2003 Summer Season
Julius Caesar
Directed by Jeffery Allen
An assassination plot in ancient Rome reveals the hearts of the conspirators,
the havoc they wreak, and the new power alliance their murder creates
in Julius Caesar. In this rapidly changing world order, Shakespeare's
famous tragedy of persuasion and power rests on Brutus' tortured conscience
until Marc Anthony sways the Romans' hearts and the course of history.
Twelfth Night
Directed by Seth Gordan
Named after the 12-day cycle of celebration enjoyed by medieval
revelers each December, the play begins in tragedy, with the
aftermath of a storm and a shipwreck. The twins, Viola and
Sebastian, each thinking the other dead, wander the coastal setting
of Illyria, setting off a series of attractions and distractions
in the people they encounter, like fireworks lighting the night sky.
Scenes of strange romance, the Duke Orsino attempting to woo the
noblewoman Olivia, give way to happier couplings -- and throughout, Shakespeare's
comic court, Sir Andrew and Sir Toby, assisted by Maria and Feste, wickedly tease Malvolio.
Twelfth Night begins in tragedy, but ends in celebration in with a miracle; the
twins are restored to each other, and their happiness is doubled in union with the objects
of their love.
2003 Season recap from Larry Nehring − CSF Artistic Director
Six seasons under our belts, and no end in sight! Each year we take major
strides toward our goals of Free Shakespeare in Northeast Ohio. Since the
close of the 2002 season much has happened: we welcomed a new General Manager,
Michael Butcheck, whose first project was to work with our Advisory Board in
rewriting our mission statement. Michael has been invaluable to the solidifying
of a five-year plan to grow from our modest goals of "a simple, summer season"
to a year-round, producing organization. We have begun approaching charitable
foundations and local businesses to aid us in our quest for financial stability.
We began 2003 with our adaptation MIDSUMMER (abridged), a breathtaking 50-minute condensation of Shakespeare’s beloved comedy performed by only 4 actors! The audiences that filled St. John/St. Paul Lutheran Church for our two performances showed their appreciation with standing ovations at both shows. More small-cast adaptations are in the works to offer schools and organizations in the coming years.
After being awarded the inaugural Danny Morris Equity Contract by the Cleveland Theatre Collective in 2002, we were able to hire actor Cassandra Vincent, a local member of Actor’s Equity Association, to play the role of Rosalind in As You Like It. This past season we raised enough money through donations from patrons, support from the George Gund Foundation, and our Bardolatry Benefit to cast Kevin Brewer as Brutus in Julius Caesar. We were honored to welcome many new faces to the Festival, including the Cleveland Play House’s Seth Gordon to direct Twelfth Night, Cleveland Public Theatre’s Jeffery Allen to direct Julius Caesar, composer Linda Eisenstein for original music in Twelfth Night, Rose Leininger as Production Manager and Twelfth Night Stage Manager, actor and costume designer Alison Hernan for wonderful costumes and a formidable Cassius in Julius Caesar. We also welcomed back many people who have become our family, actors, stage managers, designers, and tech staff. There are too many names to mention them all, but we trust they know our appreciation and love are whole-hearted.
We christened a new performing space, the central courtyard of the CCC Metro Campus (our first performance in the city of Cleveland since 1999), in addition to our home spaces on the East Side- Shaker Heights Colonnade, and West Side- CCC West’s amphitheatre. Special thanks to Fred Perry and everyone at CCC Metro for this new opportunity.
The 2003 season concluded with the formation of a new Board of Directors to accompany our Advisory Board, and two successful 40-minute productions of MIDSUMMER (abridged) at First Night Akron.
As we prepare for our seventh season, featuring Romeo and Juliet and The Tempest, plans are underway for a series of small benefits and our annual celebration of the Bard's birthday in April. Thank to everyone who support CSF and our mission to bring free Shakespeare to all audiences in northeast Ohio. We look forward to seeing you at the Festival this summer!
Larry Nehring
Artistic Director
Cleveland Shakespeare Festival