The Murray State University Theatre Arts program has recently completed production of Ages of Man, a documentary-style show that combines excerpts from William Shakespeare’s plays with commentary discussing the plays’ thematic connections to contemporary times. The show has been recorded and will be made available for high school teachers to access.
Matthew Crider, Assistant Professor of Theatre, is the show’s director.
“Because COVID safety procedures prevent a traditional live theatrical production at the moment, we’ve had to get creative with creating productions. In this case, we started with the idea that normally our Shakespeare productions are an educational opportunity for high schools in the region, so what can we do to still provide an educational service to the area? Working with Murray State alumnus Maddie Brasher Evans, who now teaches at Trinity High School in Whitesville, Kentucky, we decided to make a documentary of sorts to help bridge the culture gap between Shakespeare’s time and now, hopefully to make the plays more accessible and understandable.”
Shakespeare’s “all the world’s a stage” speech from Act II Scene VII of As You Like It describes seven ages of man, from infancy to old age, which Crider and the cast and crew use to structure the show. Actors perform scenes from many plays that feature aspects of each age and provide commentary to explain the world view form Shakespeare’s era and how it’s different from modern times. The goal is a production that can be useful for teachers trying to connect students to Shakespeare’s works.
Rehearsals for the show were via Zoom for the majority of the time. Once the cast and crew moved into in-person rehearsals, they worked in masks and maintained enhanced social distancing. They kept more than ten feet apart, actors did not cross into other actors’ space, and all the scenes were less than five minutes long.
“All these extra steps help keep us safe for recording, and we don’t hide from it,” says Crider. “We address directly in the commentary that we miss theatre so much, so we’re doing what we can while staying safe. That said, it’s also been a chance to bring some extra artists to the group. Alum Maddie Brasher Evans is a big part of the production. Daryl Phillipy, Associate Professor of Theatre, is performing the big ‘all the world’s a stage’ speech, and local actor Donald Fleming is a guest artist performing in a scene from King Lear. Finally, Jeremy McKeel of Murray State’s Digital Media Services is the hero that makes all this possible; he and his production team have done outstanding work with the theatre department this year, giving us the chance to still do what we love in this tough time.”
“Ages of Man was an incredible opportunity,” says Caroline Winnenberg, a junior creative writing major and theatre minor. “I had never gotten to perform Shakespeare on stage, and now I have experience with several of his works. The most challenging thing about this production was that I didn’t see my scene partners’ faces until the camera was recording; we remained masked until the last second. Overall this show was so much fun and such a great experience.”
“It was an honor to be part of a show, even though we are still in a pandemic,” says Matthew Anderson, a senior advertising major and marketing minor. “Director Matthew Crider and the crew made sure safety was the priority. I dove deep into characters I have read about before, and learned more than what I could imagine. Although Shakespeare’s work can be tricky, I encourage all to watch this production as they will be inspired.”
“Honestly, I am just grateful to have been able to find a way to perform with all the COVID restrictions, learn to adapt as an actress, and just learn the blessing of being transported into a different world during a scene,” says Caitlyn Easter, a senior theatre major and accounting minor. “I had the pleasure of playing four of Shakespeare’s characters in four different scenes during this production. I really hope that everyone who has the pleasure to see this fun show gets transported away from the stresses of COVID for at least a moment or two.”
Student cast members include Abby Ankrom (Troy, IL), Matthew Anderson (Imperial, MO), Davin Belt (Gilbertsville, KY), Diamond Edwards (Louisville, KY), Caitie Easter (Metropolis, IL), Alex Johnson (Belleville, IL), Jakob Moore (Crofton, KY), Tessa Northcutt (Calvert City, KY), Gabe Steffen (Calvert City, KY), Sam Treece (Smiths Grove, KY), and Caroline Winnenberg (Louisville, KY).
Student crew members include Olivia Beach, Sound Operations (Louisville, KY); Gillian Bruce, Wardobe (Lexington, KY); Tesla Like, Stage Manager (Murray, KY); and Charlie Raymer, Wardrobe (Paris, TN).
The video link will be posted on the program website at murraystate.edu/theatrearts, and on the theatre program’s Facebook page.
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