2018 The Two Gentlemen of Verona - Play Guide

on s b i m G a i l l u l i a P W e n r k y a r a e u e B hakesp T D n a y n o b s n d b e i e J t G p l & S a u d a P A an Kalyn e D y b a r t d i e e t Direc ned by D g i s e D

The twelve cast members of The Two Gentlemen of Verona are Albertan emerging artists taking part in Theatre Calgary’s Shakespeare by the Bow theatre training program.

BILLY BROWN ALEX CHEROVSKY EMILY HOWARD JUSTIN LANOUETTE SHANNON MURPHY ROBYN ORD MICHAEL ROLFE NINA SOLBERG CONNOR SUART MARSHALL VIELLE (Natay’ao’tako) BRYSON WIESE KIANA WOO DHARMA & JASPER DEAN PAUL GIBSON* JENNA TURK DEITRA KALYN KATHARINE ZABORSKY TERRY TWEED JANE MACFARLANE CAYLEY WREGGIT HAYSAM KADRI CARISSA SAMS*

Speed Launce, Duke Lucetta, Outlaw Valentine Julia Antonio, Outlaw Eglamour Silvia Thurio Panthina, Outlaw Proteous Ursula, Outlaw Crab Director, Adaptation Adaptation Site, Set & Costume Design Music & Sound Design Text Coach Vocal Coach Assistant Director Program Director Stage Manager

* The participation of these Artists are arranged by permission of Canadian Actors’ Equity Association under the provisions of the Dance·Opera·Theatre Policy.

Welcome and thank you for joining us here at Shakespeare by the Bow for our production of The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The Two Gents, “A dark, romantic comedy”- was one of Shakespeare’s earliest works and is actually Dean Paul Gibsontor, Adaptation Direc considered by many to be his very first play.

Thinking about Shakespeare in his early years got me thinking about my own early years. The energy and passion of youth. The reckless nature of experiencing love for the first time. Everything feels as though it is life or death, and Two Gentlemen of Verona does a great job of communicating these feelings with mercurial precision. I experienced the wild appetite of my own youth in the midst of a rather excessive era known as, The 1980s. With this in mind, we decided to set our production of Two Gents in the ‘80s so that we could not only indulge in my own nostalgia, but also explore how the totally tubular vibes of the ’80s could give new life to this classic piece.

My hope is that many of you theatre goers feel the same fondness for the ‘80s that I do. Whether you lived through it or are simply delighting in the resurgence of the style and culture we see represented in various, popular contexts like film, television and social media. We have drawn

CONTINUED... inspiration from classic ‘80s films, such as Pretty in Pink, Weekend at Bernie’s, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, and The Breakfast Club. I have worked closely with Deitra Kalyn, our wonderful site, set and costume designer to incorporate quintessential ‘80s references. Katharine Zaborsky, our sound designer, has also done a fantastic job of including a multitude of classic ‘80s hits to keep us humming long after the show is over!

It has been my great pleasure working with this extraordinary company of very talented emerging artists. Their youthful energy and dedication to this production is inspiring and has provided me with countless opportunities to remember, explore, celebrate and share the many complexities of being a youth in the 1980’s. Thanks to them and the entire team at Theatre Calgary for their hard work and commitment to telling stories that resonate, challenge, provoke and entertain!

We hope you have as much fun watching this show as we did making it. Now, sit back, and enjoy William Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona!

DEAN PAUL GIBSON Director

Shakespeare in Prince’s Island Park has a long and treasured history in our city. Theatre Calgary’s Shakespeare by the Bow gives all Calgarians an opportunity to enjoy theatre in this gorgeous natural setting throughout the summer.

As Calgary’s largest and longest-running theatre company, we have a responsibility to nurture the up-and-coming artists who will grace our stages in future years. That’s why Theatre Calgary established this innovative program for recent graduates from post-secondary theatre training programs. All of the actors are Alberta residents embarking on the first stage of their professional careers.

Participants in Shakespeare by the Bow gain practical knowledge and production experience by working with one of Canada’s leading directors and a professional production team to present a Shakespeare play. The program also features a team of mentors and coaches providing instruction in classical text, voice, speech, and other theatre skills and techniques. Many of our Shakespeare by the Bow alumni have also moved on to perform in our main stage productions including in Bad Jews, The Crucible, King Lear, and Liberation Days.

With the help of our audiences and sponsors, Theatre Calgary can continue to support our next generation of artists and ensure the future of this beloved summer tradition. You can help with your donation after the performance, or by contacting us at: donations@theatrecalgary.com

“Shakespeare by the Bow offers training and practical experience that you simply can’t get in school. It is a gift to make magic in the park every night” - Bobbi Goddard (The Tempest, 2015)

TO THE FOLLOWING SUPPORTERS FOR INVESTING IN OUR EMERGING ARTISTS AND GIVING OUR WORLD A STAGE

NORM & KATHY SCHACHAR GORD & EVA HOFFMAN

VALENTINE A gentleman of Verona, best friends with Proteus, and in love with Silvia

PROTEUS A gentleman of Verona, falls for Silvia but loves Julia

SILVIA The Duke’s daughter, wants to elope with Valentine

JULIA In love with Proteus, disguises herself as a pageboy named Sebastian

SPEED Valentine’s servant

LAUNCE Proteus’ servant, owner of

CRAB (his dog)

LUCETTA Julia’s waiting woman

ANTONIO Proteus’ father

PANTHINA Antonio’s wife, Proteus’ mother

DUKE Duke of Milan, Sylvia’s father

THURIO The Duke’s preferred suitor for his daughter, Sylvia

EGLAMOUR A gentleman of the Duke’s court

OUTLAWS Exiled gentlemen from Milan

The play opens in Verona with Valentine telling Proteus he is leaving to pursue the “wonders of the world” by traveling to Milan and hopes his best friend, Proteus, will accompany him. Proteus declines as he is in love with Julia and will not leave her. Disappointed, Valentine wishes his friend well, and departs Verona. Meanwhile, Julia is discussing Proteus with Lucetta, who teases Julia about his affection for her. Lucetta gives her a letter, declaring it was written by Proteus. Angered by Lucetta’s playful taunting, Julia rips up the letter only to pick it up once Lucetta has left and declare to the audience that she in fact shares his adoration.

Proteus’ parents Antonio and Panthina, discuss Valentine’s journey and agree that Proteus should join him. Antonio orders him to leave immediately, causing Julia and Proteus a bittersweet embrace and farewell. They exchange earrings and Proteus swears his love, promising to return home as soon as he is able.

When Proteus arrives in Milan, he finds Valentine in love with the Duke’s daughter, Silvia. Though he is committed to Julia, Proteus instantly falls in love with Silvia and vows to win her over Valentine.

Unfortunately for them both, the Duke wants his daughter to marry the wealthy Thurio. When Valentine shares his plan with Proteus to run away with Silvia, Proteus reveals it to the Duke and Valentine is subsequently banished from Milan.

CONTINUED...

In the forest, Valentine meets up with a group of outlaws, lies to them for the reason of his exiled state and becomes their leader.

Elsewhere, Julia decides to follow Proteus to Milan, but dressed as a page named Sebastian as to “prevent the loose encounters of lascivious men”. Once there, Julia is heartbroken to discover Proteus infatuation with Silvia, but relieved to learn the feelings are not mutual. After Silvia scorns Proteus’ advances, she enlists help from Sir Eglamour to escape to the forest. There, they run into the outlaws and Silvia is captured. Proteus and ‘Sebastian’, having followed Silvia, are able to rescue Silvia from the outlaws. Proteus then attempt to convince Silvia that his heroism deserves her love, and when she rejects him, he forces himself on her. Valentine, who has been observing the trio, and witnessing the incident, intercedes and stops Proteus. Overcome by guilt and embarrassment, Proteus apologizes to Valentine, who is satisfied with his repentance and forgives him. Julia’s true identity is revealed and Proteus realizes she is his one true love. Just then, the outlaws enter with the Duke and Thurio. Thurio attempts to claim Silvia, but Valentine warns that he will kill him if he doesn’t back off. Thurio, cowardly, states he will not “endanger his body for a girl that loves him not” and renounces Silvia. Upon seeing this, the Duke gives his blessing for their union, and all ends happily… with a slight twist.

Research for this show was a little blast from the past! I definitely brushed up on all those great ‘80s movies that we’ve all come to remember as iconic.

As with most shows, I did a ton of image research and tried to really dial in Kalyn Designer a r it e D each of the characters.

Dean, the director, and I chatted more specifically about who each character was and what ‘80s movie character they were most similar to. From there I compiled a ‘mood board’ for each of their costume looks.

We didn’t want to be too specific as I wanted to try and find vintage pieces as much as I could for the cast....so in some cases, we’d find something fabulous in thrift and find a place for it on someone in the show!

For the stage this year we wanted to create a different configuration and I had a desire to see what it might look like if it were a little more spread out! The ‘S’ seemed to be a natural fit around the trees in the park, and it allowed us to create a few different playing spaces that the cast could use for the many locations in this show. Also because we are always limited with storage space, our ‘set pieces’ and ‘props’ need to be fairly compact and streamlined. We decided to create a bit of ‘Miami’ by adding some palm trees and a simple window

CONTINUED... unit that are both painted in bright ‘80s colours that set the tone for the show! These combined with the costumes definitely give us the flavour of the period. Obviously, along with the incredible music stylings, we get a real sense of the decade.

DEITRA KALYN

Set, SIte & Costume Designer

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA MAY HAVE BEEN SHAKESPEARE’S FIRST PLAY. Two Gentlemen is generally believed to be one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays, thought to have been written in the early 1590s. Though, it was not published until 1623, when it first appeared in Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, a book known to scholars as the First Folio.

THERE IS SOME CONTROVERSY OVER MISOGYNY IN SHAKESPEARE’S WRITING. In the original play, Proteus is aggressive and attempts to sexually assault Silvia. When Valentine confronts him, Proteus is quick to apologize and Valentine responds with “All that was mine in Silvia I give thee”. Some argue that this is Valentine essentially handing her over to Proteus, while others say he is simply saying “I will love you as much as I love Silvia”. Others still, explain that the action was logical based on the notions of friendship at the time.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN MAY HAVE BEEN A TRIAL RUN FOR SHAKESPEARE’S LATER WORKS. E.K. Chambers, a Shakespearean scholar, wrote that the play was the first indicator of a Shakespearean “tragicomic” formula that would be developed further in his later works.

CONTINUED...

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA has the smallest named cast of any of Shakespeare’s plays.

THE PLAY IS FEATURED IN THE FILM, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE. Released in 1999, this film features the play early in the film, with actors presenting it for Queen Elizabeth (portrayed by Judi Dench).

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BILLY BROWN SPEED FIRST ROLE:

Michael in Peter Pan DREAM ROLE:

Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Scarlet Johansson FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘You Make My Dreams’ Daryl Hall & John Oates IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

Jack Russel Terrier BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Mullets

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ALEX CHEROVSKY LAUNCE, DUKE FIRST ROLE:

Captain Hook DREAM ROLE:

Aaron Burr FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Scarlett Johansson FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘Faithfully’ Journey IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

Golden Retriever BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Old school MTV and fanny packs

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EMILY HOWARD LUCETTA, OUTLAW FIRST ROLE:

The Wall in A Midsummer Night’s Dream DREAM ROLE:

Ophelia in Hamlet FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Michael Bublē FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘In the Air Tonight’ - Phil Collins IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

Cavalier King Charles Spaniel BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Power Suits

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JUSTIN LANOUETTE VALENTINE FIRST ROLE:

Pirate ensemble in The Pirates of Penzance DREAM ROLE:

Richard III, Elphaba and James Tyrone FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Saoirse Ronan and Amanda Kerr FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘In the Air Tonight’ - Phil Collins IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

A most sincere and bumbling pug BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

I’m too young to answer this!

George Brown Theatre School '16 University of Calgary '13

SHANNON MURPHY JULIA FIRST ROLE:

Aunt Polly in Tom Sawyer DREAM ROLE:

Alison in Fun Home FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

I have to say Simba from The Lion King FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘Big Love’ - Fleetwood Mac.

That guitar solo is worth the shout out IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

A Whippet. Spooked easily but speedy BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Fanny packs!

Practical and stylish and MUST be neon.

Sheridan College y'1a7l University '13 Mount Ro

ROBYN ORD ANTONIO, OUTLAW FIRST ROLE:

Mother Nature in my grade 5 play DREAM ROLE:

Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

John Travolta in Grease. ( I mean, COME ON!) FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘I Wanna Dance with Somebody’ Whitney Houston IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

A husky/greyhound mix BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Jane Fonda’s ‘80s workout videos

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MICHAEL ROLFE EGLAMOUR FIRST ROLE:

Demetrius in A Midsummer Night’s Dream DREAM ROLE:

Miss Trunchbull in Matilda: The Musical. I’m not a singer by any means but I’ve always wanted to throw a girl by her pigtails into a large, unsuspecting crowd of theatre goers.

FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Halle Berry FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)’ – Eurythmics IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

A pit bull BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

‘80s fashion! I want people to be walking around with such massive earrings, it’s like carrying a yoke on your shoulders. I want parachute pants so flappy that when you go to Lethbridge during a chinook, you’re instantly able to take up parasailing. And neon!

8 '1 y r a lg a C f o y t si Univer

NINA SOLBERG SILVIA FIRST ROLE:

Veggie Fairy dressed as an eggplant in Jack and The Beanstock Pantomime DREAM ROLE:

Gandalf the Grey/White FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Young Rob Lowe FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘Africa’ - Toto IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

Snoopy BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Those massive, inconvenient cell phones

8 '1 a t r e lb A f o y t Universi

CONNOR SUART THURIO FIRST ROLE:

Mercutio in a scene from Romeo and Juliet DREAM ROLE:

Jean Valjean from Les Miserables FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Emma Stone FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘Africa’ - Toto IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

English Mastiff BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Original Gameboys, let’s go back to a time when games were pixelated and your portable gaming console was 5 times heavier than your current cell phone! Original Pokémon! Tetris! Zelda! What else could you need?

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MARSHALL VIELLE (Natay’ao’tako) PANTHINA, OUTLAW FIRST ROLE:

Mr. Sabatacheck in Waiting by Ethan Cohen DREAM ROLE:

Miss Trunchbull from Matilda FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Queen Latifa in Bringing Down the House FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘Holding out for a Hero’ - Bonnie Tyler IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

I’d be a Persian Kitty dressed as a St. Bernard BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Shoulder pads!

8 '1 y r a lg a C f o y t si r e iv Un

BRYSON WIESE PROTEUS FIRST ROLE:

Geronimo in Molière’s The Forced Marriage DREAM ROLE:

Iago in William Shakespeare’s Othello FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Alyson Hannigan FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘Don’t Dream It’s Over’ - Crowded House IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

Beagle BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Rick Moranis

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KIANA WOO URSULA, OUTLAW FIRST ROLE:

Peaseblossom from A Midsummer Night’s Dream DREAM ROLE:

Eponine - Les Miserables FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Daniel Radcliffe FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘Sweet Dreams (Are Made of These)’ The Eurythmics IF I WERE A DOG I, I WOULD BE A:

Black Labrador Retriever BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Scrunchies, without a doubt.

The world needs many, many more scrunchies.

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DHARMA CRAB FIRST ROLE:

This will be Dharma’s first role DREAM ROLE:

A superhero sidekick FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Buddy from Air Bud FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘The Right Stuff’ New Kids on the Block IF I WERE A HUMAN I, I WOULD BE:

Scarlett Johansson BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Atari!

Canine University '18

JASPER CRAB FIRST ROLE:

This will be Jasper’s first role DREAM ROLE:

Benji FIRST CELEBRITY CRUSH:

Lassie FAVOURITE ‘80S SONG:

‘La La La He He Hee’ Prince IF I WERE A HUMAN I, I WOULD BE:

Bow Wow BEST ‘80S THING THAT NEEDS A COMBACK:

Poochie dolls and Alf!