Shakespeare takes over Schiller Park

Enjoy some of the Bard's classics for free

By Dwayne Steward
Metromix Columbus
Associate Producer
July 13, 2009

The Actors' Theatre Company doesn't mind doing it in the rain. And by it, we mean "acting."

The Columbus institution has been putting on outdoor productions of classic plays for nearly 30 years, and has often braved the elements.

"During opening night we had some small rain showers," said Pam Hill, director of the company's current production of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," which runs every Thursday through Sunday at Schiller Park until Aug 2. "The story begins with a huge violent storm outside in the ocean, so sometimes the weather cooperates with you."

However, don't count on always having to sit through a downpour, as the theater troupe's Web site states that shows will be cancelled if it's raining too hard.

"One of the downturns of outdoor theatre is that you are subject to the weather, and as we all know, Ohio weather can be somewhat fickle," said John S. Kuhn, the company's artistic director and an eight-year Actors' Theatre veteran.

The company suggests that patrons not only bring blankets and lawn chairs to sit on, but some extra clothing in case a chill sets in.

Shakespeare's timeless tale of "The Tempest," which is the current production, follows the journey of Prospero, a Duke of Milan, after he's banished by his own brother from the city. He lands on a mysterious island full of magic and mythical creatures. Endowed with the island's powers, he causes a storm to shipwreck his brother's ship on the island as it's passing by.

"This is my favorite Shakespeare play because it's not just a comedy or a tragedy or a romance—it combines all three," said Hill, a guest director who's worked with the Cincinnati Playhouse, Dayton's Human Race, Columbus' Contemporary American Theatre Company and directed in 10 other states throughout her career. "It's very magical, and that's how I try to direct it."

"Prospero introduces the king's son to his daughter, there's the romance. There's a jester and a drunken butler, there's the comedy. And the brother betrays him, that part is the tragedy," she said. "The essence of the play is, ‘What does he do with these people that betrayed him?'"

For the company's third staging of "The Tempest," Hill wanted to make things as authentic as possible.

"We didn't change anything—it's the story that Shakespeare wrote, but we found the original music," Hill said. "Paul Shammel (from local band Reganomics) was able to take this music and put it to the harpsichord and a pipe and other instruments from back then. So the music that people hear is what people heard when it was staged during Shakespeare's time."

There are also a host of special effects being added to the production that Hill said shouldn't be missed.

"They say it's something they've never seen before in the park," she said. "It's kind of ... magical."

The company typically produces three plays throughout the summer. "The Three Musketeers" ran in June, and the troupe is currently in rehearsals for Shakespeare's "As You Like It" (running Aug. 6 through Sept. 6.), which they're planning to shake up a little bit.

"We're going to be staging it in the style similar to 'Avenue Q,' where life-size puppets will interact with the actors," Kuhn said. "I thought it would be a fun approach, seeing that it's a comedy."

Kuhn will be teaming up with Beth Kattelman, a local puppet connoisseur, to direct the one-of-a-kind production.

"I don't think anyone has ever done it this way," Kuhn said. "And we're always trying to find ways to make Shakespeare more accessible to a younger audience."

So, why should you take a chance on Shakespeare in the park?

"It's the only place where people can see classical theatre for free," Kuhn said. "As a community resource, there's nothing else like this in the central Ohio region."

"The Tempest" runs at Schiller Park Thursday through Sunday until Aug 2. Admission is free, but donations are encouraged. For more information, visit the Actors' Theatre Company Web site.