Backstage with Shakespeare

In the intimate setting of the Backstage Theatre, the Sayville Players presented All the World’s A Stage for their January Theatre “Laboratory” production. Introduced as an experiment in theatre, the skillful cast did everything to ensure the outcome was a memorable success!

“THE PLAY’S THE THING…”

All the World’s A Stage was originally a one-act Shakespearean sampler by Mary Schaller. Later, it was expanded and enhanced by George Spelvin, and in its current version, offered a succinctly entertaining retrospective, literally using the play-within-a-play theatrical device. Through their recitations of famous soliloquies, portrayals of infamous characters, and accountings of unforgettable storylines, the Sayville Players created rich characterizations with few props and in the minimalist setting of the backstage.

During the running commentary between Professor Harley Granville-Barker, Ph.D., and Mrs. Shakespeare, (who was happy to offer her perspective as the playwright’s beleaguered wife), Shakespeare’s genius was cleverly oriented in his times. Hearing the actors recite the choice excerpts helped the modern ear better comprehend the challenging language of the Bard of Avon;

Audiences learned the two-word definition of  Shakespeare’s tragedies (“everybody dies!), the three-word definition of Shakespeare’s comedies (everybody gets married!), and the four-word definition of Shakespeare’ histories (everybody goes to war!). In a game show setting, “contestants” were asked to guess who gets married to whom in which Shakespearean comedies.

As a drama presentation All the World’s A Stage, was “modular in nature,” Director Steve Hailey explained. This format allowed “presenters to utilize those scenes and episodes that are most appropriate to their unique audience and situation which is what we have attempted to do” each night,

ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL

Congratulations go to each member of the “good company” (see below) of Sayville Players. To quote from Taming of the Shrew, “The part was aptly fitted and naturally performed,” which could not better describe this year’s Laboratory production.

Special applause also go to Director Steven Hailey for offering multiple drama productions each year to our talented High School students, His 30-plus years of dedication to Sayville’s Drama program have tremendously benefitted the dramatic arts as well as the countless students who have found their Muse on the stage.

The Characters

 INTERLOCUTOR – Mr. Harley Granville-Barker, Ph.D.

COMMENTATOR -- Mrs. Anne Hathaway-Shakespeare

 from AS YOU LIKE IT -- Jacques

from MACBETH -- the Weird Sisters, Macbeth,

Lady Macbeth

 from A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM -- Quince, Bottom, Flute, Theseus, Hippolyta, Helena, Hermia,

Snug, Stout, Starveling, Puck

 from HAMLET -- Ghost of Hamlet’s father, Hamlet, Ophelia, Gertrude, Claudius

from HENRY V -- Prologue

from CORIOLANUS -- Coriolanus

from JULIUS CAESER -- Marc Antony

 from KING LEAR -- Lear, Regan, Goneril, Cordelia

from ROMEO AND JULIET -- Juliet

from OTHELLO -- Emilia, Desdemona

from HENRY IV, PART I -- Sir John Falstaff,

Prince Henry (Hal)

from THE MERCHANT OF VENICE -- Portia, Nerissa

 from TWELFTH NIGHT -- Maria, Olivia, Malvolio, Viola

from THE TAMING OF THE SHREW -- Petrucchio, Katherina

from THE TEMPEST -- Prospero

The Players IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE * indicates membership in Sayville Players;** indicates also a member of the International Thespian Society Troupe #6416

1st Weird Sister                                        Autumn Bradley

2nd Weird Sister                                        *Gabby Giovan

3rd Weird Sister                                          *Alyssa Lofaro

Quince                                                          *Mary Nichols

Bottom                                                        *Sean McNally

Harley Granville-Barker, Ph.D.            **Liam Hofmeister

Mrs. Anne Hathaway-Shakespeare       **Kimberly Miller

Jacques                                                  *Rowen Mahoney

Ghost of Hamlet’s father                               *Tim Costorf

Prologue                                                   **Janine Loesch

Macbeth                                                      *Sean McNally

Hamlet                                                            *Tim Costorf

Coriolanus                                                     *Dan Lumley

Marc Antony                                                   *Tim Costorf

Lear                                                                 **Matt Spina

Flute                                                               *Dan Lumley

Juliet                                                     **Meghan Marshall

Player 1                                                       *Alyssa Lofaro

Emilia                                                         **Emily Nowlan

Desdemona                                         **Kaitlin McNamara

Player 2                                                               *Jake Vail

Player 3                                                    *Victoria Ferremi

Player 4                                                          *Dan Lumley

Ophelia                                                         *Mary Nichols

Gertrude                                        *Jessica Leigh-Manuell

Claudius                                                      *Sean McNally

Player 5                                                      *Gabby Giovan

Lady Macbeth                                      **Meghan Marshall

Goneril                                                         *Alyssa Lofaro

Cordelia                                                  *Susan Mangaluz

Regan                                                       **Janine Loesch

Player 6                                                     Autumn Bradley

Prince Henry (Hal)                                **Liam Hofmeister

Sir John Falstaff                                            **Matt Spina

Portia                                                       *Victoria Ferremi

Nerissa                                                   *Susan Mangaluz

Maria                                                           *Gabby Giovan

Olivia                                                         **Janine Loesch

Malvolio                                                              *Jake Vail

Viola                                                     **Kaitlin McNamara

Theseus                                                          *Tim Costorf

Hippolyta                                       *Jessica Leigh-Manuell

Philostrate                                              *Susan Mangaluz

Hermia                                                       Autumn Bradley

Helena                                                         *Alyssa Lofaro

Quince-Prologue                        *Mary Nichols

Snout-Wall                                 *Gabby Giovan

Bottom-Pyramus                       *Sean McNally

Flute-Thisbe                                 *Dan Lumley

Snug-Lion                                  **Emily Nowlan

Starveling-Moonshine            *Victoria Ferremi

Puck                                                                    *Jake Vail

Petruchio                                               **Liam Hofmeister

Katherina                                                 **Kimberly Miller

Prospero                                                *Rowen Mahoney

**Michael LoPreto,*Chuck Verbeck,*Michael Forsberg,*Jacob Hogue

**Emily Nowlan, *Dan Lumley,*Jessica Leigh-Manuell,*Sean McNally,*Joe Giardina,**Janine Loesch, *Stephen Callis

SOUND TECHNICIAN

**Angela Vetere

**Julia Cameron

 HOUSE MANAGER

 *Keith Frislid