07/20/2007

Bard on the Boardman

Riverside Shakespeare troupe opens 'Comedy of Errors' Saturday

By GARRET ELLISON

gellison@record-eagle.com

Special to the Record-Eagle
Tom Czarny (Antipholus of Syracuse), Esme Bloomquist (Luciana) and Scott Bufe (Antipholus of Ephesus) in Riverside Shakespeare's "The Comedy of Errors," opening Saturday.

TRAVERSE CITY — Twins, togas and ancient Turkey will get the Traverse City treatment when the local Riverside Shakespeare troupe brings its annual outdoors performance to Hannah Park on Sixth Street opening Saturday.

The early Shakespeare mistaken identity farce "The Comedy of Errors” will spring to life under the direction of Jan Dalton of Suttons Bay. This year's production is Riverside Shakespeare's eighth year in action on the banks of the Boardman River.

"This is Three Stooges, Marx Brothers sort of stuff,” said Riverside co-founder Jill Beauchamp, who plays one of the female leads. "Lots of misunderstanding and goofiness.”

The play's plot involves two sets of twins separated at birth. One set grows up in high society, the other in serfdom. One set knows the family history and have been searching for their long-lost siblings.

When they stumble into the town of Ephesus, they are mistaken for their counterparts in high society by the men's wives, and a series of slapstick mishaps ensue.

The comedy is believed to have been written in the early 1590s by Shakespeare and is set in ancient Turkey and features lots of long Greek names to trip over.

Riverside performances are a bare bones operation with a cast of roughly 20. Costumes are begged, borrowed or stitched. Veteran actors and fresh faces alike grace the grass for the evening performances.

"When we originally chose to put this company together, our big aim was to perform in Hannah Park because it's a really nice setting,” said Beauchamp. "You have the Boardman River and the trees and it's just a really nice experience.”

The park is located on Sixth Street in Traverse City, next to the Grand Traverse Heritage Center. Each year the stage is set up in a different area and this summer they will be performing on a small hill, with the audience's back to the water.

Attendees should bring lawn chairs and blankets. An area will be roped off.

"We will use some props,” Beauchamp said, but no stage construction. "It's pretty minimal.”

The troupe has been rehearsing at Northwestern Michigan College because the park was in use for the National Cherry Festival. The outdoor performances can add a sense of surrealism with sounds of modern transportation in the background.

The biggest distraction is "planes flying over and motorcycles going up and down the street,” Beauchamp said.

"Our directors always tell us to 'just freeze until it goes over',” she said. "We always seem to have an urge to outscream the plane, which is kind of dumb.”

Live musicians will accompany the play with period music on the harp and recorder. Should rain threaten, the Heritage Center will open for inside cover.

"In eight years, only once have we had to go inside,” she said. "So, we're pretty lucky.”

Attendance is free, though donations are encouraged. The play kicks off on Saturday, with additional performances on July 22, 28 and 29. All begin at 6 p.m.

A special performance will take place at Marina Park in Suttons Bay on Friday, July 27, at 7 p.m.