Orlando Shakes February 2023 cast on stage
If you're a lover of theater, have a passion for a play, or simply want an alternative to an action-packed, bomb exploding film, if you're near Orlando, be sure to visit Orlando Shakes. It's hard to know until you know that "Shakes" is short for "Shakespeare" and then everything falls into place. The theater is in Loch Haven Park, a cultural hub in Orlando that also houses the Orlando Museum of Art, the
Orlando Science Center, and other arts organizations.
Orlando Shakes, also known as the Orlando Shakespeare Theater, is a professional theater company located in Orlando, Florida producing over 100 performances each year, including plays, musicals, and special events. Founded in 1989 as a project of the University of Central Florida, it was originally known as the Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival. They're known for high-quality productions of Shakespeare's plays, as well as other classic and contemporary works. In fact, Orlando Shakes is one of the few theater companies in the United States that produces all of Shakespeare's plays.
Thus far, they've produced over 80 Shakespeare plays since its inception, including classics like Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, and Macbeth, as well as lesser-known works like Pericles and Cymbeline. To effectively accomplish this, they employ a team of Shakespeare scholars and experts who provide context and historical background for each production. As an audience member, you'll benefit from this with the helpful "recaps" provided before a performance to explain the production you're about to see and where it fits in historical context. In our case, it was the explanation of Henry V after the plays Henry III and IV and prior to the next Tudor tragedy.
John and Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center
You'll quickly understand why they're well known for their innovative staging and creative interpretations of Shakespeare's work. They have a strong commitment to making Shakespeare accessible to a wide range of audiences including young people, seniors, and individuals with disabilities. They've won numerous awards over the years, including the prestigious Governor's Award for Excellence in the Arts. The theater's commitment to Shakespeare's work has helped to establish it as one of the premier theater companies in the Southeastern United States.
The John & Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Center, a beautiful contemporary building, allows Orlando Shakes commitment to preserving Shakespeare's legacy and has partnered with the Folger Shakespeare Library to digitize its archives and make them available online to scholars and theater professionals around the world.
Orlando Shakes Main Theater
The Orlando Shakes' artistic director, Jim Helsinger, has been with the company since its inception and has directed over 30 productions for Orlando Shakes. Orlando Shakes has a strong commitment to diversity and inclusion, both in its casting and its programming. The theater has produced works by and about people of color, women, and members of the LGBTQ community. Douglas Love-Ramos, the recently joined Managing Director, Orlando Shakes, looks forward to producing exceptional Shakespeare plays, as well as bringing contemporary new plays and classics to life for audiences of all ages.
The mid-size theater allows for the actors to interact freely with the audience, using the patron stairways as entry and exit points as well as the balconies from above. While startling at first, having performers rush past you or sit on the step next to you, embrace it.
Orlando Shakes Henry V cast
I particularly enjoyed the recap of prior theatrical performances that get us to this point. Here's an example...
"The crown passed to his grandson Black Prince who took France in the battle of Cresky - crown passed to his grandson, Richard II who was a petty and wasteful king. He banished his cousin Henry Brolenbroke, also an heir and grandson, from England the kingdom and when Brolenbroke's father, John of Gaunt, died, Richard took all of his lands.
Well, Brolenbroke came back from banishment, took over from Richard II, seized his crown, and Brolenbroke became Henry IV - that's Richard II in a nutshell.
ta da!
Now, on to Henry IV part 1: Henry is now Henry IV but unhappy with his governance, yet another grandson of Henry III, Roger Mortimer, joins Hotspur and his father Northumberland become rebels and try to make Mortimer King of England.
Meanwhile, at the Boors Head Tavern, there's a young Prince Hal, drinking and carousing with Falstaff and petty criminals. Hapsburg joins with King Henry's armies the battle was fierce but ultimately Hal fights with Hapsburg and kills him in battle.
Henry IV ends with the promise to end the battle and bring down the remaining rebels.
ta da! That's Henry IV part I."
See? It's catchy.
And they even have prizes and buttons "I Survived the War of the Roses."
Orlando Shakes also produces adaptations of Shakespeare's plays that are designed for younger audiences, such as "Shakespeare for Kids" and "Shakespeare Sampler."
And beyond Shakespeare's plays, Orlando Shakes also produces works by other classic and contemporary playwrights, as well as musicals and special events.
In addition to its mainstage productions, Orlando Shakes also offers a variety of educational and outreach programs, including workshops, lectures, camps, and performances for schools.
They truly live their mission to "
Enrich our community with engaging professional theater, inspiring educational experiences, and thought-provoking new plays."
It's great fun, a way to gather the classics as well as Broadway hits like Kinky Boots coming up in April.
It's an interesting premise, Orlando Shakes, once you understand what it's all about. Their patron drive continues, so please, support the arts. Go and see live theater and any other artistic endeavor whenever possible.
Special thanks to Michael Laderman, Director of Public Relations and Marketing, for hosting me to the
Henry V show through the Visit Orlando VIP Media Passport. All opinions contained herein are my own.
