By Emily Sullivan
Associate Editor
William Shakespeare is the most widely performed playwright of all time. Having written around 40 plays, it’s no surprise. This past weekend, the SBU Theater department took a different stance on Shakespeare and turned the beloved classics into something brand new.
The play, “42 Shakes: A Work in Progress,” is a devised theater piece directed by Professor Rebecca Misenheimer. According to the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival, a devised theater piece can start with anything, whether it be a book, a poem or an existing play. From there, it is produced by a creative team who both writes and performs it. For any avid theater fans out there, “The Laramie Project” is a prime example of a devised theater piece.
The play attempts to answer the age-old question “what is the meaning of life?” by using scenes from various Shakespeare plays. The title of the play gives the impression that life is a work in progress.
“Not only is the play an actual work in progress, but it’s a work in progress because human beings make a progress,” Ed. Simone, director of the theater department, said. “We make a progression as we go through life.”
Unlike the average play in which each actor is assigned one role, the actors in “42 Shakes” were each assigned several different characters to portray. Molly Schaefer, senior sociology major, took on the role of one of Cleopatra’s (played by junior English major Lea Battaglia) handmaids from “Antony and Cleopatra” in one scene, and later delivers the famous Queen Mab speech from “Romeo and Juliet.” All the actors rose to the occasion and did a marvelous job with their parts.
The set design, created by Allie Herryman, ‘04, captured the essence of the play. She created a set that fit in with all the Shakespeare scenes. The set consisted of an old-fashioned looking wall where the actors could come and go behind for their scenes. Several mirrors lined the walls around the stage, which proved to be very significant by the end of the play.
The lighting design, done by senior journalism and mass communication and theater major, Frederick Alvarez, accompanied the set and the scenes flawlessly. They immediately hinted at the mood for the upcoming scene without overpowering what was actually happening.
The costume designer for the show, senior journalism and mass communications major Makeda Loney, managed to keep a Shakespearian feel to all the costumes while adding a modern twist. She managed to capture the essence of each character through their costumes, such as senior theater major Chasity Perkins, who offered most of the comedic relief. Her costume loosely resembled that of a court jester but was still contemporary enough to fit in with the rest of the cast. Junior journalism and mass communication and theater major Tori Lanzillo, who gracefully played both Miranda from “The Tempest” and Romeo from “Romeo and Juliet,” wore a costume that allowed her to play both roles without needing a costume change.
Overall, SBU Theater’s production of “42 Shakes: A Work in Progress” is not something you want to miss. If you didn’t catch it last weekend, you still have two more chances tonight and Saturday (March 28 and 29) at 7:30 p.m.
Come see the play that gives meaning to the saying “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” You won’t want to miss it!
sullivec10@bonaventure.edu
