Theatre presents Merry Wives of Windsor
Thursday, February 18, 2016 2:00 AM
News
Pittsburg, KS
The Pittsburg State University Theatre will present William Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” Feb. 25-28 in the Miller Theater of the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts. Performances will be at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 25-27 and at 2 p.m. on Feb. 27-28.
Director Gil Cooper said the production will use a blended plain English script to make the famous comedy more accessible to modern audiences.
“’The Merry Wives of Windsor’ is a comedy that Shakespeare’s audience easily connected to and we want our contemporary audience to connect just as easily,” said Cooper said. “That is why we are excited to perform a plain English translation that blends Shakespeare’s original lines with more accessible lines. The audience will experience the classic setting, costumes, and historically accurate acting style of Shakespeare’s theater, all in language that is easy to understand. It’s Shakespeare for the rest of us!”
The play follows the fumbling adventure of Sir John Falstaff, a jovial but rascally knight as he attempts to woo two married women at the same time. Unbeknownst to Falstaff, the wives, Mistress Page and Mistress Ford, are onto his plan and put the courting Falstaff through a series of hilarious humiliations, all of which culminate in Falstaff prancing around in the moonlight with horns on his head. In typical form, Shakespeare mixes outrageous situations, mistaken identities, and bigger than life characters as he spins this saucy comedy.
The play features a cast of 24 performers, including stage veterans Austin VanBecelaere as Falstaff, and Breezi Hancock and Megan Reed as Mistresses Ford and Page. Also, PSU alumnus Michael Fienen returns to the stage as Master Ford. The design team includes Costume Designer Lisa Quinteros and Scenic Designer/Technical Director Linden Little.
Tickets for the performance are $11 for the general public and $6 for persons under 17 or over 64. PSU Students, faculty and staff are admitted free with a valid I.D. Tickets may be purchased through the PSU Ticket Office in the Weede Physical Education Building, 1701 S. Homer, 620-235-4796, or online at www.pittstate.edu/tickets. Tickets may also be purchased at the Miller Theater starting approximately 30 minutes before each performance.