The outstanding stage and house crew for THE WINTER'S TALE set up for opening night. What a beautiful setting in Kadish Park. ![]() What brought you to acting? I came to acting fairly late, although I loved a good story as much as any kid. My parents were not theater-goers, but nurtured an appreciation of narrative by watching old black & white movies with me. I saw a terrific production of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men in middle school and was moved to tears when Lennie died. My first real stage experience was in a production of The Lark by Jean Anouilh as a college freshman and I never looked back. What did 10-year-old Mark think he'd be when he grew up? I was going to be a Marine Biologist. I was an avid swimmer and (thanks to The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau) had an obsession with marine mammals, especially dolphins and orcas. What is the greatest challenge of playing Polixenes? Taking on 'Shakespeare' always requires hard work, humility and a certain amount of courage. An obvious question: How does one play a King, having never met one? And Polixenes also has to embody seeming contradictions (which, of course makes him human). He is victimized by Leontes' unreasonable suspicions but later threatens to disown his own son upon learning of an unsanctioned love affair. What do you hope that Shakespeare in the Park fans will take away from The Winter's Tale? As one of Shakespeare's later plays, The Winter's Tale combines genres. The first part is cruel, dark and tragic. How can we forgive the unforgivable? Is reconciliation even possible? Fortunately, that's not the end of the story. Shakespeare is at his most moving when he addresses the theme of the 'lost thing found.' After the violence and loss of part one, the audience can look forward to a miraculous series of events which will restore and redeem much of 'that which is lost.' I think we all hope and long for the possibility of healing. Who should play you in the feature film of your life? This is a hard one. Since I'm still playing me, and the story is not (quite) over! The two actors that people have said I remind them of are John Malkovich and Kelsey Grammer. I'm flattered because I admire the both - but they're so different from each other. Some other actors whose work I love are Paul Giamatti, John C. Riley, and Philip Seymour-Hoffman (Heaven rest him) What Shakespeare character to you most resemble? My Scottish blood always simmers when I'm around Macbeth, but - who knows? Shakespeare doesn't provide much in the way of detailed physical description for most of his characters. We're fortunate as actors, as this allows for a wide variety of interpretations. Whatever 'images' we do have are the result of strong choices made by previous producers; but there's always room for a new take What's your superpower? Empathy? Useful for an actor: The curiosity to delve beneath the surface. Not exactly x-ray vision - but a sensitivity to hidden energies - the ability to see and feel the unseen. Tragedy, comedy or history? I've had a great time in the Comedies, loved the operatic sweep of the Histories, but the Tragedies have left the deepest, most profound imprint. Truth or dare? 'The Truth will out.' Guilty pleasure? Jean-Claude Van-Damme movies. More about Mark: Mark is thrilled to be making his Optimist debut. Local audiences may recognize him from his work with several other Milwaukee Theatres. During his many seasons as a resident actor with the Milwaukee Rep, favorite productions included: True West, The Cherry Orchard, Seascape, The Foreigner, Dracula, King Lear and quite a few A Christmas Carols. Mark has also spent past summer's with The Utah Shakespeare Festival, American Players Theatre, Berkshire Theatre Festival and SITI Company. Favorite productions include: Endgame, Merry Wives of Windsor, Antony & Cleopatra and The Importance of Being Earnest. Mark is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee's Professional Theatre Training Program ![]() Chocolate truffles Hand-knits Floral Garlands Jewelry and more Optimist Theatre is proud to announce its first pre-show marketplace! We want to enhance your experience by providing a venue for a variety of local vendors offering hand made arts and crafts. It is a wonderful way for local talents to get more exposure. And, all booth funds help support Optimist Theatre, too so it's a win-win situation! If you are interested in more information on how you can be a part of the Marketplace magic, contact Char Paulbicke for details. ![]() April. The snow is melting, then falling, then melting again.... It may seem like we're in a lull, with the show still two months away. But, behind the scenes, there's a LOT happening. We're prepping for rehearsals. Costume designs are just about done. Music is being scored. Sets are being designed. It's the time when all of the less-visible-but-so-critical foundation work happens. Very soon, the separate parts of the creativity machine will come together and turn into...well, you can never be sure what shape all that inspiration will eventually take. It will be Shakespeare, and in the park. And it will be -- MAGIC! As to the details, we'll all just have to wait to find those out. Contributor: Sarah Bernstein I won't deny that I am more than willing to get caught up in the insider trading of literary-historical trivia -- and that the back-stories of the plays of William Shakespeare DO make for engaging dialogue. But what I find even more interesting than understanding his plays in the personal, cultural and historical contexts in which they were first written is how fresh and pertinent their content is in today's context. Like Shakespeare's London, Milwaukee is a port city, a city of immigrants, a city with deep class divides, and a city with a rich industrial, mercantile and artistic history. And, here in Milwaukee, in this year alone, the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth, we are lucky to have many diverse points of entry into Shakespeare's work: Fly Steffens' collaboration with Pius XI High School on The Tempest /#LATEMPESTAD; a therapeutic program, dubbed the Feast of Crispian allows local veterans prompted by Shakespeare's words, to tell their stories; Off the Wall Theatre's sexagenarian Romeo and Juliet; and of course, Optimist Theatre's (always free) Shakespeare in the Park is presenting The Winter's Tale. There is a "ripped from the headlines" quality permeating The Winter's Tale with its sex scandal in the highest level of government; political cover-ups and double identities; broken family; social inequality; and even its fatal wild animal attack. The plotlines possess currency and universality that resonate with the issues of our time as they did with those of Renaissance England. But it is the rhythm, rhyme and repetition of Shakespeare's poetry, ably assisted by the power and grace of the acting and production, which pulls us again and again into this "realm of relevance." "Is this nothing? Why then the world and all that's in't is nothing; The covering sky is nothing; Bohemia nothing; My wife is nothing; nor nothing have these nothings, if this be nothing." (I, ii, 292-96) Sarah Bernstein is a longtime Shakespeare in the Park supporter, President of the Wisconsin Chapter of the Association of Professional Researchers for Advancement, and blogs about fundraising, research and whatever else strikes her.
![]() What brought you to acting? Both my Grandfather and Mother were actors. They got me into it and I just kept going. What did 10-year-old Beth think she'd be when she grew up? Probably a librarian, or a back-up dancer for Michael Jackson. What is the greatest challenge of playing Hermione and Autolycus? The amount of memorization. All that text is a daunting challenge. I've always had to work really hard to get lines to stick in my brain. What do you hope that Shakespeare in the Park fans will take away from The Winter's Tale? That life and how we respond to what is presented to us is all about choice. Whether we chose fear or love, anger or forgiveness, determines how our lives play out. Every moment we make choices based on how we PERCEIVE our circumstances, or how we PERCEIVE the words, worth or ideologies of the person in front of us. We have the choice and the power. Who should play you in the feature film of your life? Me. :-) What Shakespeare character to you most resemble? Actually, I think Hermione. She loves her husband and being a mother above all else. She's not afraid to speak her mind or get a little cheeky, but remains true to her values and impeccable with her words. I relate to her, and strive to live this way. What's your superpower? Intuition. I like to think my instincts are pretty good. But if I could acquire one, I want to fly. I used to have a recurring dream as a kid about flying through the Streets of Old Milwaukee at the Public Museum! Tragedy, comedy or history? Comedy, definitely. Probably romantic comedy, at that -- I love a happy ending! Truth or dare? Truth. I allow myself to be vulnerable and try to be an open book. Plus, I'm kind of a chicken when it comes to daring behavior! Guilty pleasure? Any dessert. ANY. DESSERT. More about Beth: Beth Mulkerron will make her Optimist Theatre debut in this summer's The Winter's Tale. You may recognize her from her recent parts in A Christmas Carol or Ragtime with The Milwaukee Rep. She has sung in concert with Davis Gaines and The Milwaukee Symphony and performed across the country including Off-Broadway and locally at The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, The Fireside and Skylight Music Theatre. Television and voiceover credits include Miller, General Electric, the Wisconsin Lottery and NBC. Beth has also appeared in independent films and has enjoyed recording extensively for Hal Leonard. Beth studied Musical Theatre at the University of Cincinnati’s Conservatory of Music and received her BFA from Florida State University. ![]() The names that Shakespeare chose for his characters in The Winter's Tale gave his audience and now ours, hints about the qualities they embodied. In The Winter's Tale many of the characters were named after legendary Greek and Roman heroes. He added nuanced meanings perhaps best appreciated by audiences educated in classical Greek history and drama. We have provided some clues as to their meanings for those who may need a refresher in Greek studies! Leontes suggests leonine/lion-like tendencies (think Leo!); he is 'the king' after all. Hermione means pillar queen (she's so 'statuesque'). Polixenes has a dual meaning: guest or host. Perdita means lost; this character also symbolizes spring and renewal during the play. Paulina means small (but big in character). Camillo means perfect (good to have in your corner). Florizel means flower-like, which certainly suits the pastoral nature of the last part of the play in which he's a main character. Mamillius means dependent on mother for life. As a form of Maximilian, it means greatest/great promise. Cleomenes translates as praise, glory. Antigonus literal meaning is 'one who is against birth; although Shakespeare's Antigonus tries to escape the horrific task set before him. Autolycus translates to self/same (from auto) and wolf (from lycus). Autolycus implies a skill in trickery, which Shakespeare's character has in spades. MILWAUKEE, WIS. – With great confidence that southeastern Wisconsin will have put the harsh winter of 2013-2014 behind them sufficiently by June to appreciate William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale,” Optimist Theatre and BMO Harris Bank announce the dates of 2014’s Free Shakespeare in the Park. The romantic comedy will be performed across three weekends: June 13-15, June 19-22 and June 26-29. There will be a media preview on June 12. Shakespeare in the Park will return to COA Youth and Family Centers’ amphitheater in Alice Bertschy Kadish Park for a second year. The expansion of the season from two weekends to three was made possible, in part, by the organization’s achievement of a $20,000 challenge grant from 2014’s Presenting Sponsor BMO Harris Bank. Though fundraising for the free performances continues, the sponsorship of BMO Harris enables planning for the extended fifth season to proceed. ![]() In addition to announcing the season for Shakespeare in the Park, Optimist Theatre further revealed the casting of “The Winter’s Tale.” The production will be directed by M.L. Cogar, who has been both the Dramaturg and Assistant Director for all four of Shakespeare in the Park’s previous productions. Cogar is particularly drawn to “The Winter’s Tale” as “a panoramic adventure-romance that showcases some of Shakespeare’s richest language. The story stretches between two fairy tale kingdoms, across the genres of tragedy and comedy…it offers us a jealous king, a wrongly accused queen, a brave princess, a comic shepherd, and a singing thief—in other words, plenty of room for our team of local artists to explore the parallel inventiveness of both performance and production.” The audience, she explains, should “expect clear language and storytelling, evocative movement and music, and technical artistry that celebrates imaginative theater traditions. And puppets.” The cast for “The Winter’s Tale” includes: Allie Babich as Perdita David Bohn in the Ensemble James Carrington as Dion / Ensemble Liz Fraglia as Dorcas / Ensemble David Franz in the Ensemble Ron Scot Fry as Antigonus Cassondra Gresl in the Ensemble Ethan Hall as Florizel Jeffrey James Ircink as the Shepherd Ashley Jordan as Mamillius / Ensemble Mary Kababik as Paulina Megan Kaminsky as Mopsa / Ensemble Patrick Lawlor* as Polixenes Linda Loving in the Ensemble Brian Miracle as the Clown Beth Monhollen as Cleomenes Emmit Morgan as Camilio Beth Mulkerron* as Hermione / Autolycus Tom Reed* as Leontes Genessee Spridco as Emilia and Susan Scot Fry as the Bear *Member of Actor’s Equity Association The cast includes the return of several actors from prior seasons of Shakespeare in the Park, alongside a number of Optimist Theatre debuts. Tom Reed, Optimist Theatre Associate Artistic Director and Shakespeare in the Park Producer, as well as the production’s Leontes, is “pretty darned excited to collaborate with this cast and crew. Each of our productions arises from the chemistry of the people we pull together. This cast of local professionals is so multi-talented—we have singers, actors, dancers, musicians—I almost can’t wait for the audience to see the results. We’ll be using all those talents to the best of our Optimistic abilities!” About “The Winter’s Tale” Generally believed to have been written later in Shakespeare’s career (1610-1611), “The Winter’s Tale” is a romantic comedy of jealousy and suspected infidelity, revenge, and ultimately, of redemption and reunion. It contains one of the most famous stage directions in English literary history: “Exit, pursued by a bear.” Some speculate that, because the Elizabethan theaters were housed in the same sketchy entertainment district as the “bear baiting” pits, it is possible that one or more performances featured a live bear. Of further interest to historians, the plot, in which a monarch falsely accuses his consort of adultery, appears to parallel the fall of Queen Anne Boleyn, second wife to King Henry VIII, and may have been an allusion to which the Bard’s audience would have been attuned. ![]() About Optimist Theatre Optimist Theatre is a 501(c)3 non-profit theatre company and an affiliate member of UPAF, the United Performing Arts Fund. Free Shakespeare in the Park is supported in part by a grant from the Wisconsin Arts Board. In addition to Free Shakespeare in the Park, Optimist Theatre offers interactive educational outreach performances such as “To Be! Shakespeare Here and Now.” The organization’s goals include reaching artists and audiences across the economic, ethnic, and experiential landscape by creating art that is accessible to all people. They aspire to educate, entertain, and inspire through creative works of artistic integrity and, in doing so, to serve as a “gateway” theatre experience, bringing new audiences to the arts. To learn more, visit OptimistTheatre.org, or contact Managing Director Susan Scot Fry at [email protected] or 262/498-5777 or Artistic Director, Ron Scot Fry at [email protected] or 262/498-9788. Shakespeare in the Park is also support in part by grants from the Wisconsin Arts Board, the Milwaukee Arts Board with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts, the United Arts Performing Fund, and the Milwaukee County Arts Fund (CAMPAC). For those of you not able to be with us at our "UNSPHERE THE STARS" fundraiser on February 12th, you missed a sincerely magnificent time. From Patrick Lawlor's playful MC-ing to the Milwaukee Opera Theatre's selections from their current season to a cameo appearance by the Bard of Avon himself -- the evening was a barnburner! ![]() Our headliner, Philip Earl Johnson, wowed the crowd and proved, once again, why he's been a favorite each year he's appeared at our winter shindig. We also could not have been happier to fill Turner Hall Ballroom with the smoky, swanky, sexy sounds of Ms. Anita Stemper. Of course, without those who bought tickets and made donations and bid on auction items, all those terrific performers would -- well, still have been terrific. But we wouldn't, at the end of it, be announcing our fifth season of Shakespeare in the Park, NOW WITH 50% MORE TRAGEDY, COMEDY, JEALOUSY, FALSE ACCUSATIONS, BRAVERY, SONG, DANCE AND YES, PUPPETS! ![]() In the course of thanking those of you who attended and donated and bid, we must extend special thanks to our friends at the AAUW -- American Association of University Women (Milwaukee). This terrific organization has been empowering women for more than 100 years. Their generous donation is one of those that allows us to present The Winter's Tale as our 2014 Shakespeare in the Park production. |
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