Shakespeare’s Comedy Of Errors Presented At Ripon College
25 February 2020 News
RIPON — Shakespeare’s play “The Comedy of Errors” will be performed March 4 through 7 by the Ripon College Department of Theatre. Performances will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Benstead Theatre, C.J. Rodman Center for the Arts.
“The Comedy of Errors” is a madcap romp involving two sets of twins, two a merchant’s sons and two brought up as servants. After a shipwreck, the twins were separated with one of each pair coming to the city of Syracuse and the other pair floating away to parts unknown.
The brothers are searching for each other and the father is searching for all of them. The father has only one day to complete his quest or be put to death for crossing the border into the city of Ephesus for his search.
The play continues in a series of mistaken identities and errors building to fights, imprisonment and even an exorcism.
Director Ken Hill says the play is a very early Shakespearan play based on a well-known play by the ancient Roman playwright Plautus. “Shakespeare never met a plot he couldn’t steal and improve,” Hill says. “Where his later plays sprawl across locations and cover long periods of time, ‘The Comedy of Errors’ is a compact classical farce set in one location with all the action happening in one day, much as Plautus’ play was structured.”
He adds, “Shakespeare examines family bonds that make us cross borders, and face dangers to reconnect with loved ones. Shakespeare examines identity and sanity. What happens when we are treated completely different by those around us? Shakespeare examines love, both brotherly and romantic. But in all these examinations, he still finds time to make us laugh at ourselves and the crazy world around us.”
Members of the cast include DeShawn Thomas as Duke Solinus; Benjamin Marn as Aegeon; Logan Zeinert as First Merchant; Race Rohde as Antipholus of Syracuse; Madeleine Craig as Dromio of Syracuse; Bailey Jerrick as Dromio of Ephesus; Mackenzie Swart as Adriana;
Heidi DeCaluwe as Luciana; Wil Bridenhagen as Antipholus of Ephesus; Billy Stiggers as Angelo; Nick Tonn as Balthazar; Katelyn Dano as Luce; Ryan Krogsgaard as Second Merchant; Christian Schmidt as Officer; Mattie Ryback as Courtesan; Devon Giesler as Doctor Pinch; Abbe Lane as Abbess Amelia; and Alaura Lemieux as Servant.
Members of the crew are Kenneth Hill, director; John Dalziel, set and lighting designer; Susan McDaniel Hill, costume designer; Maria Reber, assistant director; Lindsey Wigand, stage manager; Kai Liptow, Taylor Mehling, Alli Slowiak, assistant stage managers; Dakota Marlega, lighting board operator; Brooklyn Hogan, sound board operator; Anjelika Dombrowski, Faith Nielsen, Maythe A. Salcedo, Emma Sagartz, Rebecca Steinkamp, costume crew; Parker Cox, set crew; and Miranda Ratayczak, props.
This production is entered into the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF). This program identifies and promotes quality in college-level theater productions. KCACTF also awards scholarships, internships, grants and awards for the actors, directors, playwrights and other personnel involved.
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