Shakespeare Santa Cruz

[Drunk Monk]

Henry V 8/18/13

My kid took me as a belated Father's day gift ironically. It was delightful. I wasn't very familiar with Henry V, although I thought I was. I only really knew the "Once more unto the breach" speech. It was a lot funnier than I expected. T took me because she thought there would be swordfights, but there was none, save a sword vs. leek fight. Nevertheless, Shakespeare Santa Cruz was very enjoyable. The grove is really pleasant and laid back. I am eager to see some of Willy's more frivolous plays like A Midsummer Night's Dream there (but they did that in 2009 already).

[Greg_phpbb3_import1]

Haven't you seen the Kenneth Brannagh version? That was very good. So is Olivier's but I haven't seen that one.

[Drunk Monk]

i love all of branagh's takes on willy. i'll have to check that out.

[thatguy]

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Shakespeare Santa Cruz to end 32-year run due to budget problems

UC Santa Cruz announced today that this will be the final season for Shakespeare Santa Cruz (SSC), the professional repertory company in residence at the campus.

The current season, the 32nd since the festival debuted on campus in 1981, will conclude this year following the annual holiday show in December.

“The campus has provided Shakespeare Santa Cruz with a large amount of financial support in hopes that the company could become more financially self-sustaining,” said David Yager, UCSC dean of the arts. “Unfortunately, with each passing season, it has become clearer that this goal is not attainable."

"Many talented, dedicated, and generous people have made Shakespeare Santa Cruz a theater company to be proud of," Yager added. "Despite their considerable efforts and generous support from the campus, it has become obvious that ticket sales, sponsorships, and private support are just insufficient to keep the company going."

The decision comes almost five years after SSC raised $419,000 in emergency donations in December 2008 — support from the public that guaranteed at least a 2009 season. Despite that one-time emergency patch and a push for ongoing private support in the years that followed, the company's dependence on campus funds has not declined.

In fact, it has grown. Campus contributions to the company over the past 10 years have totaled $2.13 million. Almost $1.5 million of that has come since 2009, the year after the fundraising drive.

Even with an initial campus contribution of $250,000 during the most recent full fiscal year, revenues still fell short of planned expenditures by nearly $500,000 — effectively making the total shortfall $750,000 for 2012-13.

The end-of-year $500,000 shortfall took the company's cumulative debt from $1.48 million to $1.98 million.

Alison Galloway, the campus's executive vice chancellor, said the campus's overall budget challenges—caused by years of reduced state support — have made it harder each year to support SSC. “We have had to make very tough decisions about the budget — including making cuts to academic programs,” she said. “We care deeply about SSC and very much appreciate the program and its value. But we also have to be accountable to our students, who are paying more than ever and need courses to graduate on time."

Yager said the closure of Shakespeare Santa Cruz after the current season doesn't necessarily mean that UCSC cannot be home to a theater company — and he anticipates creating a blue-ribbon committee to "reimagine how our campus could host a company that is financially stable, academically relevant, and closely aligned with the activities of a major research university."

"It is sad to see Shakespeare Santa Cruz end, and we are very appreciative of the many people who have supported the company — through their contributions, sponsorships, and ticket purchases,” said Yager.

He also thanked the people responsible for the company's artistic achievements. “Over the past three decades, we’ve had incredible actors, designers, and directors who have been a part of this extraordinary theater company, and we want to recognize all of them.”

“I also want to thank the countless dedicated staff and volunteers who have supported those artists and made all those shows possible over the past 32 years,” said Yager.

“But I believe the time is right to take a new look at how to create a sustainable model for theater at UCSC.”

Yager added that “Shakespeare to Go” — a program that currently brings Shakespeare to nearly 8,000 students (grades 5 and up) throughout the Central Coast each spring — will be retained.

“The plans are to integrate Shakespeare to Go into our Theater Arts Department and continue to raise private money to make sure it can operate,” said Yager.


Editor's Note: The current summer festival will conclude as scheduled on September 1.

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

[thatguy]

Shut up, Number One!

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--tg

[Drunk Monk]

Make it so!

[Drunk Monk]

Back in the grove for more Willy the Shakes. To make money for the *new* org, SCS (as opposed to SSC) went with two comedies, the first being that cross-dressing fav, As You LIke It. Curiously, it had country/cowboy costumes, a weird flashback to DallASS for DM, but that was somewhat negligible as the sets were minimal. For Arden forest, they just opened the curtain backdrop and lit up that lush redwood grove that is 'the grove', and that worked perfectly (Orlando posting his love notes to Rosalind on the trees at intermission worked really well). Only Celia gave her character a country lilt. The rest played it pretty straight. Rosalind was excellent, totally nailing her part. Celia was great too. The comic timing of the SCS troupe was spot on, getting laughs at so many subtle Shakespearian lines. Elaine Avila (almost DOOM little sista until her feminist ways protested too much) once told me that good Shakespearean actors should enunciate so that the first three rows get covered with spittle. We were in the second row of seats, but given that there was a blanket row before the seats, we were out of the spittle zone (good thing too as we could see it fly in the spotlights). 'Twas an excellent show. I Willy. His prose just shines and as a hack (yet professional) writer, I remain in awe of his poetic brilliance. It's so delightful to see a troupe tackle Willy successfully, and so wonderful to be at SCS, just a short drive up the hill, nestled in that magical redwood grove.

We go back tonight for Merry Wives of Windsor.

[Drunk Monk]

Falstaff is funny, but this is not one of my favorite of Willy's. It's one of the more simplistic plays, sophomoric and slapstick even, and lacks the profundity and poetry of prose as his master works. Nevertheless, it is very impressive that the SCS troupe can juggle two plays in their heads, alternating performances like this. And again, the grove makes for a great backdrop for Hearn's Oak, even though they are redwoods (if you've never been, there are redwoods growing right through the stage). This one was set in the 1920's which worked really well. What's more, there's a sword fight. It's a played for comedy and used fencing sabers and it took all my restraint not to charge up on stage and cry out "Be those sabers AFS or Victory made?!"

[Drunk Monk]

The last of the series for us and the only premiere. It's a modern satire, one that postulates that Shakespeare didn't write all his stuff. A slapstick comedy featuring giant phalluses (phalli?), fart jokes, gay humor, whores w/riding crops and cunnilingus. It was performed by the interns and many of the pro actors were attending the show. It was okay, funniest if you really know your Willy, but tended to lean towards the tragedies with which I'm not as familiar.

All in all, it was a very enjoyable three nights in the grove. So glad that SCS lives on. It's such a treat and such a short drive from the bungalow. We look forward to next year's performances.

And next...something completely different.

[Drunk Monk]

The last season in the grove. I will miss this stage as the redwoods are beautiful. But tonight it got cold when the fog came in, which would've worked for Macbeth if we didn't freeze our butts.

This was the 2nd preview night so the kinks weren't worked out. Lots of women in traditional male roles, but that was cool. The ghost scene was played for comedy which didn't work for me at all. Lots of swordfights but they all sucked, although they were all armoury broadswords save Macbeth's. The witches were good. Overall the weakest we've seen by this company. Having lived on Macbeth for over a decade, this play is dear to me. The show was upstaged by a raccoon climbing a redwood.

[Drunk Monk]

Our last show in the grove - Stacy's fav comedy. MAAN always feels a little like a reworking of Romeo & Juliet (the priest's death plot) and Taming of the Shrew (the dynamics of Benedict and Beatrice) but it's always a crowd pleaser. I'm also impressed by anyone that can memorize their part in a Willy play, let alone two parts, so it was very amusing to see the cast of last week's Macbeth recast. The program director took over the role of Benedict - surely using his directorial prerogative to nail a dream role of his for this final run. He does have a fantastic command of Shakespearean English, but seemed just a little old for the role. The female Banquio took over Beatrice, which worked as she's likable enough. Macbeth became both Don Jon and Dogberry, which stage hogged two of the best roles. I disliked Claudio, who could seem to distinguish the comedy from the tragedy.

Not stellar, but enjoyable. I hope the new digs for SSC are good. It'll be hard to beat the grove.

[thatguy]

Unlike DM's experience, we were breaking heat records in SC this weekend. The glen was nicely balmy well into the night. The kinks have mostly been worked out. A friend had seen it last week and again this night with us and said that this performance was improved. The women in male roles was fine by me, but a little confusing (Like when Macbeth worries that Princess Malcolm will be an obstacle). The witches had masks on for a good part of the play and were mic'd but I found them difficult to hear. We managed to get an outcropping of space in the second row. I don't know how people further back could understand them. While sitting on the ground gets uncomfortable, we were rewarded with the 3D-esque MacDuff almost landing in our laps. You could almost reach out and touch him and you didn't have to wear any funny glasses.

What DM said about the sword fights. It bothers me when people hold it from the blade in a fight. There was lots of that. Come on people, sharpen your swords!

--tg

[Drunk Monk]

We also caught a pre-show talk by the director, set builder and yes, the fight choreography. He was the wittiest of them, a tad pretentious as fight choreographers tend to be (ask ppfy, he knows). This was, of course, exacerbated by sucky fights. Alas.

3Desque Macduff would make a great euphemism for something...but what?

[thatguy]

I forgot to mention...the director of Santa Cruz Shakespeare came out before the play to thank the sell out crowd for coming and for their support for the last two years (and to ask for more support). He mentioned that SCS (not the former SCS) are negotiating with the city to use the Upper DeLaveaga park going forward and will have the leeway to build a theater facility to their needs. He also talked briefly about the play, the gender bending of the roles, and mentioned that it was an especially special night as it was the actual 958th anniversary of King MacBeth's death.

--tg