FEBRUARY 15 – MARCH 20, 2022 | QUADRACCI POWERHOUSE PRESENTED BY
THE LYNDE & HARRY BRADLEY FOUNDATION
BY WILLIAM
SHAKESPEARE
ADAPTED & DIRECTED BY DARYL
CLORAN
CONCEIVED BY DARYL
CLORAN AND THE BARD ON THE BEACH SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
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FEBRUARY 15 – MARCH 20, 2022 | QUADRACCI POWERHOUSE
By William
Shakespeare | Adapted & Directed by Daryl Cloran Conceived by Daryl Cloran and the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival Corporate Sponsor
Executive Producers Melanie & Steve Booth
Associate Producers Bob Balderson • Suzy B. Ettinger Foundation • The Molly & David Fritz Family
Table of Contents Characters........................................................................................................2
Mark Clements ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
Chad Bauman
Synopsis.......................................................................................................................3 The Beatles: Their Music....................................................................................................5
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
The Beatles: Treading the Boards...................................................................................6
PLAYGUIDE WRITTEN BY
The Beatles: The Worldwide Phenomenon................................................................7
Lindsey Hoel-Neds CONTENT WRITER PLAYGUIDE EDITED BY
Deanie Vallone LITERARY DIRECTOR
Lisa Fulton
The 1960s in the U.S. Timeline..........................................................................................9 The 1960s: Social and Political Movements.............................................................11 The 1960s: Fads and Fashions......................................................................................13 Shakespeare and the 60s: A Not-So-Unlikely Pair..................................................15 Contemporary Adaptations of Shakespeare’s Works..........................................16
CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER
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As You Like It – PlayGuide
Characters At Court Duke Frederick - usurper of his brother’s estate and
Celia - the daughter of Duke Frederick and Rosalind’s
titles. Cruel, power-hungry, and callous.
dearest companion. Loyal and determined.
Charles - a wrestler in the court of Duke Frederick.
Orlando - the youngest song of Sir Rowland de Boys who
Assassins - tag-team wrestling brothers. Moustachio - wrestling opponent of Charles. Eleanor Rigby - wrestling groupie/girlfriend to
has been relegated to servant status. Charming, handsome, and put-upon.
Touchstone - wrestling announcer and fool in the court of Duke Frederick, companion to Celia and Rosalind.
Moustachio and then Charles.
Adam - loyal elderly servant to the House of de Boys.
Le Beau - a courtier in the court of Duke Frederick.
Oliver - oldest son of Sir Rowland de Boys and head of the
Rosalind - the daughter of the exiled Duke Senior
and niece of Duke Frederick. Independent, intelligent, and compassionate.
family who hates Orlando. Calculating and scheming.
Jacques de Boys - middle brother of Oliver and
Orlando.
Forest Locals
The Forest Court Duke Senior - generous and kind ruler who has been
denied his throne by his usurping brother.
Jaques - melancholy philosopher and member of Duke Senior’s exiled court.
Amiens - loyal member of Duke Senior’s court who is
Phoebe - a young shepherdess. Silvius - a young shepherd in love with Phoebe. Corin - a seasoned shepherd who is generous and helpful. Audrey - a goatherd who falls for Touchstone’s bawdy
musically inclined.
charms.
Lords - various exiled lords of Duke Senior’s court.
William - a young man in love with Audrey.
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Photos in this spread: Company of the Bard on the Beach production of As You Like It, 2018. Photo Credit: Tim Matheson, Bard on the Beach.
Synopsis *Note: While all of Shakespeare’s plays originally had five acts, this adaptation of the play divides the show into two acts and a prologue scene.
Prologue The play opens with “Superstar Wrestling” hosted by Touchstone and sponsored by Duke Frederick. The champion, Charles, wrestles with several opponents complete with WWE-style commentary. As the matches end, Touchstone interviews Charles, who makes clear his love of prize money. The scene ends with the entrance of Orlando, who serves as a janitor.
Act I Orlando, the son of the late Sir Rowland de Boys, has been relegated to the role of janitor by his brother Oliver who was tasked by their father to provide for Orlando. Orlando bemoans his lot in life to the family’s loyal servant, Adam. After the two leave, Charles and Oliver enter, and reveal that the disposed Duke Senior has taken to the Forest of Arden after his brother, Duke Frederick, usurped his role. Charles tells Oliver of a rumor that Orlando is going to challenge him in the ring and Oliver falsely claims that he tried to dissuade his brother, and then encourages Charles to do his worst. Oliver hopes that Charles will kill Orlando so he may be rid of him.
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In the next scene, Rosalind, daughter of Duke Senior, and Celia, daughter of Duke Frederick, enter. Celia attempts to cheer Rosalind with a song. A wrestling match between Charles and Orlando is about to commence. The ladies try to convince Orlando not to fight. During the wrestling match, Rosalind and Orlando lock eyes and their attraction is clear. Orlando wins the match and Duke Frederick comes to congratulate Orlando, but is unhappy to hear that Orlando is the son of Sir Rowland. Rosalind bestows a necklace upon Orlando as his father was a loyal friend to her father. Their love is clear as they pine away through individual musical interludes. Le Beau, one of Duke Frederick’s courtiers, warns Orlando to leave as Duke Frederick believes that his winning may have been a scheme now that he knows who his father is. Soon after, Duke Frederick banishes Rosalind as a traitor due to her parentage, and Celia decides she will flee with her beloved cousin. The cousins also employ Touchstone to attend them on their journey into the Forest of Arden where they hope to reunite with Duke Senior. The two will disguise themselves as a young man named Ganymede (Rosalind) and a young woman named Aliena (Celia). Orlando returns to Adam who has overheard Oliver and Charles’ scheme to kill Orlando. Adam implores Orlando to leave the court and offers him money he has saved over many years of service. The two plan to leave together. The action moves to the Forest of Arden, where the protagonists have fled. The exiled courtiers and Duke Senior revel in their new lives in another part of the forest, lauding the joys of a simpler life. The group decide to visit their melancholy friend Jaques as they like to be amused by his ramblings of misery. Celia, Rosalind, and Touchstone are on the verge of exhaustion and come across the shepherds Corin and Silvius. The travelers ask for food and lodging and Corin accepts their gold in exchange for room and board. Silvius is lovesick for Phoebe, another shepherd in the forest. Orlando and Adam are equally hungry and exhausted, and Adam encourages Orlando to just leave him to die. Orlando refuses and heads off to find his companion food and shelter. He
As You Like It – PlayGuide
comes upon Duke Senior’s court having a feast and threatens them for sustenance. The duke offers him a seat at the table without fear, and Adam and Orlando join the courtiers. Duke Senior is overjoyed when he hears that Orlando is the son of his old friend, Sir Rowland. Meanwhile, Duke Frederick has told Oliver he must find his brother within the year or he will take all of Oliver’s titles and holdings. So, into the forest Oliver must go. After the exiled travelers have settled in the forest, Celia (as Aliena) and Rosalind (as Ganymede) discover love notes Orlando has posted on trees in the forest. At first, Rosalind does not realize that the notes are about her from Orlando, but Celia opens her eyes to the truth. Rosalind is completely smitten. When they come upon Orlando in the flesh, Rosalind (as Ganymede) points out to Orlando that he is not showing any signs of “lovesickness” so his love must not be true. She schemes a plan where Orlando will practice the behaviors of love by pretending that Ganymede is Orlando’s lady love, Rosalind, in order to “cure” him of his love. Orlando agrees to woo Ganymede as a stand-in for Rosalind, having no idea it is actually her.
Orlando arrives and greets Ganymede as Rosalind, ready to play into the scheme. Celia “plays the priest” and pretends to marry the two. Orlando plans to leave to eat with Duke Senior, but promises to return in two hours. When the appointed time comes, Silvius arrives with Phoebe’s letter in which she talks of all of Ganymede’s bad qualities, but she still is more interested in him than Silvius. When Orlando does not arrive, Rosalind is upset. Oliver appears and tells the story of Orlando’s absence. Oliver was asleep in the woods and would have fallen victim to the mauling or killing by a lion, but Orlando saved him, injuring himself in the process. Oliver and Orlando went to Duke Senior, where Orlando fainted, but he implored Oliver to come to Rosalind in his place to explain his absence with his bloody handkerchief in hand. Rosalind swoons at the news and Oliver returns to Orlando to commend the acting of Ganymede. Touchstone and Audrey have still not married, and a young man named William who is in love with her arrives, but Touchstone tells him off. In another part of the woods, Celia and Oliver have quickly fallen in love. Oliver tells Orlando that he will hand over all his lands and titles so he can stay in the woods and marry the young woman he thinks is a peasant named Aliena. Orlando meets with Ganymede and says that he can no longer play pretend. Ganymede tells Orlando that he knows a magic elder who can make Rosalind appear and marry him tomorrow when his brother marries Aliena. Silvius and Phoebe arrive and all of the lovesick folks express their desires. Ganymede calls it enough and tells them all will be fixed tomorrow. As the play ends, the Goddess Hymen appears, revealing Rosalind and Celia. Marriages between the respective couples commence and Rosalind is reunited with her father. Duke Frederick has renounced his title after an encounter with a religious guru as he pursued his exiled brother. He has gone off on a spiritual journey, which Jaques chooses to join. All is restored and all is well.
Act II Touchstone has a prospective wife in a local goatherd, Audrey, and the two plan to marry quickly. As the two go off to church, the scene transitions to Rosalind and Celia waiting on Orlando’s arrival for the first of the wooing ruse appointments. Rosalind is distraught that Orlando has not arrived, but Corin tells the two to come and watch the drama between Silvius and Phoebe. Phoebe rebukes Silvius’ advances, but when Ganymede approaches, she finds herself charmed even as Rosalind encourages her to love Silvius. Phoebe plans to write a letter to Ganymede and have Silvius deliver it.
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The Beatles perform on Ed Sullivan, 1964. Photo credit: AP Images.
The Beatles: Their Music
John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney, and Ringo Starr were just four young musicians from Liverpool when fame and fortune came knocking in the early 1960s. Their lives, and music as the world knew it, would never be the same. The Beatles are one of the most famous bands in history and their music spanned genres and styles throughout their decade together. The music of The Beatles persists even though they released their first album almost sixty years ago and broke up over fifty years ago. Beatles songs have long been cultural touchstones and have influenced artists from Billy Joel to Dave Grohl to Lady Gaga. The music of The Beatles began as a convergence of several styles, including folk, rock, pop, and R&B. Early albums such as Please Please Me and With the Beatles capitalized on these influences to bring The Beatles to super stardom. As the group evolved, they experimented with other styles of music and moved towards more psychedelic and experimental sounds, especially with the albums Rubber Soul and Revolver. The release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band ushered in a new era of progressive rock music. Sgt. Pepper is often cited as the first true concept album, which became a hallmark of the progressive
rock era. The Beatles even had a direct influence on the creation of heavy metal music with the release of songs like “Helter Skelter” and “Revolution.” Dozens of artists have covered The Beatles’ songs, their music is still heavily streamed, and their legacy continues on in the generations of musicians who have directly or indirectly been influenced by their innovation and musical experimentation.
The Beatles, 1963. Photo credit: Pictorial Press Ltd.
Songs in the Play
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“Money (That’s What I Want)”
“The Fool on the Hill”
“Love Me Do”
“We Can Work It Out”
“Let It Be”
“Something”
“She Loves You”
“Do You Want to Know a Secret?”
“Can’t Buy Me Love”
“I Wanna Hold Your Hand”
“Eight Days a Week”
“Got to Get You Into My Life”
“Help!”
“Good Day Sunshine”
“Helter Skelter”
“I Saw Her Standing There”
“And I Love Her”
“Here Comes the Sun”
“While My Guitar Gently Weeps”
“When I’m 64”
“Across the Universe”
“I Am the Walrus”
“You’ve Got to Hide Your Love Away”
“All You Need is Love” As You Like It – PlayGuide
The Beatles: Treading the Boards
The Beatles and their music have long been popular fodder for film, television, and other media going all the way back to The Beatles’ own films such as Help! and A Hard Day’s Night. This popularity has extended to the stage in the guise of various theatrical events based on their lives and music.
Beatlemania (1977) Beatlemania Broadway marquee. Photo credit: Beatlemaniaalumni.com
Lennon (2005) Cast of Lennon. Photo credit: Joan Marcus, Playbill.
Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles (2010)
The Beatles LOVE (2006)
David Leon as John Lennon in Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles. Photo credit: Broadway. com.
Cast of The Beatles LOVE with Sir Paul McCartney. Photo Credit: MJ Kim.
Let It Be (2013) Cast of Let It Be. Photo credit: Ruby Washington, New York Times.
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In My Life -
A Musical Theatre Tribute to the Beatles
(2013)
Cast of In My Life tour. Photo credit: Patch.
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T he Beatles: The Worldwide Phenomenon “Beatlemania” began in 1963, with rabid fans going crazy for the young lads from Liverpool, but when The Beatles appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show on April 9, 1964, Beatlemania fully engulfed the American consciousness. From then on, the cultural impact of The Beatles would be a reflection of the 1960s, changing youth culture and the world.
Beatlemania
The Beatles with Ed Sullivan before their groundbreaking appearance on his show on February 9, 1964. Photo Credit: AP Images.
members of the band MBEs, crowds of fans gathered outside Buckingham Palace. Journalist Robert Sandall later commented that “Never had a ruling monarch been so thoroughly upstaged by a group of her subjects as was Elizabeth II on [26 October 1965].”
Fashion Crazed Beatles fans at a London airport in February of 1964. Photo credit: Associated Press.
The Beatles dominated the charts during their early years, having the top five spots on the Billboard chart the week they first appeared on Ed Sullivan in addition to eleven other songs in the Top 100. They were the first music group to play a sports stadium when they gave a concert at Shea Stadium in 1965. Throughout the U.K, the U.S., and the world, The Beatles left screaming and crying fans in their wake. The influence of The Beatles gave British culture a clout that it had not experienced around the world since the Industrial Revolution. Their popularity brought about a “British Invasion” of pop music in the U.S. with other U.K. groups outshining American musicians. When Queen Elizabeth awarded the
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The Beatles evolved in their fashion choices throughout their existence and those choices had a great influence on youth trends throughout the decade. Whether in hair or clothing, The Beatles were style influencers long before that term became de rigeur. Early in their careers, The Beatles all shared mop-top haircuts, a longer bowl-cut than was popular in the more clean-cut 1950s. This style became very popular with youth and as The Beatles began to adopt more free flowing hair and facial hair as they grew older, youth trends veered in a similar direction. The Beatles also held sway over fashion, as their styles were emulated by many young men throughout the decade. Early on, their skinny ties and fitted suits were popular, ushering in
As You Like It – PlayGuide
Counterculture
The Beatles in their Sgt. Pepper suits. Photo credit: Fashionista.
a British-influenced “mod” trend for men. As their fashion and sound evolved, they adopted Nehru jackets, a popular style in India. Military-inspired jackets in bright colors were indicative of the Sgt. Pepper era. What The Beatles wore, others wanted to have.
Social and Political Movements
In the early years of their popularity, the band represented a shift in the awareness of the teen generation versus adults. Youth culture and The Beatles represented an opposition to the establishment that embodied the decade of the 1960s. This idea of “counterculture” was symbolic of larger changes in the turbulent 1960s. The sensibilities of counterculture were not only present in the music, but also in the ways The Beatles lived their lives in the later 60s. The band was actively involved in drug culture, advocating LSD as a way towards enlightenment and higher spiritual understanding. Their interest in Eastern religions and Transcendental Meditation led to more mainstream acceptance of non-Western traditions in the predominantly Judeo-Christian U.S. (albeit the acceptance was more commodified and reductive in nature). When The Beatles released “All You Need is Love,” the song became a sort of anthem for the Summer of Love of 1967, the pivotal moment in the emergence of “flower power,” the peace movement, and emerging ideas of “free love.”
The End of an Era In the late 60s, the trend of analyzing The Beatles’ lyrics for hidden messages became popular in the U.S. This trend took a tragic turn in August of 1969 when cult leader Charles Manson and his followers murdered seven people inspired by Manson’s interpretation of White Album songs. Shortly thereafter, rumors started to swirl that Paul had died and had been replaced by a look-alike. In 1970, The Beatles break-up served as an event with media coverage on the level of the Kennedy assassination or the moon landing. Many cite the Manson murders and the band’s breakup as the true markers of the end of the idealistic decade of the 1960s and a change of social tides.
The Beatles in Rishikesh, India, 1967. Photo credit: Paul Saltzman.
Throughout their existence, The Beatles supported progressive causes and often found themselves the target of social conservatives in both the U.S. and abroad. They refused to play at segregated venues in the U.S., actively promoted Black musicians, and spoke often of the influence of African-American music on their sound and musical styles. In their later years, the band wrote often of peace, love, and the need to change the world. Their idealism brought ire from many who wanted them to take a more active stance in social and political issues, but nonetheless, the messaging in their music remained their most powerful statement.
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The Beatles in the late 1960s. Photo credit: Getty Images.
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1960
The 1960’s in th 1962
February 1: Four Black students stage a sit-in at a Woolworth’s lunch counter in Greensboro, NC which starts a months-long sit-in campaign for civil rights.
Photo credit: Charlotte Observer.
November 8: John F. Kennedy is elected President of the United States. December: Birth control pills first become available in the U.S. (to married women only).
December: U.S. buildup in Vietnam to oppose the Viet Cong begins. May 25: In response to the Soviet success of putting a man into space, President Kennedy makes a televised address promising a U.S. moon landing by the end of the decade.
1964
February 20: Lt. Colonel John Glenn becomes the first U.S. astronaut in orbit. October 1: James Meredith registers at “Ole Miss” as the first Black student under the protection of federal marshals.
February 9 and 16: Th Sullivan Show.
June 22: Three SN by white suprema for “Freedom Sum the vote with Blac
July 2: Con Act.
Photo credit: Associated Press.
Aug the G allow wag with war.
October 22-28: The Cuban Missile Crisis occurs when the U.S. discovers that the U.S.S.R. is hiding missiles in Cuba and President Kennedy orders a naval blockade of Cuba. Tense negotiations ensue until the U.S.S.R. agrees to remove the missiles from Cuba if the U.S. will remove missiles from Turkey.
November 22: President John F. Kennedy is assassinated during a visit to Dallas, Texas. Lyndon B. Johnson becomes President. August 28: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. gives his “I Have a Dream” speech to a crowd of 250,000 at the March on Washington.
Ju co law
May 4: The Freedom Riders leave D.C. on their bus tour of the South. April 17: The Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba and attempt to overthrow Fidel Castro fails.
June 8: permiss
February 21: M Photo credit: Associated Press.
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1963
1965 As You Like It – PlayGuide
he US: A Timeline 1966
he Beatles appear on The Ed
1968
June 30: NOW (National Organization for Women) is founded.
June 6: Presidential candidate Robert Kennedy is assassinated.
NCC activists are murdered acists while traveling South mmer,” an effort to get out ck Mississipians.
November 5: Shirley Chisolm is elected first African-American woman in Congress. Richard Nixon is elected President.
ngress passes the Civil Rights Photo credit: Getty Images
gust 7: Congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution wing President Johnson to ge war against North Vietnam hout a formal declaration of .
October 15: Black Panther Party is founded.
August 11-16: Riots erupt in the Watts neighborhood of Los Angeles.
December 31: 385,300 troops occupy Vietnam with almost another 100,000 stationed off-shore or in other parts of the region.
August 6: The Voting Rights Act passes in Congress.
October 15: A one-day nationwide action, the Peace Moratorium, is the largest protest in U.S. history at the time, calling for an end to the war in Vietnam. August 15-17: An estimated 400,000 people gather near Bethel, New York for “Three Days of Peace, Love, and Music” known as Woodstock, an event that becomes symbolic of the culture of the late 1960s.
uly 30: Medicare healthcare overage for seniors is signed into w.
: U.S. troops in Vietnam get sion to go on the offensive.
Photo credit: Getty Images
Malcolm X assassinated.
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April 4: Civil Rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. is assassinated.
August 30: Thurgood Marshall becomes the first African-American on the Supreme Court.
1967 www.MilwaukeeRep.com
July 20: The crew of Apollo 11 land on the moon and Neil Armstrong is the first person to set foot on the moon. June 27: The Stonewall Uprising begins with protestors defying police raids of the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in New York, serving as a catalyst for the Gay Liberation movement.
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The 1960s: Social and Political Movements
Rachel Carson and her groundbreaking book Silent Spring. Photo credit: Medium.
The Environmental Movement
Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C., 1963. Photo credit: U.S. National Archives.
The Civil Rights Movement While the Civil Rights Movement in America had been progressing rapidly since the 1950s, the movement gained even more traction in the 1960s. From the lunch counter sit-ins to the Freedom Riders and Freedom Summer to the eventual passing of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act, the 1960s were a time that civil rights leaders made huge strides in their fight for equality. With the assasination of leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X, the movement suffered terrible losses, but those fighting for equality for all races would not be deterred.
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With the 1962 publication of Silent Spring by Rachel Carson, the environmental movement gained clout with the American public due to Carson’s exposure of the harmful impact of pesticides on the earth. Throughout the decade, the fight for conservation continued, with changes to laws, protests, establishment of environmental organizations, and the establishment of Earth Day by Wisconsin’s own Senator Gaylord Nelson in 1970.
The Anti-War Movement At the advent of American interventions in Vietnam, many people believed that defending South Vietnam from Communist aggression was of paramount importance to the world. As the decade and the war raged on, protests against the war became commonplace and the peace movement gained steam as Americans became upset by the lost lives and economic
As You Like It – PlayGuide
Protestors at the 1969 Peace Moratorium rally in Washington, D.C. Photo credit: Boston Globe.
impact. Much of the anti-war movement was spearheaded by youth angered not only by the war itself, but by the draft, which threatened their lives and forced them into compulsory military service. As the movement continued, activists took more violent tactics such as bombings or scuffles with police to make their points. As the years wore on into the 1970s, the government could not ignore the protests and moved to remove troops from Vietnam.
Protestors after the raid of Stonewall Inn, 1969. Photo credit: Getty Images.
The LGBTQ+ Rights Movement LGBTQ+ rights groups became more active in the 1960s, but the pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement came when police raided the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, New York in 1969. Patrons fought back in an event which is often lauded as the catalyst for the modern equality movement.
NOW members protest outside the White House. Photo Credit: Getty Images.
The Women’s Rights Movement In 1963 Betty Friedan published The Feminine Mystique, a book challenging the role of women as full-time homemakers, launching what many refer to as the “second wave” feminist movement. Activists such as Gloria Steinem and Angela Davis led protests and calls for action to fight for equal rights for women. The establishment of NOW (National Organization for Women) in the mid-60s set the stage for a reckoning as American society moved towards the 1970s.
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United Farm Workers call for a boycott of California grapes at a 1969 protest. Photo credit: Associated Press.
The Migrant Worker Rights Movement In 1962, Cesar Chavez founded the National Farm Workers Association and later created the United Farm Workers with Dolores Huerta. Chavez and other leaders led labor strikes, week-long fasts, and other protests. The movement secured better pay and working conditions on many farms and earned workers the right to organize.
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The 1960s: Fads and Fashions
The 1960s were a time full of change, innovation, and the rise of youth culture. These changes were perhaps nowhere more obvious than in the world of fashion. The shapes and formality of the 1950s gave way to several new trends, ranging from the advent of the mod look and miniskirts to the more free-flowing fashion of the later part of the decade.
Jackie Kennedy showing her signature style on a visit to England. Photo credit: Getty Images.
Models in mod fashions. Photo credit: Pinterest.
Continuing the Class of the 1950s
Mod Fashion of “Swinging London”
While the popular fashion of the 1960s was heavily influenced by youth culture, the formality of the 1950s carried over into the new decade with a sense of decorum and class in many fashionable looks. The quintessential early 60s classy fashion icon was First Lady Jackie Kennedy with her pillbox hats, fitted sheaths, and snappy skirt suits.
The mod look came out of London in the early part of the decade, focusing on clean lines, bright colors, and bold geometrics. The groundbreaking designer Mary Quant spearheaded the movement with her fun, child-like looks that were accessible to teens and young adults. In this look miniskirts and minidresses ruled supreme.
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As You Like It – PlayGuide
Hippie Chic In the later part of the decade, the fashion world embraced the “hippie” aesthetic that emerged from the streets and youth of the day. Flowing skirts and dresses, denim, fringed vests, paisley prints, and beading was everywhere. Secondhand clothing and obviously handmade items were a hallmark of the aesthetic.
Janis Joplin, iconic 60s rocker and hippie fashion icon. Photo credit: TheMindCircle. com.
A man dressed in “hippie” fashion. Photo credit: Getty Images.
Swinging Sixties Lingo Hanging loose - taking it easy and relaxing Fuzz - police Far out - positive compliment Foxy - undeniably sexy Gimme some skin - shake hands or “give five” Can you dig it? - Do you understand? www.MilwaukeeRep.com
Old lady - wife or girlfriend Heavy - emotional weight Bread - money Split - to leave It’s a gas - describes a fun or funny activity
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Shakespeare 60s and the
A Not-So-Unlikely Pair
One might wonder: what does a play written 400 years ago have to do with the “swinging” 1960s? In truth, more parallels can be drawn between As You Like It and that fabulous decade than one might expect. As You Like It naturally lends itself to the time period of the 1960s. Many of the ideas and themes that are present in the plot of As You Like It can be connected to the societal shifts that occurred in the 1960s. The distinct divide between the more rigid life at court and the Duke’s retinue in the Forest of Arden is reminiscent of the divides in the 1960s between more conservative, traditional ideals of the older generations and the more progressive, open-minded ideals of youth. Duke Senior’s court in the forest finds solace in the beauty and easy pace of life there, which is a parallel to the new emphasis on reveling in hedonistic pursuits that characterized much of the 1960s counterculture and youth culture. The beauty of the forest as a place of respite can even be seen as a connection to the conservation movement that gained momentum in the 60s. Jaques’ melancholic philosophizing and Duke Frederick’s eventual turn to a religious guru parallel the spiritual quests that became en vogue during the later part of the decade, often inspired by The Beatles and their desire to reach a higher spiritual consciousness. One of the most interesting lines that can be drawn between As You Like It and the 60s is that of the challenging of gender norms present in both. In the play, Rosalind disguises herself as a boy for her safety, but also finds freedom in her new assumed gender. She is able to test the waters with Orlando, playing out scenarios of love in disguise as Ganymede. Rosalind is also able to come fully into her true independent and strong personality disguised as a man, speaking her mind in ways she might not be able as a young lady of the court. This blurring of gender presentation and gender norms became a hallmark of the 1960s. Fashion, especially in the latter half of the decade was skewing the lines between gendered fashion, with men wearing flowing tunics and sporting long hair, and women moving towards more androgynous looks with shorter hair and less form-fitting clothing. The
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girdled bodices and restrictive undergarments for women of the 1950s gave way to braless and less restrictive looks for young women who wanted to feel free. Even the body types that were considered en vogue changed, as models such as Twiggy became the height of fashion. The challenging of gender norms was not only limited to fashion. The feminist movement implored women to see themselves beyond the gender roles that had been assigned them. More reproductive control came with the invention of “the pill” in the early 60s. The new generation did not see themselves in the previous ideal of a housewife at home with the husband coming home to a cocktail and a hot meal. As the youth of the 60s grew up, the skewing of traditional gender norms would become even more pronounced.
Heath Ledger and Julia Stiles in 10 Things I Hate About You. Photo credit: Youtube.
10 Things I Hate About You In this adaptation of The Taming of the Shrew, the story centers on teens in high school in the late 1990s. The film keeps Shakespeare’s story at the core with clever allusions to settings, character names, and other touchstones of the original work.
As You Like It – PlayGuide
Contemporary Adaptations of Shakespeare’s Works
s:
Shakespeare’s plays are the most adapted and performed works in the Western theatrical canon even though they were first written over 400 years ago. Productions such as As You Like It give new life to Shakespearean classics, using the Bard’s words and stories in novel ways for contemporary audiences. This innovation has extended not only to the stage, but also to film and television as well. While some adaptations keep Shakespeare’s words at the core, like this production of As You Like It, other versions strike out into contemporary language and settings with Shakespeare’s stories as the basis of the plot.
Kell O’Hara in the 2019 Broadway revival of Kiss Me, Kate. Photo credit: Joan Marcus, Playbill.
Channing Tatum and Amanda Bynes in She’s the Man. Photo credit: Dreamworks.
Cast of Were the World Mine. Photo credit: Pinterest.
Kiss Me, Kate
She’s The Man
Were The World Mine
This classic musical follows a theatrical company in the midst of a production of Taming of the Shrew where the relationship between the two leads parallels the relationship between Petruchio and Kate in the play.
This contemporary teen telling of Twelfth Night places the action in prep schools with Viola disguising herself as her brother in order to play soccer.
In this modern retelling of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, a gay teen uses his powers in the guise of Puck to turn his whole town queer.
West Side Story at Milwaukee Rep, 2019. Photo Credit: Michael Brosilow, Milwaukee Rep.
West Side Story One of the most well-known adaptations of Shakespeare’s works, this classic musical places the star-crossed lovers of Romeo and Juliet in 1950s New York in warring teen factions.
River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves in My Own Private Idaho. Photo credit: Fine Line Features.
My Own Private Idaho This early 90s film reimagines Henry IV and Henry V as a queer road-western starring promising young talents Keanu Reeves and River Phoenix.
Mekhi Phifer, Julia Stiles, and Andrew Keegan in O. Photo credit: Amazon.
O In this modern retelling of Othello, the eponymous character is a star high school athlete who is betrayed by his teammate and best friend.
Still from The Lion King, 1994. Photo credit: Disney. Nicholas Hoult and Teresa Palmer in Warm Bodies. Photo credit: Summit Entertainment.
Warm Bodies In this retelling of Romeo and Juliet, the romantic leads have more than warring families to contend with; one of them is a zombie.
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LL Cool J and Gabrielle Union in Deliver Us from Eva. Photo credit: Netflix.
Deliver Us From Eva In this adaptation of Taming of the Shrew, health inspector Eva takes on the role of Kate and the all African-American cast presents a more contemporary telling of the tale.
The Lion King While this classic Disney animated film may not seem like a direct adaptation of Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the story of a usurping, murderous uncle and a reluctant young prince is certainly inspired by the classic tragedy.
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VISITING
MILWAUKEE REP Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Patty and Jay Baker Theater Complex is located in the Associated Bank River Center downtown at the corner of Wells and Water Streets. The building was formerly the home of the Electric Railway and Light Company.
VISITING THE REP
TheRepertory Ticket Office is visiblePatty on the leftJay upon entering theComplex Wells Street doors. The Quadracci Milwaukee Theater’s and Baker Theater is located in the Milwaukee Powerhouse is located Mezzanine andStreets. can be accessed via escalator or elevator. Center downtown at the corneron ofthe Wells and Water The building was formerly the home of the Electric Railway and Light Company.
The Ticket Office is visible on the left upon entering the Wells Street doors. The Quadracci Powerhouse is located on the first level.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT MILWAUKEE REP TO: THE ENABLES REP VALUES YOUR SUPPORT
Financial support enables The Rep to: Maintain our commitment to audiences with Advance the art of theater with productions ✯ Advance art of theater with that inspirespecial individuals createour community dialogue; thatthe inspire individuals andproductions create community needsand through Access Services that ✯ Provide a richer theater experience by hosting Rep-in-Depth, TalkBacks, PlayGuides to better dialogue. include Americanand Signcreating Language interpreted productions, captioned theater, infrared inform our audiences about our productions; listening systemsarea andwith scriptRep synopses to ensure ✯ Educate over a21,000 at 150+ schools in the greater Milwaukee Immersion Day Provide richer students theater experience by hosting that theater at Milwaukee Rep is accessible to all. experiences, studentTalkBacks matinees, workshops, tours and by making connections with their school curriculum Rep-in-Depth, and creating PlayGuides through classroom programs such as Reading to better inform our audiences about our Residencies; productions. Educate the next generation of theater ✯ Maintain our commitment to audiences with special needs through our Access Services that include professionals our EPR Program whichand script American Sign Language interpreted productions, captioned theater,with infrared listening systems gives newly degreed artists a chance to hone synopses to ensure that theater at The Rep is accessible to all; Educate over 20,000 students at 200+ schools in their skills at Milwaukee Rep as they begin to ✯ Educate nextMilwaukee generationarea of theater professionals our EPR Program which gives newly degreed thethe greater with Rep Immersion with pursue their theatrical careers. We value our artistsDay a chance to hone their skills at The Rep as they begin to pursue their theatrical careers. experiences, student matinees, workshops, supporters and partnerships and hope that you and by making connections with their that you We valuetours our supporters and partnerships and hope help to expand ways Milwaukee willwill help us us to expand thethe ways Milwaukee RepRep school curriculum through programs community. has a positive impact on theater andclassroom on our Milwaukee has a positive impact on theater and on our such as Reading Residencies.
Milwaukee community.
Donations can be made on our website at Donations can be made on ourat website at www.MilwaukeeRep.com or by phone 414-290-5376. www.MilwaukeeRep.com or by phone at 414-290-5376 THE REP RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM: MILWAUKEE REP RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM:
The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation The Richard & Ethel Herzfeld Foundation The Richard & Ethel Herzfeld Foundation The Shubert Foundation
