By Remy McCool/south news editor
Students will bring a comical and witty edge to Shakespeare’s classic plays in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) April 10-12 in the Joe B. Rushing Center for the Performing Arts on South Campus.
“This play basically just opens up the world to us in a real fun, silly, lively way,” director and drama adjunct instructor Richie Haratine said.
The compilation of Shakespeare’s 37 plays boasts only three actors, South students Michael Muller, Nolan Chapa and Lauren Kirkpatrick, who take on the roles of several different characters.
“I’m excited to play man roles,” Kirkpatrick said about playing Hamlet.
The humorous playwright allows the actors to use their real names and encourages audience participation with the cast speaking directly to the audience throughout the play.
“It’s been really fun,” Chapa said. “I’m really excited to do this.”
A cooking show, football game, rap song and a lot of wig changes are anticipated from the cast.
Muller was drawn to the play because “I like Shakespeare and I like jokes,” he said. He will play the roles of King Lear, Julius Caesar, Romeo and more.
The play is written and performed so Shakespeare is more easily understood. Haratine believes many people tend to keep Shakespeare at an “arm’s length distance” because of the difficult language he used.
“The actors themselves are attempting to make sense of the text themselves,” he said.
The actors are challenged not only with the text but also with a plethora of props, exits and entrances and a large cast of characters.
“I’m excited to see how they will pull it all off,” Haratine said.
They hope to make Shakespeare more enjoyable and understandable while entertaining the audience.
“I want people to die, they are laughing so hard,” Chapa said. “That’s the goal.”
The play will begin at 7:30 p.m., and tickets will be available at 7 p.m. at the box office. Tickets are $6 for general admission, $3 for non-TCC students and senior citizens and free for TCC students, faculty and staff. No late seating is allowed. Call the South box office at 817-515-6687 for more information.
“The main thing is just to get people excited about Shakespeare,” Haratine said.
