GREAT RIVER SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL

CREATION OF ART: GRSF PRODUCED HAMLET AND MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING AND PERFORMED THEM 32 TIMES OVER THE FIVE-WEEK PERIOD FROM JUNE 27-JULY 28, 2024. REHEARSALS, SET CONSTRUCTION, AND PROP & COSTUME CREATION OCCURRED DURING THE FIVE WEEKS PRIOR TO THE BEGINNING OF THE PERFORMANCES. ATTENDANCE FOR THE TWO PLAYS WAS 5,333. THIS WAS A DECLINE FROM TOTAL ATTENDANCE IN 2023 HOWEVER, THE FESTIVAL OFFERED ONE LESS PRODUCTION. THE AVERAGE ATTENDANCE AT EACH SHOW GREW 38 PERCENT (FROM 121 PEOPLE TO 167). THE PRODUCTION OF HAMLET HAD BEEN IN THE PLANNING STAGES FOR ALMOST A DECADE AS ARTISTIC DIRECTOR DOUG SCHOLZ-CARLSON HAD WANTED TO DIRECT LONG-TIME COMPANY MEMBER TARAH FLANAGAN IN THIS TITLE ROLE. THE TRADITION OF HAVING A WOMAN PLAY HAMLET IS CENTURIES OLD BUT STILL UNCOMMON FOR OUR AUDIENCES. AUDIENCES WERE, FOR THE MOST PART, ENTHUSIASTIC WITH THEIR RESPONSE. ONE WRITTEN COMMENT WAS PARTICULARLY SATISFYING: "THERE WAS A DARLING YOUNG GIRL SITTING NEAR ME - SHE WAS WITH HER GRANDPARENTS AND TOTALLY MESMERIZED BY HAMLET. I TOLD HER IT WAS THE BEST PRODUCTION OF HAMLET I HAD EVER SEEN. SHE SMILED AND SAID, 'I WANT TO DO THAT SOMEDAY.'" MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING FEATURED TWO MIDDLE-AGED BLACK ACTORS IN THE LEAD ROLES OF BEATRICE AND BENEDICK. BOTH HAVE ESTABLISHED THEMSELVES AS FESTIVAL (AND GUTHRIE THEATER) FAVORITES FOR THEIR COMEDIC AND DRAMATIC WORK. ONE AUDIENCE MEMBER COMMENTED: "I ESPECIALLY WANT TO COMPLIMENT YOU ON 'TAKING LIBERTIES' WITH MUCH ADO... THE 'SLAP STICK' MADE THE EVENING HILARIOUSLY ENJOYABLE! THE EVENING WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN NEARLY AS ENJOYABLE IF YOU HAD PLAYED THE PRODUCTION STRAIGHT. I'VE GONE TO EVERY PRODUCTION SINCE THE FIRST AND HAVE APPRECIATED THE DRAMATIC SCENES, MUSIC AND COSTUMES IN THE TRAGEDIES AND HISTORIES AND THE LIBERTIES YOU'VE TAKEN WITH THE COMEDIES. I WISH I COULD PERSUADE ALL MY FRIENDS, SOME OF WHOM THINK SHAKESPEARE IS DULL, UNINTERESTING AND INCOMPREHENSIBLE, TO COME TO YOUR PRODUCTIONS." RESPONSES LIKE THESE ARE INDICATIVE OF THE FESTIVAL ACCOMPLISHING ITS MISSION TO ENRICH LIVES WITH CLEARLY UNDERSTOOD PRODUCTIONS.

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT: THE FESTIVAL HOSTED FOUR POST-SHOW DISCUSSIONS WITH THE CASTS AND AUDIENCE MEMBERS. AUDIENCE'S WANTED TO EXPLORE DIRECTIONAL CHOICES LIKE HAVING HAMLET START THE FAMOUS "TO BE OR NOT TO BE" MONOLOGUE WHILE WALKING IN FROM THE SIDE OF THE STAGE RATHER THAN STANDING CENTER FULL OF THOUGHT. THE DIRECTOR AND ACTOR COMMENTED THAT THEY WANTED THE AUDIENCE TO FEEL THAT THEY WERE PART OF HAMLET'S CONTINUAL STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS. THE RAPID PACE OF THE SPEECH WAS ALSO EXPLORED. IT HAD BEEN DESIGNED TO HELP THE AUDIENCE FEEL HAMLET'S FRENZY IN TRYING TO PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER OF WHAT HAD HAPPENED TO HIS FAMILY. AT ONE OF THE TALKBACKS FOR MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, A DISCUSSION REVOLVED AROUND WOMEN STILL FIGHTING FOR AUTONOMY 400 YEARS AFTER THIS PLAY WAS WRITTEN. AUDIENCES ALSO WANTED TO KNOW WHAT ATTRACTED THE TWO BLACK LEADS TO WINONA. THEY COMMENTED THAT GRSF "WALKS THE TALK" IN ITS DEDICATION TO EMBRACING DIVERSITY AND THEY PRAISED THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENGAGE WITH AUDIENCES IN THIS MANNER. ADDITIONAL OUTREACH PROGRAMS INCLUDED FIVE SUNDAY MORNING PANEL DISCUSSIONS AT A LOCAL COFFEE HOUSE. EACH FEATURED A DIFFERENT ASPECT OF THEATRICAL PRODUCTION AND VARIED MEMBERS OF THE COMPANY. AIRED ON FACEBOOK LIVE, EACH PANEL TOOK QUESTIONS FROM THE LIVE AUDIENCE AS WELL AS ONLINE PARTICIPANTS. DEDICATED PERFORMANCES WERE SET UP AS "FIDGET FRIENDLY AND TWO PERFORMANCES WERE TRANSLATED IN AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE AND AUDIO DESCRIBED FOR THE DEAF. EACH FRIDAY AFTERNOON PERFORMANCE WAS PRECEDED BY A FREE WORKSHOP FOR AREA TEENS WHO THEN RECEIVED FREE TICKETS TO THE PERFORMANCE. THE WEEKLY EMAILED NEWSLETTER FEATURED HAPPENINGS AT THE FESTIVAL AS WELL AS SPECIAL CONTENT LIKE "SHAKESPEARE'S COUPLE'S THERAPY," A SPOOF OF THE TELEVISION SERIES WHERE MEMBERS OF THE COMPANY PORTRAYED VARIOUS SHAKESPEARE COUPLES ON THE COUCH WITH A THERAPIST. THIS SPOOF IS THE LATEST ADDITION TO GRSF'S EXTENSIVE YOUTUBE CONTENT.