By William Shakespeare
Adapted by Jennie Pardoe
Director: Jennie Pardoe
Costume Design: Kathie Schmid
Lighting Design: Gary Benson
Set Design: Richard Clifford
Sound Design: Amelia Bahr
Director’s Note
Vaudeville is a genre that, like the play Comedy of Errors, celebrates physical humor, vibrant characters, and quick-witted dialogue. It thrived in the early 20th century as many people began to work jobs that allowed them time for recreation and entertainment. Audiences flocked to the theatres in cities and towns alike to see variety acts performed by professionals. In our production of Comedy of Errors, we have embraced the creative spirit of vaudeville by marrying the Shakespearean text and its elements of slapstick with comedic routines and the occasional musical number.
Ours is not the first adaptation of this story. In fact, Shakespeare himself adapted his play from Plautus’s Menaechmi which told a story about twins and mistaken identity. Ultimately, this production is a celebration of the universal joy of comedy. It’s about the wild unpredictability of life, the delightful absurdity of human nature, and the chaotic energy that can arise when everything goes wrong — but in the most entertaining way possible. We hope you enjoy your visit to our theatrically imagined world of 1920’s Ephesus.
- Jennie Pardoe
Director