Shakespeare Theatre's Season at a Glance

Laughs from Shakespeare, an updated French farce, a faithful adaptation of “Oliver Twist” and a new twist on “Man of La Mancha” are all part of the celebration of 50 years of classics at the .

Here’s the 2012 season at a glance, with comments on each production from Artistic Director Bonnie J. Monte.

 “Henry IV, Part One”
May 30 to June 24

Monte's comment: For Shakespeare purists and Shakespeare traditionalists, they are going to love it.

“The Comedy of Errors”
June 20 to July 29, on the outdoor stage at the College of St. Elizabeth

Directed by Jason King Jones, who’s been with us since 1998, with a big crazy group of young actors playing all those crazy twins.

“The Liar”
July 4 to 29

[Pierre Corneille’s 17th-century French farce] is a play that has been on my list for a long time, and the most oft-produced translation of it is one that was done by a British playwright years ago.

But then David Ives, a contemporary American playwright, came out with this new adaptation, which premiered at the Shakespeare theater in Washington D.C. and that interestingly I paid a lot of attention to, in part because we had two company members who were in it. … it was a huge hit in Washington and I thought my audience, being who they are, they would just adore it. And [Director Paul Mullins] is brilliant with this stuff. If you want to laugh you should come because it’s going to be hysterical.

“Measure for Measure”
Aug. 8 to 26

A play that I’ve always wanted to do although it’s been produced here twice during my time. I always kind of handed it off reluctantly to other directors … I’m finally getting my shot at it. … a very dark comedy.

“Oliver Twist”
Sept. 12 to Oct. 7, Adapted by Neil Bartlett

Obviously this theater is a very big fan of Neil Bartlett, his ‘Christmas Carol’ has been very good to us. We love his vision of that play. He really does seem to channel Charles Dickens. He doesn’t use any words but Dickens’ own and then he creates this sort of ensemble approach. (A cast of 12 is planned.)

“Man of La Mancha”
Oct. 17 to Nov. 18

The first actual musical we’ve done in a long time … I was really looking for a big, epic, crowd-pleasing show, and I found out it was Bob’s [Robert Cuccioli, who will play the lead role] favorite show. I’m quite in love with the whole Don Quixote myth, or story, and was interested in tackling it in a bit of a different way than it’s normally done … It’s not going to have a traditional orchestra. All of the playing of instruments will emanate in a far more organic way, and all the music will be produced by all the actors in the cast. … All of that singing and music emanates from a moment where the emotion is so high that there is no choice but to sing.

“Trelawny of the Wells”
Dec. 5 to 30. Arthur Wing Pinero’s 1898 romantic comedy about life in the theater

A show I’ve been waiting to do for 30 years. … A beautiful piece that celebrates actors and life in the theater, and it just seemed like the perfect homage for the end of a 50th season … a veteran cast of people I love working with. People I’ve worked with many times, who in embodying the theater company that appears in the play, they are echoing the real-life theater company that is the Shakespeare Theatre.