For production notes, photos and quotes from reviews for all past productions, visit Past Productions.
To read and hear the Story of the Plays, visit Story of the Plays.

Meet the Casts of the 2012 Season


KING JOHN

King John - Marin Shakespeare 2012Shakespeare’s play KING JOHN was hugely popular during his lifetime. It was also the subject of the first film ever based on a Shakespeare play ; a two-minute 1899 silent film in black and white shows Herbert Beerbohm Tree enacting King John’s death scene.

One of the reasons the play was so popular is that in it Shakespeare romanticizes King John, showing him as savvy politician reluctant to cause harm to his nephew Prince Arthur, whose claim to the English throne was stronger than was John’s.

In reality, John was a disastrous ruler with a reputation for violent rages, few military successes, and a history of increasing taxes on the populace. His disagreement with the pope over who should be appointed Archbishop of Canterbury led to his excommunication, which made all marriages and christenings in England unlawful, a spiritual penalty which the English people abhorred. John’s abuses of power were so vast that he was eventually forced to sign the Magna Carta, which guaranteed basic rights to his subjects and the king’s acceptance that he could not exercise his will arbitrarily.

When John later tried to ignore the Magna Carta, he initiated a civil war during which he contracted dysentery, lost his treasure while trying to cross a rising river, and died while in flight. That Shakespeare was able to portray John as a smart politician, full of morality, with a legitimate claim to the crown, showed the Plantagenets in an exalted heroic light. The play is a gloriously rousing story of English patriotism. It it full of humor, wisdom, and dramatic excitement. We are thrilled to bring this little performed play to the Forest Meadows stage this summer.

More about The Historical King John, written by Dramaturg Cathleen Sheehan
More about Eleanor of Aquitaine, written by Dramaturg Cathleen Sheehan

Puck and Bottom - Midsummer Night's Dream 2012 - Marin ShakespeareA MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

One of the most popular of all Shakespeare’s plays, this romantic comedy of lunatics, lovers and poets transports us to the magical woods outside of Athens where the Fairy King and Queen squabble, play tricks, and eventually reconcile, while mortals (“Lord what fools these mortals be!”) fall in and out of love. Meanwhile, the pluckiest troupe of amateur actors ever assembled is rehearsing a play, a story of star-crossed lovers. The madness and mischief takes place mainly by moonlight in this magical, love-drenched tale. Shakespeare’s poetical skills are at their height and the music of his language weaves a charmed spell of its own.

We are setting this summer’s production of this magical, romantic play in magical, romantic Hawaii. For Background information about Hawaiian culture and concepts, please visit the website of Shawna Kealameleku’uleialoha Alapa’i at www.hulaon.org

About Aloha, written by Shawna Kealameleku’uleialoha Alapa’i



The Liar - Marin Shakespeare 2012 THE LIAR

Pierre Corneille (1606-1684), was the first great French playwright. His work influenced Moliere, Racine, Marivaux and Beaumarchais. Under the patronage of Cardinal Richelieu, Corneille was encouraged to write plays which conformed to the classical unities, transpiring over a single day in a unique location.

The only two plays by Shakespeare that conform to these classical unities are his first comedy, “The Comedy of Errors“, and his final full-length play, “The Tempest“.

The Liar” tells the story of a young man who cannot keep from telling lies, which become more and more outrageous over the course of the play. Of course, there is also a character who can only tell the truth. The clever plot has many romantic twists and turns. The adaptation by the brilliant David Ives is witty, charming, clever and tremendously fun. This is a fast-paced romantic romp in rhyming couplets, a tour de force of language, social satire, and theatrical comedy. We are delighted to present the Bay Area premiere of this classic new/old farce.

More About Pierre Corneille, written by Dramaturg Cathleen Sheehan

Meet the Casts of the 2012 Season

KING JOHN

THE CAST

On the English Side
King John, king of England – Scott Coopwood*
Prince Henry, his son – Zane Morissey
Queen Elinor, widow of King Henry II and mother to King John – Maxine Sattizahn
Blanche, Queen Elinor’s granddaughter and King John’s niece – Sabrina Ferreira-Clifton
Earl of Pembroke – Buzz Halsing
Earl of Salisbury – Steven Salzman
Earl of Essex – Mario Thompson
Hubert de Burgh, Chamberlain to the King – James Hiser*
Robert Faulconbridge, a gentleman from Northamptonshire – Daniel Wallach
Philip Faulconbridge, his older brother – Erik MacRay
Lady Faulconbridge, their mother – Ellen Brooks
Jane Gurney, servant to Lady Faulconbridge – Nicole Thordsen
Peter of Pompfret, a prophet – Jack Halton
Executioners – Gary Grossman, Jack Halton
An English Messenger – Bradley Tejeda

On the French Side
King Philip – Barry Kraft*
Lewis the Dauphin, his son – Alexander Lenarsky
Prince Arthur, Duke of Brittany, son of Geffrey, elder brother of King John, rightful heir to the English throne – Samuel Berston
Constance, mother to Prince Arthur – Liz Sklar*
Chatillon, Ambassador from France to King – John Brandon Mears
Archduke of Austria – Gary Grossman
Mayor of Angiers, a city in Anjou – Jack Halton
A French Messenger – Sean Mirkovich
Soldiers, Messengers, Citizens of Angiers – Ellen Brooks, Tara Costello, Sean Mirkovich, Megan Putnam, Gabriela Schneider, Bradley Tejeda, Nicole Thordsen, Daniel Wallach

On the Side of the Pope
Cardinal Pandulph, the Pope’s Legate – Stephen Muterspaugh*

PRODUCTION TEAM
Director- Lesley Schisgall Currier
Producer- Lesley Schisgall Currier
Costume Design- Abra Berman
Dialect Coach- Lynne Soffer
Dramturg- Cathleen Sheehan
Fight Director- Robert Squeri
Lighting Design- Ellen Brooks
Properties- Joel and Toni Eis
Script Consultant – Barry Kraft
Set Design- Mark Robinson
Sound Design/Composer- Brendan Aanes
Stage Manager- Sabrina Kniffin*
Assistant Stage Manager- Josh Garcia-Cotter

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

THE CAST

Duke Theseus – Damien Seperi

Hippolyta, soon to be his bride – Sylvia Burboeck

Egeus, father of Hermia – Jack Halton

Hermia – Jessica Salans

Lysander – Brandon Mears

Demetrius – Evan Bartz

Helena – Luisa Frasconi
Attendant to Duke Theseus – Sean Mirkovich

Bottom – Jarion Monroe*

Quince – Stephen Muterspaugh*

Flute – Alexander Lenarsky

Snout – George Q. Nguyen

Starveling – Amy Lizardo

Snug – Jai Sahai

Titania, Queen of the Fairies – Cat Thompson*

Oberon, King of the Fairies – Scott Coopwood*

Puck, Oberon’s henchman – James Hiser*

Peaseblossom – Ashley Rose McKenna

Cobweb – Megan Putnam
Moth – Hannah Jester

Mustardseed – Shana Tinkle

A Changeling Child – Jacob Trejo

PRODUCTION TEAM

Director – Robert S. Currier
Producer – Lesley Schisgall Currier
Choreographer – Cynthia Pepper
Costume Design – Tammy Berlin
Fight Director – Robert Squeri
Lighting Design – Ellen Brooks
Properties – Joel and Toni Eis
Set Design – Mark Robinson
Sound Design/Composer – Billie Cox
Stage Manager – Sabrina Kniffin*
Assistant Stage Manager – Josh Garcia-Cotter

THE LIAR

Dorante – Darren Bridgett*

Cliton – Stephen Muterspaugh*

Clarece – Cat Thompson*

Lucrece – Elena Wright*

Alcippe – James Hiser*

Philiste – Scott Coopwood*

Geronte – Jarion Monroe*

Isabelle & Sabine – Natasha Noel

PRODUCTION TEAM

MSC Producer & Director, King John – Lesley Currier

MSC Artistic Director & Director, A Midsummer Night’s Dream & The Liar – Robert Currier

Stage Manager – Sabrina Kniffin*

ASM – Josh Garcia-Cotter

Set Designer – Mark Robinson

Lighting Designer – Ellen Brooks

Props Designer – Joel and Toni Eis

Sound Designer, Composer, King John – Brendan Aanes

Sound Designer, Composer, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Liar – Billie Cox

Costume Designer, King John & The Liar – Abra Berman

Costume Designer, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Tammy Berlin

Dialect & Text Coach, King John – Lynne Soffer

Choreographer, A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Cynthia Pepper

Dramaturg – Cathleen Sheehan