Eddy Arnold in bemoaned the eclipse of “oldthe time anyone his cause, while the surgeon is dealing can lesbians, but also withrecording quired (or used) to command atproducers either fail to acknowledge trailblazing album registers like a kick in the stomach. to stations that play classic rock and Bon Jovi scored ’n’ is Roll.” And Mark Knopfler of Dire a No. 1 relationship, hit on the she rock ’n’here. roll”Asinis1978, onealways can only who has experienced the ecstatic inwith her new also tention almost the or refuse to engage. The dismissal “Modern Sounds in Country and Two years ago aThere young filmmaker Reducing “Hamlet’ to a cast of 11 Straits, whostability had recorded albums formats. country chart with “Who Says You imagine he feels now. Rock mu- adult-contemporary of romantic inclination. confronting the sudden arrival of her case withhow productions from Shakehas a strange, disorienting effect, Western Music.” named Alice wrote directed (and a three-hour playing time) has withbeen Chet Atkins, is back on the counto pair Mr. Wu Seger withandCan’t Go Home,” a song performed sic remains a popular radio genre, are also plans widowed mother, who has “Hearts don’t break harder or leaving the movie to rafeel the way atextual compression and reButsoftthe transformation of the a movie called artist “SavingonFace,” which required try house charts thanks to on a collaboration country with Jennifer Nettles ofof the hot counbut part of its audience has been an established thrown out her own parents’ er based your demographic,” Ms. documentary about the novels of dio landscape in recent years seems in the of its interest arrangement that may offend purEmmylou thespecificity odd-couple pertryexemact Sugarland. Michelle Branch, in with drifting away. So where is a resur- “Crossroads,” in Queens for engaging an affair WuHarris. declares, ingenuously toenough. encourageJane crossovers more. Austen once might, if itists. blithely The play now begins with a sort plifieson just how broad the bounds of onto Country Music who broke the pop charts as a Many trace the most recent crossgent rock star, known for hits like formance series that has left her pregnant at midlife. “It’s the same emotion, and think Codish InIparticular, the country format has of montage be- of famous lines Cybelle (presumgay in cinema now reach. teenage “Saving singer-songwriter, other nationally over fervor to thewhat unexpected suc- to feel,” she chose to overlook any connection “Hollywood Nights” and “Night Television, and I want people As she suggestsshowed in an interview in that’s displayed relative resilience as othersingle tween an 18th-century womFor his new album, Bob Seger ably echoing in the dying Hamlet’s Face” is about a Chinese-American radio withThe the Story debut of of Queer cessCineof “Picture,” a song Moves,” to turn? To country music televised performances. And an al- up on country says. “It’s justperformed love.” “Fabulous! an’s interest head), the fans first ghost scene and hopes skips to reach of country. lesbian plastic surgeon. nar- ma,”the the Wreckers, rootsy duo she by its Kidde-Rock Her withclaim Sheryl Crow, on no matter bum of Seger covers performed by More Continued on Pagein12a fulfilling marriage fans. a documentary making — love is love, and her fascination with large pieces eliminates all but one of the traveling rowly, though, it is about a Chinese- but tomorrow night on the Independ- the particular affinities of the parcompany of players. (This means American lesbian plastic surgeon ent Film Channel, Ms. Wu set out to ticipants — amounts to a lightning of property. thatmoveHamlet recruits Gertrude and Larry Riley/Sony Pictures Classics The history of the gay rights living in Manhattan who falls in love tell a simple story about the amorous rod in the context of gay culture, and Claudius to play the roles of the A scene from Alice Wu’s film “Saving Face,” about a lesbian relationship. with her boss’s daughter. Continued on Page 14 condition, one she hoped would res- once it is axiomatically made, “Fabtreacherous wife and brother of GonCRITIC’S NOTEBOOK speare & Company, the first priority zago — a logic-defying device that alis to tell a cracking good story and to most works.) “speak the speech” so clearly and More distracting are the hipster • • comprehendingly that even theatercostumes (by Jessica Ford) , which goers new to Shakespeare grasp the suggest that the court of Elsinore plot and characters (and forgive That situation provides merely the onate not only with lesbians, or Chi- routinely ulous!” begins embody tensions at trawlstothe Top Shop stores some less-than-subtle performances By GINIA BELLAFANTE base line of emotional difficulty be- nese-Americans, or Chinese-Ameri- for Galliano knockoffs. the Gaultier heart of and a fascinating debate its along the way). That style has been cause, while the surgeon is dealing can lesbians, but also with anyone And while Kevin fired-up producers eitherO’Donnell’s fail to acknowledge Ms. Packer’s hallmark since she eswho has experienced the ecstatic inwith her new relationship, she is also Laertes is a perfect dimmer mirror or refuse to engage. The dismissal Two years ago a young filmmaker tablished the company in 1977. And to Ms. Raetz’s hasMr.a Asprey’s strange, Hamlet, disorienting effect, named Alice Wu wrote and directed confronting the sudden arrival of her stability of romantic inclination. the approach shows no signs of losing Kevin Sprague widowed mother, who has been “Hearts don’t break harder or soft- Ophelia is too spunky andthe spiky leaving the movie to feel waytoa movie called its entertaining crackle. Elizabeth Raetz as Ophelia, and Kevina O’Donnell as“Saving Laertes,Face,” in thewhich Shakespeare Company production of “Hamlet” in Lenox, thrown&out of her own parents’ house er based on yourMass. demographic,” Ms. morph believably suicidal documentary aboutinto the anovels of in the specificity of its interest exemIt is surprising, perhaps, that Ms. in Queens for engaging in an affair Wu declares, ingenuously enough. flower child. Jane Austen might, if it blithely plifies just how broad the bounds of that has left her pregnant at midlife. Packer, the foremost implementer “It’s the same emotion, and I think The to climactic sword husband, played cellent John Windsor-Cuningham as philosopher prince, whose resolution chose overlookcatastrophic any connection begay cinema now Claudius, reach. “Saving as well as principal teacher of this Polonius. How’s that for a family out- ill-gotten that’s what Io’er want people to feel,” As shepère’s suggests inthe an Player interview in is G. Coleman didwomthe ghost, King compellingly by aNigel Gore as a sort Hamlet “sicklied with the pale castshe of fight tween (Kevin an 18th-century single Face” is about Chinese-American style, should have handed over the ing, Dr. Freud? says. “It’sHe justdoes love.” “Fabulous! The Storyworks of Queer Cine- thought.” truly marriage exciting, the Gravedigger splendidbureaucratic variation More on onenarof and the famous solilo- choreography) As it turns out, Oedipal undercur- of an’s interest in aisfulfilling direction of her company’s first lesbian plastic surgeon. ma,” a documentary making itsand de- quies Her with claima—throwaway love is love,grace no matter further allowing Mr. Asprey to underscoring Hamlet’s loving dapper Kray ly, that while and her fascination with large pieces main-stage production of “Hamlet” rents are, if anything, less fierce than the rowly, though,gangsters it is about the a Chinesebut tomorrow night on the Independ- the particular affinities of the par- define his Hamlet through action. obsession with a father he makes them less than a main event. of property. to someone else. But the bonuses, at usual in this “Hamlet.” Ms. Packer Brothers. American lesbian plastic surgeon fearful ent Film Channel, Ms. Wu set out to ticipants — amounts to a lightning Never mind that the prince is best worries he could never have satisBut in antic action, showing his exasLarry Riley/Sony Pictures Classics as a high-spirited, The play’s dominant relationship The history of the gay rights least in publicity value, of her switch- portrays Gertrude living in Manhattan who falls in love tell a simple story about the amorous rod in the context of gay culture, and known as a man of inaction.moveWho fied. peration with the world in genuinely woman who would just as shifts unconditionally to that of Ham- condition, one she hoped would res- once it is axiomatically made, “Fabing to thefrom roleAlice of actress have“Saving been practical A scene Wu’s film Face,” about a lesbian relationship. with her boss’s daughter. on PageHamlet 14 wants a Continued mopey, sniveling on This Hamlet is never more intrigu- madcap style, he is terrific fun to a close summer night? Mr. Asprey’s great. For not only is Ms. Packer soon be pleasant as not but can push let and his dead father, whose image playing Hamlet’s mother to her son’s the power-queen buttons when inspires more tender and guilty feel- ingly thoughtful than when surprised watch. And his disgust at the betray- Dane, more choleric than melanHamlet, but her husband (and Mr. crossed. She worries about her way- ings in the prince than any skirt can, by his father’s living memory. Other- als of his peers, including Ophelia choly, feels just right for the season Asprey’s stepfather), Dennis Kraus- ward son, of course, but her main fo- including the fair Ophelia (Elizabeth wise, Mr. Asprey’s Hamlet is too im- and Rosencrantz (Tom • • Wells) and of adventure movies and page-turnick, also shows up as the pompous cus is running the kingdom with her Raetz). The triple casting of the ex- patient to convince as a vacillating Guildenstern (Kenajuan Bentley), ners.

American Idols Live

Hamlet

American Idols Live

ID NAME: Nxxx,2006-07-15,B,012,Bs-BW,E1

Hamlet

Bob Seger’s Latest Road Heads Straight On Through to Country

Excitable Dane, Not in the Mood to Sit and Brood (Cut to the Sword Fight) Hamlet

Bob Seger’s Latest Road Heads Straight On Through to Country The Cinema of Boy Meets Boy and Girl Meets Girl

Zaps and flashes to indicate Hamlet’s neurons run amok.

The Cinema of Boy Meets Boy and Girl Meets Girl

CURATOR GROUP CRITICIZES BROOKLYN MUSEUM’S PLAN PAGE 9 DAVID LEE ROTH CONCERT IN TIMES SQUARE PAGE 14 ‘SECRETS OF REVELATION’ PAGE 15

Entry to the Met for $15, An Experience for 50 Cents Continued From First Arts Page it pointed out that many other big museums in the country not only

But the museum does not make it easy to figure out that there is a choice. A lighted sign next to the suggested admission price announces: “Free Admission if You Become a Member Today!” (An annual mem-

MUSIC REVIEW

TV’s Idols Sing Live: Some More,

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The image for The Merry Wives of Windsor came directly from an idea that Mike Clary had in his head for the show. We knew Malcolm Ingram was cast in the role of Falstaff, but that was about it. In any case, I think it works pretty well.

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Above: Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Mistress Page, Malcolm Ingram as Sir John Falstaff. Left page: Malcolm Ingram as Sir John Falstaff.

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Above: The Cast of The Merry Wives of Windsor. Left page: Malcolm Ingram as Sir John Falstaff, in disguise as “Herne the Hunter”.

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Two other images of interest from the season were these. The image of Annette Miller for Martha Mitchell Calling was a hoot, just seeing Annette with the hairdo and the pink dress. The Enchanted April shoot was done in the studio and all the backgrounds, foliage, etc. added in photoshop.

Annette Miller.

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Diane Prusha, Tod Randolph.

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The Servant of Two Masters was on the Rose Footprint theatre, an outdoor stage beneath a tent. Dan McCleary crafted the production and Michael Burnet starred in it with a tour-de-force performance that channelled Buster Keaton. I took the portrait opposite as an afterthought but like the way it is both theatrical and also very real.

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The Spring Tour of 2006 was promoted with this image. I have always been drawn to the character of Ophelia in Hamlet, as she resonates for me as a particularly poetic creation. I imagined her drowning moment as described by Gertrude: There is a willow grows aslant a brook, That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream; There with fantastic garlands did she come Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples That liberal shepherds give a grosser name, But our cold maids do dead menâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fingers call them: There, on the pendent boughs her coronet weeds Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke; When down her weedy trophies and herself Fell in the weeping brook. Her clothes spread wide; And, mermaid-like, awhile they bore her up: Which time she chanted snatches of old tunes; As one incapable of her own distress, Or like a creature native and indued Unto that element: but long it could not be Till that her garments, heavy with their drink, Pullâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d the poor wretch from her melodious lay To muddy death. 220

Spring Tour 2006

Hamlet by William Shakespeare

shakespeare.org

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Catherine Taylor-Williams came to the rescue again, modelling for a lastsecond shoot to promote the perennially underfunded Halloween/fall show. I rented a smoke machine and borrowed my brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s antique Cadillac and Catherine raided the costume shop for a flapper outfit and we were all set.

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New technology in the printing world created a new opportunity for promoting the Fall Festival. We embraced inexpensive digital printing and brought out a whole slew of posters for the festival, which the students from all the different schools just loved. From my point a view, there is no better marketing than when you create a poster that someone has to have so badly that they take it down and hang it on their wall at home.

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2007

season

Take a look back to the beginning of this book and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see that the second brochure we did was the 20th anniversary of the company. The decade between brought with it profound change in both the institution and myself. I owe a huge part of my development as an artist and a photographer to the interaction that I have had with the company over the years. The 2007 season had its challenges. The cover was not one of them. Actress Julie Webster graciously answered the call and became the icon of summer in the Berkshires. I was very happy with the way the cover worked out (though I was unsuccessful in my lobby for less typography and more cleavage) and really liked some of the outtakes from the shoot, including this one.

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A Midsummer Night’s Dream was the mainstage focus at the start of the season. We put a call out to all and sundry and pulled together a fictional cast for the session. The image was fine, but I can’t really figure out what I was trying to do with this shoot. It’s pretty but not magical. I think my imagination went on a holiday for this one.

Tim LeBlanc as Oberon, outtake from the brochure shoot.

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Kevin Rich as Puck, Christianna Nelson as Helena.

Tony Molina as Tom Snout.

This image was shot after curtain-call on the dress-rehearsal night. I like the fairies in the background the best. Nigel Gore as Bottom and Molly Wright Stuart as Titania (L-R, background) Lydia Perez-Carpenter as Cobweb, Jamie Greenland as Moth, Caley Milliken as Mustardseed, Joey Ibanez as Peaseblossom.

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Tina Packer took a creative and personal leap by taking on the role of Cleopatra in 2007. She ran into a sea of opinion divided about her performance, but I thought it was terrific. From the moment she began, I was completely convinced that Shakespeare always had it in mind that Cleopatra should be played by a woman of a certain age. The poster image was Mikeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vision and I think it works well. The portrait on the right of Tina and Nigel Gore was from a quick session at the studio during the rehearsal period when Elizabeth was looking for new PR shots. I particularly like the way this came out.

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Above: (L-R) Christianna Nelson as Charmian, Tina Packer as Cleopatra, Nigel Gore as Marc Antony, Molly Wright Stuart as Iras. Left page: (L-R) Tony Molina, Nigel Gore, Justin Gibbs, Kevin Rich.

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The three other shows of the normal season are these. I enjoyed shooting Michael Hammond as Sherlock Holmes. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s always fun to engage in the representation of such an iconic character. Looking back at the work on 2007, I notice that the straight portrait shots, the outtakes from the promotional work, are among the most satisfying work I did all year.

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The Macbeth Spring Tour was an interesting exercise. Catherine stood in as Lady Macbeth with bloody knives. The image on the opposite page was rejected in the end due to concerns over its impact on the intended high-school audience.

macbeth

The image with the crown replaced it. I think they both work equally well both graphically and metaphorically, but I thought the self-censorship potentially problematic. For me, Shakespeare & Company has always been about big ideas and big risks. In more recent years, with a continuous, uninterrupted focus on the bottom line, some of the passion and risk has been muted. Perhaps it is the inevitable maturation and evolution of any institution, but as long as they let me Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be out fighting it.

new england tour 2007

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

shakespeare.org

Shakespeare & Companyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s New England Tour of Shakespeare is part of Shakespeare in American Communities: Shakespeare for a New Generation, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

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2008

season

The cover for 2008 is John Douglas Thompson as Othello. John was in a role on Broadway at the time of the shoot and had only a small window of opportunity to be photographed, which we did in my brotherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s living room in his apartment in New York. I came armed with a couple of simple concepts, two lights, and a friend to help out as the Desdemona stand-in. I was looking for that contrast between the battle-scarred warrior and his youthful bride, and the interplay between their colors. The final image that ran on the cover, above, has the perfect expression in Johnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye as well, the moment when love starts to fail for Othello.

John Douglas Thompson.

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Before John was cast, we had a shoot with Jerome Spratlin, a young local actor who was able to help out. Elizabeth did the stand-in for Desdemona. Although these images didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make the season materials, I really like the way they came out, and the process helped me establish what I had in mind for illustrating Othello. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always found the play to be one of the more frustrating titles, and I think that is its essential humanity. Othelloâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s weakness is within his love and ambition. The moment when he loses faith in his love and turns away from it is universal, the kind of awful moment when love ceases. I wanted to show that moment when he begins to push Desdemona aside in his heart and mind.

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Othello was a monster hit, with John Douglas Thompson and Michael Hammond receiving well-deserved accolades from the national press.

Above: Michael Hammond as Iago, John Douglas Thompson as Othello.

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Right page: John Douglas Thompson as Othello, Merritt Janson as Desdemona (this image was from a pre-production publicity shoot, before costumes and wigs had been designed. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s one of my favorites).

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John Douglas Thompson as Othello, Merritt Janson as Desdemona.

Kristin Wold as Emilia, Merritt Janson as Desdemona. Left page: John Douglas Thompson as Othello.

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The Mainstage Comedy of 2008 was All’s Well that Ends Well. Another tricky play to illustrate, as it offers a mix of interesting characters but no strong central image that I could tap into. I decided to focus on the sexy intentions of the “bed-trick” when Helena tricks Bertram into sleeping with her. The moment is spoken of in the play though not seen, but I like the way the visual sets the mood here. On the right page is another version I worked up but which we set aside in favor of the simpler approach. Actress Brit Grass stepped in to help us out with this shoot.

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(L-R) Douglas Seldin, Mike Allen Moreno, Peter Davenport, Rondrell McCormick, Alex Sovronsky, Andy Talen.

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Kevin Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Donnell.

Brittany Morgan.

(L-R) Virginia Ness,Peter Davenport, Grace Trull, Douglas Seldin, Brittany Morgan.

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The other images we worked up for the season are fun. For The Ladies Man, a drawing room farce, we went with a lot of doors and willing participants. Elizabeth Aspenlieder is a Varga girl for her onewoman show Bad Dates. Dana Harrison filled in as dysfunctional Southern Belle for Goatwoman. Michael Burnet had written a show for the Rose Theatre called The Mad Pirate and the Mermaid, which would prove a big hit. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the image on the right page.

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Elizabeth Aspenlieder.

Dave Demke, Annette Miller.

Rough Crossing was an ecstatic romp with a versatile art-noveau set by my brother, Carl Sprague. (L-R) Dave Demke, Annette Miller, Jonathan Croy, Julie Webster, Walton Wilson, Elizabeth Aspenlieder, Michael F. Toomey, Caley Milliken.

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Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Haley Walker.

Bad Dates played in the dead of winter at the Elayne Bernstein Theatre. Elizabethâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s terrific energy and talent filled seats to capacity. In 2009 Elizabeth took home the award for Outstanding Solo Performance at the 27th Annual Elliot Norton Awards in Boston for her follow-up run at Merrimack Repertory Theatre.

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OU T D N LA

J A N U A RY

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ALBANY TARRYTOWN MORRISTOWN AUGUSTA BANGOR BENNINGTON RUTLAND CONCORD, NH BOSTON CAPE COD SPRINGFIELD LENOX

Shakespeare.org

h g i t N ’ s r D e r m e m a u m s id

Shakespeare & Company’s New England Tour of Shakespeare is part of Shakespeare in American Communities: Shakespeare for a New Generation, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts in cooperation with Arts Midwest.

open new worlds

Posters for the 2008 Spring Tour and a dramatic portrait for Dennis Krausnick’s one-man The Lear Project.

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The Lear Project Dennis Krausnick

Lenox, MA

August 12, 8:30 Production and Performing Arts Center, Room 3 $20 suggested donation Ticketsď&#x20AC;´Shakespeare.org or 413-637-3353 257

Tennessee Shakespeare Company Dan McCleary started the Tennessee Shakespeare Company in Germantown, TN. We picked up on our collaboration in 2008 for his inaugural production of As You Like It. Actress Brittany Morgan became the fresh face of the new company on billboards, buses and brochures.

C om eO side ut

lay! a nd P

As You Like it by William Shakespeare Directed by Dan McCleary October 2 - October 15, 2008 St. Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Episcopal Church and Woods 2425 S. Germantown Road, Germantown, TN

live Celtic music composed and played by nationally-acclaimed violinist Susanna Perry Gilmore (Memphis Symphony Orchestra concertmaster) and Barry Gilmore with their Memphis band, Planet Reel.

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Buy tickets online today www.tnshakespeare.org Box Office: (413) 841-6898

William Shakespeare’s graceful and comedic Blessing directed by Dan McCleary October 7 - 25, 2009 Poplar Pike Playhouse 7653 Old Poplar Pike, Germantown

Buy tickets online today www.tnshakespeare.org Box Office: (901) 759-0604 The mid-south’s professional, classical theatre

The second season of Tennessee Shakespeare Company was A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

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2009

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The tumultuous events of 2009 - the economic collapse, a new President, war in Afghanistan and Iraq - manifested themselves into a season of remounts, workshops, and chaos. The transition in artistic leadership at Shakespeare & Company with the handoff from Tina Packer to Tony Simotes and major cuts in budget and staff all presented significant challenges to the marketing and design of the season. With less than 50% of the print area of the previous season, we had to fit 18 productions, numerous events and a 12-month calendar into a minimal brochure. Nevertheless, we found ways to convey the joy, color, and emotion of the Company and despite the cuts we filled seats at record levels for the longest, most diverse, and most ambitious season to date.

JUNE 26–AUG 28

Hamlet

By WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Directed by ELEANOR HOLDRIDGE Featuring JASON ASPREY as Hamlet NIGEL GORE as Claudius DENNIS KRAUSNICK as Polonius and TINA PACKER as Gertrude Shakespeare’s uncontested masterpiece played to packed houses in 2006, and returns for a limited run. “Directorial touches that light up Shakespeare’s lines like fireworks in the summer night…” THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

JULY 3–SEPT 6

Othello

By WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Directed by TONY SIMOTES Featuring JOHN DOUGLAS THOMPSON as Othello and MICHAEL HAMMOND as Iago The gut-wrenching story of love, racism and betrayal that’s as startling, relevant and timely today as when first performed over 400 years ago. This is the production that won unanimous critical acclaim in 2008.

JULY 24–SEPT 5

Twelfth Night

By WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Directed by JONATHAN CROY Featuring KEVIN O’DONNELL, BOBBY BIGGS and ELIZABETH RAETZ The laughs are back-to-back, tipsy-turvy and echo all through the house in Shakespeare’s festive comedy of misrule, madness, switched identities, gender bending and comic fantasy.

MAY 21–JUNE 7

Romeo and Juliet

By WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Directed by JONATHAN CROY The story of family and gang rivalry and the treasure and tragedy of forbidden teenage love. A seamless, high energy, heart-pounding and soul-touching production that lays bare the best and worst of human spirit.

JUNE 11–AUG 2

Pinter’s Mirror

Three of Harold Pinter’s best one-act plays Family Voices • Victoria Station • A Slight Ache Directed by NORMI NOËL Featuring ELIZABETH INGRAM and MALCOLM INGRAM Harold Pinter

Three brilliant one-act plays commemorating the dark, comedic insight of Harold Pinter. Performed by Elizabeth and Malcolm Ingram. A rare chance to see and hear exceptionally gifted actors breath life into Pinter’s words.

JULY 10–SEPT 5 NEW THIS YEAR. HAVE LUNCH BEFORE THE SHOW!

Measure for Measure

By WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Directed by DAVE DEMKE Featuring PERFORMANCE INTERN PROGRAM Isabella must choose between the death of her condemned brother or give up her virginity to a corrupt politician who can commute the sentence. Written as a thinly veiled comedy about hypocrisy, corruption and sex for trade in high places, it remains as contemporary as today’s spicy news.

JULY 30–AUG 16 AMERICAN PREMIERE

Devil’s Advocate

By DONALD FREED Winner of the PEN Literary Award for Drama, 2006 Directed by DEE EVANS Featuring DENNIS KRAUSNICK and IGNATIUS ANTHONY Christmas Eve, 1989. Panamanian strongman Manuel Noriga takes refuge from American troops in the Vatican embassy. So begins a boiling political dialogue about the shadowy history of the American Empire.

AUG 7–SEPT 6

The Dreamer Examines His Pillow By JOHN PATRICK SHANLEY Directed by TOD RANDOLPH Featuring JOHN DOUGLAS THOMPSON John Patrick Shanley’s works have won the Academy Award, Pulitzer Prize, Tony Award, Drama Desk Award and critical acclaim everywhere. This rarely performed early work brings out his biting comic sensibilities with words that lay bare the dreams of love and the realities of living.

AUG 21–SEPT 4

White People

By J.T. ROGERS Directed by ANNA BROWNSTED Featuring MICHAEL HAMMOND and DANA HARRISON A brutally honest and surprisingly funny examination of race and language in our culture, White People tracks the lives of three ordinary Americans and the guilt, prejudice, and price they pay for being born white.

SEPT 18–NOV 8 AMERICAN PREMIERE

The Hound of the Baskervilles

By STEVEN CANNY and JOHN NICHOLSON Directed by TONY SIMOTES Sherlock Holmes to the extreme. A hoot. A howl. A Monty Python-like spoof in the best tradition of British beer hall comedy. Performed by three actors playing multiple roles, with multiple accents and quick-change beards, and stitched together by silliness and pratfalls. A LIMITED NUMBER OF PERFORMANCES DEDICATED TO ELAYNE P. BERNSTEIN WHO UNDERSTANDS WHAT ONE WOMAN’S SPIRIT CAN ACCOMPLISH

MAY 27–31 AND SEPT 11

Shirley Valentine

By WILLY RUSSELL Directed by JENNA WARE Featuring TINA PACKER as Shirley Valentine Artistic Director Tina Packer reprises her role as Shirley Valentine, the irrepressible anonymous woman next door who uncovers her independence and the strength to salvage her own life.

The long roll-fold brochure had limited space for creativity and new artwork. It was a design solution driven by cost and content. The design was lampooned during the Preludes at the Founder’s Theatre all summer, which was very funny.

JUNE 3–14 AND SEPT 12 WORLD PREMIERE

The Actors Rehearse the Story of Charlotte Salomon Charlotte Salomon, oil 1940 Collection Jewish Historical Museum, Amsterdam © Charlotte Salomon Foundation

By DAVID BRIDEL, PENNY KREITZER and JONATHAN REST Directed by JONATHAN REST Featuring PENNY KREITZER in multiple roles An eye-opening and inventive play-within-a-play that tells the mother-daughter story, artistic journey and ultimate tragedy of Charlotte Salomon, an inspired young artist who was murdered by the Nazis but left behind an amazing body of work.

JUNE 17–JULY 3 AND SEPT 13

Golda’s Balcony

By WILLIAM GIBSON Featuring ANNETTE MILLER as Golda Meir Hailed by critics when it premiered at Shakespeare & Company in 2002, a beautiful and inspiring piece that brims with wisdom. Meet the lioness mother who stood against history to create a free nation. Winner of the Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Solo Performance 2003.

ALWAYS

*BanksideFestival

FREE

Beginning June 20th, our grounds come to life with the color and swirl of Elizabethan dance, poets and clowns, and a host of spontaneous surprises. JUNE 20–AUG 29 FREE FAMILY FRIENDLY FUN!

Toad of Toad Hall

By A. A. MILNE Adapted from The Wind in the Willows by KENNETH GRAHAME Directed by IRINA BROOK A musical play by A. A. Milne based on Kenneth Grahame’s book The Wind in the Willows, the classic children’s story with the lovable characters Rat, Toad, Mole and Badger. Performed in two parts on different days. JULY 4, 3 PM BRING YOUR BLANKET OR LAWN CHAIR!

The Declaration of Independence On the lawn. Hear the powerful words that gave birth to America delivered by cast members, friends and

special guest speakers. Stay for a barbecue, frisbee tossing and lawn party! Reservations recommended. AUG 13–SEPT 6 WORLD PREMIERE

Wordplay

By DENNIS KRAUSNICK Featuring PERFORMANCE INTERN PROGRAM An outrageous splash of Shakespeare! This fast-paced, funny performance offers bits of Shakespeare’s silliest and startling insults with a dash of fact, folklore, and surprise. EVERY THURSDAY, JULY 2–AUG 6, 5:30PM

Bankside Humanities Lecture Series Continuing the tradition of bringing conversation, dialogue and entertaining discoveries. Six free lectures covering topics from clowning, costumes and cooking to music and movies. JUNE 26–SEPT 6, 6:45 PM

Preludes FREE! Prior to all Founders’ evening performances. Period dances, combat displays, Shakespearean recitations, Elizabethan music and verse, and impromptus in preparation for the mainstage show.

* PLEASE NOTE: Tickets are required for all Rose Footprint shows and lectures. Seating is limited, and events often sell out. Pick up tickets well in advance of all performances.

SEPT 7, 11:30AM–11:30PM, FOUNDERS’ THEATRE

STUDIOFESTIVALofPLAYS

A day of five staged readings of plays that we think you should know about. Festival scripts that have gone on to critical acclaim include Golda’s Balcony, Wit, Martha Mitchell Calling and White People. Buy a Festival Pass.

DEC 3–20 WORLD PREMIERE

Cindy Bella (or The Glass Slipper) By IRINA BROOK and ANNA BROWNSTED Directed by IRINA BROOK Adapted from the classic CINDERELLA A magically updated spin on the classic family folktale. A romantic fairytale about a streetwise accordion player and the handsome cosmopolitan Prince who falls head over heels for her.

JAN 29–MAR 21

Les Liaisons Dangereuses

By CHRISTOPHER HAMPTON Directed by TINA PACKER Featuring ELIZABETH ASPENLIEDER and JOSH AARON McCABE Les Liaisons Dangereuses was ahead of its time in 1872, and remains ahead of its time today. A rich and deviously delightful feast of words and plot play, like a decadent chocolate you can’t resist. 1987 Winner of the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play. Nominated in 2008 for Tony Award, Best Revival. Photos top to bottom: Jason Asprey; John Douglas Thompson and Merritt Janson; Victoria Vining; Alyssa Hughlett and Benjamin Brinton; Mary Claire Hogan; Ignatius Anthony and Dennis Krausnick; John Douglas Thompson; Michael Hammond; Michael Hammond; Tina Packer; Annette Miller; Alexandra Lincoln and Scott Renzoni; Summer Training Participants; Andy Talen; Renee Speltz and Heather Fisch; Josh Aaron McCabe and Elizabeth Aspenlieder.

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The remounts of Hamlet and Othello were interesting for a number of reasons. It was illuminating to see the casts mature over time into the roles. From a photographic perspective, the newer technology in my D3 Nikon camera gave me more latitude and exposure range in shooting these shows, particularly Hamlet which was very dark and harshly lit.

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Hamlet (Clockwise, from top left) Johnny Lee Davenport, Nigel Gore and Steven Anderson, Elizabeth Raetz, Jake Wade and Jason Asprey.

Othello (Clockwise, from top left) The Cast of Othello, John Douglas Thompson and Merritt Janson, Michael Hammond and John Douglas Thompson.

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The long experience Jonathan Croy has had with the Fall Festival over the years clearly inspired Twelfth Night. The production had a marvelous sense of fun and liberty. Gorgeously costumed on an austere budget by Govane Lohbauer, energetically performed by a cast of experienced regulars, Twelfth Night was a comedic riot.

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(Clockwise, from top left) Ken Cheeseman as Malvolio, Alexander Sovronsky as Fabian, Ryan Winkles as Sir Andrew with Nigel Gore as Sir Toby, Elizabeth Raetz as Olivia.

Merritt Janson as Viola/Cesario.

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Top: July 4th on the lawn at Founderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Theatre.

A few highlights from 2009: A great, energetic touring production of Romeo and Juliet. A lot of dynamic acting on the Elayne Bernstein stage throughout the year, A beautiful day for the July 4th celebration and reading of the Declaration of Independence, Elayne Bernsteinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 85th birthday celebration and 5th anniversary of her marriage to my personal friend and advisor, artist Sol Schwartz. And a madcap production of The Hound of the Baskervilles directed by Tony Simotes to round out the year.

Right: Alyssa Hughlett as Juliet, Ben Brinton as Romeo.

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Stephen Pilkington in Pinterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Mirror.

Jonathan Croy, Ryan Winkles, and Josh Aaron McCabe in The Hound of the Baskervilles.

Elayne Bernstein and Sol Schwartz.

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And thus back to the beginning. The image on the right is for the Spring Tour of 2009. I saw two different productions of Romeo and Juliet during the Fall Festival of Shakespeare in 2008, and was struck by the vibrancy and horror of the play afresh. Particularly to see it played by high-school students, the words never fail to overwhelm the senses: Two households, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of star-cross’d lovers take their life; Whose misadventured piteous overthrows Do with their death bury their parents’ strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark’d love, And the continuance of their parents’ rage, Which, but their children’s end, nought could remove, Is now the two hours’ traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.

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Tyisha Turner in Taconic High School’s production of Romeo and Juliet, Fall Festival of Shakespeare, 2007. I was so struck by her performance as Juliet that when I took this photo and saw the dagger in her hand I knew exactly what I was going to do to illustrate the tour.

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special thanks To have had the opportunity to create this body of work is extraordinary and unique. I treasure the trust, faith and good intentions of the people who let me do this. Thanks to my wife, Kristine and my children Matt and Nick for being there for me. Special thanks to everyone at Shakespeare & Company, past and present. In particular, Tina Packer, Michael Hammond, Mark Jones, Nick Puma, Michael A. Miller, Tony Simotes, Elayne Bernstein, Sol Schwartz, Kristin Wold, Kevin G. Coleman, Susan Dibble, Dennis Krausnick, Jonathan Croy, Dan McCleary, Annette Miller, Govane Lohbauer, Arthur Oliver, Lydia Barnet-Mulligan, Catherine Taylor-Williams, Mary Hartman, David Demke, Mike Clary, Mark Woolett, Michael Toomey, Michael Burnet, Peter and Tjasa Sprague, Jason Asprey, Bob Lohbauer, and most especially Elizabeth Aspenlieder. Thanks also to my past and present associates at Studio Two: Mary Garnish, Heather Rose, Adam Rothberg, Amanda Bettis, James Kupernik and Christine Cooney. Everything on these pages is a direct reflection of their talent, involvement and extraordinary creativity. Without the support and creative vision of this unique gathering of people in the Berkshires my work would not be the same.

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2005 Season

Faith Mounts Up

Tina Packer, Artistic Director Mark W. Jones, Executive Director

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technical notes The images in this book were created in the period between 1996 - 2009. During that time I shot my originals exclusively with Nikon equipment, with the exception of a few images shot with Olympus and Sony point-and-shoot digital cameras, and some medium format film shot with Mamiya 7 and RB67 cameras. Nikon cameras: F5, D1, D100, D1x, D2x, D3 Lenses: My primary lenses included: AF Micro-NIKKOR 60mm f/2.8D F-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8 VR PC-E Micro NIKKOR 85mm f/2.8D AF-S DX Zoom-NIKKOR 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G IF-ED AF-S VR Zoom-NIKKOR 24-120mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED Sigma 14mm 1:2.8D EX HartBlei MC TS Arsat 35mm f/2.8 Tilt Shift Lensbaby Original and Control Freak Lighting: Speedotron Brown Line Lowell 600W Fresnels Nikon CLS flash system PhotoFlex Octodome Design and Processing: Apple Computers Adobe CS3 Photoshop v.1 - v.10 Microsoft Expressions Media Pro Live Picture Bryce 3D Wacom Tablet SanDisk Extreme CF cards Output: Epson 4000, 9500 HP Z3200 HP and Konica Minolta Laser Printers

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Where it all happens. Special thanks to Kristine Sprague, Architect, for designing my magic space!

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index Symbols

9/11 138 70 Kemble St 82 1996 5, 11, 12 1997 5, 24 1998 5, 14, 26 1999 5, 34, 39, 42, 44, 54, 64 2000 5, 54, 56, 58, 60, 80 2001 5, 11, 82, 84, 92, 98, 106 2002 5, 112, 114, 136 2003 5, 138, 140, 150, 154, 156, 168 2004 5, 158, 168 2005 5, 174, 196, 198, 201 2006 5, 202, 220 2007 5, 136, 226, 232, 236, 268 2008 5, 240, 248, 256, 258, 260 2009 130, 255, 260, 266, 268, 274

Ackermann 190 actor 11, 52, 242 Actor’s Equity 4 Adam Rothberg 271 Alexander Sovronsky 264 Alex Sovronsky 250 All’s Well that Ends Well 28, 248 Allyn Burrows 12, 16, 86, 89, 118, 121, 146, 176, 178 Alyssa Hughlett 266 Amanda Bettis 271 Amelia Burkhardt 28 A Midsummer Night’s Dream 84, 90, 134, 156, 158, 228, 259 Andy Talen 250 Anne Gottlieb 168, 170 Annette Miller 79, 98, 130, 216, 254, 271 Anniversaries 112 anniversary 24, 226 Arden 160 Ariel Bock 143 Arthur Oliver 66, 128, 271 artist 7, 9, 226 Aspenlieder 42, 125, 143, 150, 168, 170, 174, 184, 213, 252, 254, 255, 271 Asprey 66, 121, 124, 142, 195, 202, 207, 208, 271 astrological 72 As You Like It 46, 160, 164, 258 A Tanglewood Tale 110 audiences 138, 172

backstage 86 Bad Dates 252, 255 Barbara Sims 180, 188 bare bard 60 Barnett-Mulligan 174 Beatrice 144 Beautiful 158 Ben Brinton 266 Berkshires 11, 12, 226, 271 Bill Barclay 180 Bottom 84, 86, 156, 231 Brian Weaver 193 Brit Grass 248 Brittany Morgan 251, 258 brochure 12, 24, 32, 42, 54, 58, 64, 174, 182, 190, 202, 226, 228 Bryce 48, 274 Burnet 218, 252, 271 Burrows 12, 16, 86, 89, 118, 121, 146, 176, 178

calendar 58 Caley Milliken 231, 254 camera 42, 58 Carl Sprague 254 Carolyn Roberts 64, 66, 69, 114, 116 Catherine 125, 136, 153, 160, 164, 222, 238, 271

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Catherine Taylor-Williams 125, 136, 153, 222, 271 CD 62, 132 Celia Madeoy 186, 188 Chloe Paisley 134 Christianna Nelson 11, 79, 98, 230, 235 Christine Cooney 271 Cleopatra 232, 235 Closing 90 Coleman 17, 19, 24, 134, 142, 150, 165, 167, 271 Collected Stories 98 Columbine 64 Comedy 30, 100, 168, 248 Comedy of Errors 30, 100, 168 commercial 64 communications 62 composite 12, 110, 204 composited 32, 60, 118 composition 26 construction 92, 110 Corinna 44, 82, 194, 195 Corinna May 44, 82, 194, 195 Coriolanus 56, 60, 62, 98, 110 costumes 66, 168, 178 cover 12, 24, 26, 42, 54, 58, 82, 138, 226, 240 creative 7, 56, 58, 102, 110, 126, 174, 182, 232, 271 creativity 11, 44, 261, 271 cultural 12

Dan 11, 12, 16, 60, 62, 84, 92, 97, 110, 114, 116, 140, 167, 174, 202 Dance 126 Daniela Varon 9, 144 Daniel Sherman 143 Dan McCleary 11, 12, 16, 60, 62, 84, 92, 97, 110, 114, 116, 167, 174, 271 Dan McCleary, 11, 271 David Demke 102, 148, 271 deadline 58 Dennis Krausnick 19, 24, 140, 256, 271 Desdemona 240, 242, 244, 247 development 110, 226 Diane Prusha 217 Dibble 126, 128, 196, 271 DibbleDance 126, 128, 154, 196 digital 56, 224 digitally 62 D’metrius Conley-Williams 74 Douglas Seldin 250, 251 Dream 84, 90, 134, 154, 156, 158, 228, 259

economic 138 Edith Wharton 11, 50 Education 20, 39, 106 Education Department 20, 39 Edwardians 14, 19 Elayne Bernstein 255, 266, 267, 271 Elayne Bernstein Theatre 255 elements 26, 44, 64, 204 Elizabeth 42, 125, 150, 168, 170, 174, 184, 202, 207, 213, 232, 242, 252, 271 Elizabethan 72 Elizabeth Aspenlieder 42, 125, 143, 150, 168, 170, 174, 184, 213, 252, 254, 255, 271 Elizabeth Raetz 207, 264 Elliot Norton Awards 255 emotional 44 Enchanted April 216 Epstein 19, 32, 86, 140, 142, 143, 168 Ethan Flower 123, 125 Ethan Frome 150 exquisite 154

fairies 14, 84, 231 Fairy 84 Fall Festival 20, 39, 42, 80, 108, 134, 198, 201, 224, 264, 268 Fall Festival of Shakespeare 20, 268 Falstaff 210, 213, 215 farce 98, 252

favorites 34 fights 14, 66 flower 156, 158 forest 76, 84, 160 Founder’s 82, 92, 108, 110, 261, 266 Founder’s Theatre 82, 92, 108, 110, 261, 266 fractal 84 Frances West 34 freedom 66, 174 friendship 154 frozen 70

George Hannah 168 Gertrude 202, 220 Gibson 130 Glimpses of the Moon 46 Goatwoman 252 Golda’s Balcony 130 goodbye 56 good images sell tickets 208 good pictures 62 good pictures sell tickets 62 Govane Lohbauer 194, 264, 271 Grace Trull 251 Grazia Della-Terza 126

Halloween 222 Hamlet 202, 204, 207, 208, 220, 262 Hammond 76, 79, 92, 95, 148, 196, 236, 271 Hawthorne 110 Heather Rose 271 Henry V 39, 118, 121, 138 Hermione 70, 72, 74 Hero 144, 147 high-school 39, 80, 172, 238, 268 History 112

Iago 244 Ice Glen 190 icon 64, 226 idea 44, 70, 106, 122, 160, 164, 210 image composition 26 imagination 9, 11, 228 infidelity 70 inspiration 64, 102 institution 11, 226, 238 intimate 44, 190

Jake Wade 262 James Goodwin Rice 110 James Kupernik 271 Jamie Greenland 231 Jason 66, 97, 121, 124, 142, 195, 202, 204, 207, 208, 271 Jason Asprey 66, 121, 124, 142, 195, 202, 207, 208, 271 Jason Van Over 97 Jennie Israel 124 Jennifer Grant 14 Jerome Spratlin 242 Joan Ackermann 190 Joey Ibanez 231 John Douglas Thompson 142, 240, 244, 247, 263 Johnny Lee Davenport 121, 143 Jonathan Croy 11, 121, 146, 180, 188, 254, 264, 267, 271 Jonathan Epstein 19, 32, 86, 90, 140, 142, 143, 168 Josh Aaron McCabe 267 joy 66, 154 Juliet 56, 64, 66, 69, 172, 266, 268 Julie Webster 226, 254 Julius Caesar 108 July 4th 266 Justin Gibbs 235

Karen Tor-Bjornson 26 Kate 182 Kelly Cawley 74 Kemble 11, 82 Kenajuan Bentley 188

Ken Cheeseman 264 Kevin 4, 7, 17, 19, 24, 134, 142, 150, 165, 167, 230, 235, 250, 271, 278 Kevin G. Coleman 17, 19, 24, 134, 142, 150, 165, 167, 271 Kevin O’Donnell 250 Kevin Rich 230, 235 Kevin Sprague 4, 7, 278 KING HENRY V 118 King John 104, 176, 178 King Lear 140, 142, 143 King Richard III 48 Kristin 79, 140, 190, 193, 271 Kristine 28, 271, 275 Kristine Sprague 275 Kristin Wold 79, 82, 140, 190, 193, 247, 271 Kyle Terry 104

Lady Macbeth 114, 116, 238 language 160 layered 26, 58 layers 204 Lear Project 256 Lenox 11, 56, 76, 82, 278 Lenox High School 76 Leontes 70, 74 Lesley Desaulniers 74 light 12, 34, 98, 140, 182 lilies 156 lily 44 Lohbauer 194, 271 Louise Rosager 168, 171 Love’s Labors Lost 44 Lucia 97, 156 Lucia Brawley 97 Lydia Barnett-Mulligan 174 Lydia Perez-Carpenter 231

Macbeth 114, 116, 132, 238 Mad Love 158 magic 42, 44, 72, 112 magical 84, 160, 228 magically 70 Mainstage 28, 32, 56, 86, 248 Malcolm Ingram 146, 210, 213, 215 Malvolio 76, 79, 264 manipulation 28 Manu Naryan 69 marketing 11, 62, 138, 156, 160, 174, 202, 208, 224 Mark Jones 271 Mark Saturno 146 Mark Woollett 156 marquee 176, 202 Martha Mitchell Calling 216 Mary 11, 12, 126, 156, 271 Mary Garnish 11, 271 Mary Garnish Tunnicliffe 11 Mary Hartman 90, 271 Matthew Stucky 188 May 44, 194, 195 McCleary 11, 12, 16, 60, 62, 84, 92, 97, 110, 114, 116, 167, 174, 218, 258, 271 Melville 110 memory 70, 202 Merchant of Venice 14, 32 Mercutio 66 Merritt Janson 244, 247, 263, 265 Michael 76, 79, 92, 95, 121, 148, 170, 196, 218, 236, 252, 271 Michael Burnet 218, 252, 271 Michael Hammond 76, 79, 92, 95, 148, 196, 236, 244, 263, 271 Michael Milligan 170 Michael Toomey 79, 121, 271 Mike Allen Moreno 250 Mike Clary 202, 210, 271 model 28, 136, 156 Molly Wright Stuart 231, 235 moment 7, 48, 84, 140, 154, 220, 232, 242, 248 Mount 11, 12, 16, 28, 32, 42, 44, 52, 56, 66, 76, 82, 84, 90, 100, 102 Mt. Greylock High School 134

Much Ado About Nothing 12, 70, 144, 168 Muse 136

natural 42, 44, 84 NEA 132 Nevin Kumar 168 Nigel Gore 231, 232, 235, 264 Nikon 56, 274 non-profit 58

Oberon 86, 89, 228 Oliver 66, 128, 271 Olivia 79, 264 One-Acts 36, 102, 194 Ophelia 207, 220 Othello 240, 242, 244, 247, 262, 263 outdoor 12, 44, 52, 218 Oxford Court 52

Packer 7, 11, 19, 24, 60, 202, 232, 235, 260, 271 pagan 44 Paris 66 passion 9, 11, 54, 56, 238 Pavanne 90 performances 14, 42, 44, 82 Pericles 70 Peter Davenport 250, 251 Peter Macon 178, 244, 247 photographers 14, 62 photographic 98, 104, 262 photography 14, 28, 178, 182 photoshop 12, 26, 84, 92, 148, 168, 204, 216, 236 Pittsfield 60 portrait 130, 190, 218, 232, 236 poster 98, 108, 126, 144, 168, 172, 196, 224, 232 PR 232 Prague 72 Preludes 261 press 62 printing 204, 224 Private Eyes 30 professional 11, 52, 56, 76 Prospero 6, 48, 92, 95 publicity 108, 110, 148, 193

Queen 70

Randolph 86, 89, 153 Rebecka Jones 104 region 62, 108, 138 retrospective 112 review 208 revolution 62 Robert Biggs 188 Robert McDonald 104 Robert Serrell 184 Rocco Sisto 186, 188 Romeo 56, 64, 66, 69, 172, 266, 268 Romeo and Juliet 56, 64, 66, 172, 266, 268 Rondrell McCormick 250 Rosalind 160, 167 Rose Footprint 218 Rouse Love’s Fire 58 Ryan Winkles 264, 267

Salon 102 Sarah Hickler 126 Sarah Rafferty 167 Sarah Taylor 156, 158, 182, 184 scarlet letter 122 Season 12 Shakespeare 7, 9, 11, 20, 39, 42, 44, 56, 60, 70, 82, 84, 160, 168, 232, 238, 258, 259, 260, 268, 271 Shakespeare & Company 7, 9, 11, 39, 42, 56, 82, 84, 238, 258, 260, 271 Shakespeare’s 9, 44, 70, 160 Sherlock 236 Sherlock Holmes 236 shrines 64 Shylock 32

Sol Schwartz 266, 267, 271 SPI 52 Sprague 4, 7, 254, 271, 275, 278 Springlawn 98, 102, 148, 194 Spring Tour 39, 156, 172, 220, 238, 256, 268 Stable 56 Stable Theatre 56 star-crossed lovers 64 Stephanie Dodd 147, 188 Stephen Pilkington 267 Steven Anderson 262 Summer 50, 52, 104 Summer Performance Institute 52, 104 Susan Dibble 126, 128, 196, 271 Susannah Millonzi 167, 180

Taconic High School 268 Tanglewood Tale 110 Taylor-Williams 125, 136, 153, 222, 271 Teaching Macbeth 132 Tempest 6, 11, 48, 52, 92, 95, 140 Tené A. Carter 11 Tennessee Shakespeare Company 258, 259 textures 26, 54, 64 theatre 7, 11, 14, 58, 60, 62, 84, 92, 98, 102, 218 The Comedy of Errors 30, 100, 168 The Compleat Works 98 The Fly-Bottle 148 The Fools’ and Lovers’ Dream Dances 154 The House of Mirth 196 The Ladies Man 252 The Mad Pirate and the Mermaid 252 The Merchant of Venice 32 The Merry Wives of Windsor 210, 215 The Mount 11, 16, 42, 44, 52, 56, 66, 76, 82, 84, 90, 100, 102 The New York Times 208 The Rembrandt 102 The Scarlet Letter 124 The Servant of Two Masters 218 The Summer Performance Institute 52, 104 The Taming of the Shrew 36, 178, 182 The Valley of Decision 125 The Winter’s Tale 70 Tim LeBlanc 228 Tina Packer 7, 11, 19, 24, 60, 202, 232, 235, 271 Titania 84, 86, 89, 134, 156, 231 Tod Randoph 84 Tony Molina 170, 231, 235 Tony Simotes 121, 138, 260, 266, 271 tour 39, 108, 132, 156, 158, 218, 268 tragedy 64, 70 Training 54, 106 Training Program 54 Twelfth Night 76, 98, 264 twins 100, 168 Tyisha Turner 268 Ty Skelton 39, 66

U V

VALERIA 60 Venice 14, 32 Virginia Ness 251 Vita and Virginia 153

Walton Wilson 79, 180, 254 warrior 60 Webster 226 Wharton 11, 36, 50, 102, 194 Wharton One-Acts 36, 102, 194 William Gibson 130 William Shakespeare 9 winter 50, 58, 60, 160, 174 Wit 34 Wold 79, 140, 190, 193, 271 Woollett 156 worlds 9, 48, 82

X Y Z

Zachary Green 168

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Kevin Sprague lives in Lenox, MA. You can find out more about his work at kevinsprague.com and studiotwo.com.

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