Director's Note
The Winter’s Tale is one of Shakespeare’s last and greatest plays. The dramatic action condenses many of the themes and relationships that he more fully explored in earlier, more famous plays--accelerating the development of the story to accommodate a sweeping view of human nature at its best and worst, while offering a meditation on the mysteries of the human heart through its journeys from tyranny to forgiveness. I last directed this play in 1987, when I was a much younger professor at San Jose State University. The play I envisioned then was quite traditional. Given the abundant funding at the time, I was able to generate an impressive training institute that solidly prepared the actors for the work. Leading the cast was Robert Sicular (our production's Equity union guest artist). Robert, was at the time, one of (Ashland) Oregon Shakespeare Festival's best actors. However, in spite of our rich preparation, wonderful actors, international scenic designer, choreographer, and text analyst, the production was beset with some difficulties. Happily, in spite of how such challenges might dampen a project, our production flourished and for one reason: the spirit of the cast to continue and perform a show they cared about. One example I will offer occurred on our second evening of performance, when during an intense storm, our stage light system short-circuited. But, instead of canceling the performance, our stage management (all students) figured out how to run the show with flashlights and conference call and the play was performed with astonishing success. Reflecting upon that night, I realize now that it was truly miraculous what those students were able to accomplish that night (and throughout the run) with their collective passion and commitment.
Likewise, our production in 2013 is no less committed. Our students, guest artists, guest designers, contributing faculty, and staff, all have come together with enormous heart and soul to generate a play for you to enjoy and ponder. Mindful that whenever there is this kind of authentic passion and commitment, art is born and professionalism follows…effortlessly.
Our ensemble was a unique, diverse, and extremely talented juxtaposition of professional guests, including actors, musicians, composers, designers, and community activists—a genuine collective of artists, all of whom generously donated their time and talents, along with an extremely accomplished faculty composer and talented students from Cal State LA and LACHSA.
Additionally, this production of The Winter’s Tale has been coordinated within a model of educational artistic performance training (one that was formed on campus in 1990) and named Theatre For The 21st Century (T21C). The mission of T21C is to bring the most experienced professional artists together with those at every level of training to work as an ensemble in an intense period of purposeful and directed performance training, with the express goal of generously working towards the highest level of acting possible within a semi-professional theatre production endeavor. This model thrives at a few of the most progressive training programs throughout the world. Witnessing T21C in action, I am once again reminded of its power to organize and elevate students to a higher level of achievement.
Shakespeare’s beautiful tale provides a most exceptional way to demonstrate to those living in the 21st century the dangers of living a life without reflection. This play is a work that is mostly unsung because of how its simple story weaves radical action into an accelerated plot structure. The Winter's Tale often confounds audiences, scholars and critics alike because in one play, Shakespeare gathers together many of the significant themes he cultivated over his entire canon, plays them out in a most personal and idiosyncratic manner, all the while expressing what must have been critically important to him to say before retiring from the theatre. In so doing, The Winter’s Tale does bravely hold a mirror up to our human nature and its ultimate message instructs us to love and forgive, no matter what trespasses (or trespassers) maliciously befall us.
Likewise, our production in 2013 is no less committed. Our students, guest artists, guest designers, contributing faculty, and staff, all have come together with enormous heart and soul to generate a play for you to enjoy and ponder. Mindful that whenever there is this kind of authentic passion and commitment, art is born and professionalism follows…effortlessly.
Our ensemble was a unique, diverse, and extremely talented juxtaposition of professional guests, including actors, musicians, composers, designers, and community activists—a genuine collective of artists, all of whom generously donated their time and talents, along with an extremely accomplished faculty composer and talented students from Cal State LA and LACHSA.
Additionally, this production of The Winter’s Tale has been coordinated within a model of educational artistic performance training (one that was formed on campus in 1990) and named Theatre For The 21st Century (T21C). The mission of T21C is to bring the most experienced professional artists together with those at every level of training to work as an ensemble in an intense period of purposeful and directed performance training, with the express goal of generously working towards the highest level of acting possible within a semi-professional theatre production endeavor. This model thrives at a few of the most progressive training programs throughout the world. Witnessing T21C in action, I am once again reminded of its power to organize and elevate students to a higher level of achievement.
Shakespeare’s beautiful tale provides a most exceptional way to demonstrate to those living in the 21st century the dangers of living a life without reflection. This play is a work that is mostly unsung because of how its simple story weaves radical action into an accelerated plot structure. The Winter's Tale often confounds audiences, scholars and critics alike because in one play, Shakespeare gathers together many of the significant themes he cultivated over his entire canon, plays them out in a most personal and idiosyncratic manner, all the while expressing what must have been critically important to him to say before retiring from the theatre. In so doing, The Winter’s Tale does bravely hold a mirror up to our human nature and its ultimate message instructs us to love and forgive, no matter what trespasses (or trespassers) maliciously befall us.