Adapted for the coronavirus pandemic, our Spring Performance: AS YOU LIKE IT live on Zoom, May 9th and 10th
Written by William Shakespeare
Adapted and Directed by Andee Kinzy
Assistant Directed by Taylor Flanagan
Based in Austin, TX, USA, the ImprovEd Shakespeare Co. made some changes during the Shelter-at-Home policy in our community this spring. Our new production features a cast of thirteen teens. Moreover, over the past month, we have redesigned the play for our current situation.
A ZOOM PLAY
No, this won’t be as polished as SNL’s At Home episodes. Their production is recorded in advance and edited for your viewing pleasure. And it won’t be as stellar as Austin’s Parallelogramophonograph improv troupe. They have Millennials who know what they’re doing online. Meanwhile, we have a middle-aged director who doesn’t understand TikTok, can’t decipher memes, and who has never been on a Zoom meeting before.
But, as with the formation of ImprovEd Shakespeare, our naivety serves us well. We decided to do a virtual performance before we knew how hard it is to do a virtual performance.
THE CHALLENGES OF AN ONLINE PERFORMANCE
Firstly, how do you re-create the energy and excitement of rehearsing together when all of your cast is safely ensconced in their own homes? Secondly, group drama games no longer work when you can’t all speak at the same time. Neither do songs sung by the whole cast. Thirdly, a Zoom production combines the most challenging aspects of film and the most difficult facets of theatre. Finally, dare we mention: the network-connection issues, the sound issues, the lighting issues, the framing, the complications of showing intimacy when the actors aren’t even in the same space, the difficulty of staging fights with a webcam, and the dangerous distraction of virtual backgrounds in the hands of Kids.
Lest you think, “that’s nothing,” might I add, we only rehearse once a week. Luckily, we were able to tack on a few additional hours of rehearsals. Thus, during the month of April, we learned to modify our performance. By embracing the changes, utilizing new tools, and laughing a lot, we have created an online adaptation of which we are proud. Thrilled with, even!
You won’t ever seen anything like it, again.
IMPORTANT NOTES FOR THE PERFORMANCE: AS YOU LIKE IT
- The 7:00PM performance time is for CST in the US, which is GMT-5:00.
- The number of attendees is limited to 100, first-come-first-served. Please commit to watching the entire performance, as you may be taking a slot from a fervid ImprovEd Shakespeare fan.
- There will be a Q&A with the players after the performance.
- We hope to livestream concurrently on our Facebook page.
Of course, as is always the case with ImprovEd Shakespeare, this interactive performance features a cast of youth between the ages of 13-17 and is appropriate for the entire family. The story mixes modern narration with original Shakespeare verse. Furthermore, it’s FREE! Yeah… no excuse. Register now!
WHERE AND WHEN
Date: SATURDAY, MAY 9th and SUNDAY, MAY 10th
Time: 7:00PM CST (GMT-5:00)
Location: Zoom Webinar (you must have a Zoom account to attend)
FREE
Can’t make the Zoom Performance? Subscribe to our newsletter to receive information about the recording.
WHAT ABOUT THE ELEMENTARY CAST?
Our younger cast of players will be performing a very different version of ImprovEd Shakespeare‘s As You Like It via livestream for friends and family only. If you’d like to view the recording afterwards, please subscribe to our newsletter. And if you just can’t wait that long for youth Shakespeare, check out ImprovEd Shakespeare’s Global Hamlet.
ImprovEd Shakespeare recommends our interpretation for Kids of all ages. Our performances typically run about an hour. Tax-deductible donations are welcome through our fiscal sponsor, Austin Creative Alliance. You can learn more by scrolling down to the ImprovEd Arts link.
YOUTUBE
ImprovEd Shakespeare is certainly no stranger to adapting on the fly. Previously, we recorded a six minute episode of Global Hamlet with Brent Youth Theatre in London, England in only an hour.
IMPROVeD SHAKESPEARE PERFORMANCES
Each fall and spring, ImprovEd Shakespeare develops a new production for live performance. In honor of the traditional Renaissance traveling troupe, during a period of a few weeks, we present Kid-friendly plays at various venues around town. Our Players, between 3rd-12th grade, gear themselves with playful, as well as engaging interpretations of works by the Bard of Avon. Suitable for all ages, each performance runs for about an hour.
Furthermore, these shows are always FREE. However, we gladly accept Donations! Additionally, visit ImprovEd Shakespeare, Shakespeare for Kids by Kids on Facebook, Instagram, & Twitter. And don’t forget to click on our BLOG for the stories behind these productions.
