You haven’t seen every side of Shakespeare until you’ve seen “Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet).”
It’s a hybrid of “Romeo and Juliet,” “Othello” and author Ann-Marie MacDonald’s sense of humor and is being performed at Bath Middle School, 13675 Webster Road, this weekend.
“It starts out with this drab academic who’s been working on her doctorate and her thesis is that ‘Romeo and Juliet’ and ‘Othello’ were originally comedies,” Bridgette Redman said. Redman, a 1991 MSU graduate, plays Constance, the lead role, and also directs publicity for Bath Community Theatre.
Constance then somehow becomes a character in both “Romeo and Juliet” and “Othello.”
“It’s almost a cross between ‘The Wizard of Oz’ and ‘Shakespeare in Love,’” Redman said. “It starts to twist and you see the tragedies start to twist toward their original endings.”
Director Jeff Croff, a 1998 MSU graduate, said he enjoys the play on several levels.
“I found it on the shelf at Barnes & Noble and while I was reading it there I thought it was a very funny play,” he said. “I like the relationship not only with Shakespeare but the ability to poke fun at Shakespeare.”
Croff said the production moves at a faster pace than Shakespeare’s plays and keeps the audience entertained throughout. With some adult situations and sexual innuendo, Croff said this production is suitable for “teens on up.”
Redman said the play should appeal to a broad audience.
“People who are big fans of Shakespeare will enjoy it but people who are not big fans will enjoy the skewering of it.
“When I first read the script I fell in love with it - it’s a very intelligent comedy.”
MSU alumnus Fred Longacre not only produced the show, but appears in the roles of Professor Night, Othello, Tybalt and Juliet\'s Nurse.
“So much of the dialogue is incredibly funny that we’ve had thirty rehearsals and I’m still laughing through the lines,” he said.
Croff has had much more than just acting on his plate. Last Monday, Croff’s wife, Laura, who did the costuming for “Goodnight Desdemona,” gave birth to a girl.
“It was certainly added one more event that was going on,” he said. “Doing theater is always a balancing act, this is just another ball in the air.”
Croff said his wife was able to complete most of the costuming before she was due, so production of the play went smoothly.
The play was originally scheduled to open on Friday, Sept. 14, but was postponed because of the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. Its run will now continue through next weekend. Shows are this Friday and Saturday this week and next at 8 p.m. Regular tickets are $8, $6 for students and seniors.
