Actors Take Charge of Staging 'The Two Noble Kinsmen'

The PA Shakespeare Festival opens with another first in its 20^th season as actors return to the rehearsal methods used in Elizabethan England. With only four days, as opposed to the three-and-a-half weeks of rehearsals, The Two Noble Kinsmen opened Wednesday, July 27 and runs until Aug. 7 on the Schubert Stage in the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of DeSales University.

“No director – the position didn’t exist in 1613 – no designers,” says Patrick Mulcahy, producing artistic director, “just great actors, an exciting play, and pure adrenaline and spontaneity, and perhaps a little closer to the energy of an Elizabethan playhouse.” 

The focus of this production is really on the talent of the acting company to rise to the occasion. The company is sprinkled with seasoned veterans like Ian Bedford playing Duke Theseus of Athens; Lauren Lovett playing Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, and Spencer Plachy as one kinsman, Prince Arcite of Thebes. The second kinsman, Prince Palamon is brought to life by new face Thomas Matthew Kelley. The cast is rounded out by PSF interns and professional actors, some playing multiple roles.

While there are no set designers, the audience might recognize some scenic elements commandeered from productions of "Sleeping Beauty" and "The Comedy of Errors," which are performed in the same theatre, created by Bob Phillips. Costumes will be assembled in similar ways, raiding PSF’s storage and actors' own closets to find an Elizabethan look.  The end result is a polished, professional performance with all the glamour and adrenaline PSF has to offer. 

Performances are 7pm Tuesday; Wednesday through Friday at 8pm, Saturday at 2pm and 8pm and Sunday at 2pm and 7:30pm.  Single tickets cost $30 and $32 and can be purchased online www.pashakespeare.org or by contacting the Box Office at (610) 282-9455.

As a prologue to each show, guests who arrive 45 minutes prior to curtain will be provided insights into the play and its informal setting.  On Thursday, Aug. 4, actors will be offering a special talkback following the performance where guests can meet and talk back with the actors.