As the world marks the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death, we look back at how the works of the Bard have been very much alive in the University’s theater productions. Stagings of Shakespeare’s works have made frequent appearances throughout the University’s history, dating back to a performance of A Midsummer’s Night Dream in 1897 and most recently via the dramatic efforts of the International Theatre Program, founded in 1990.
Here is a look at Shakespeare through the ages, via the playbills from many of those past performances.
Taming of the Shrew
April 2016
International Theatre Program
Directed by Nigel Maister
Halle Burns ….. Sly, Vincentio
Ron Aulakh…….Hostess, Petruchio
Lydia Jimenez …….Lord, Baptista, Servant, Haberdasher
Devin Goodman…….Huntsman, Lucentio (later disguised as Cambio), Tranio, Servant
Ian Von Fange…….Kate Alberto
Carrillo Casas…….Bianca, Grumio
Kevin Bodhipaksha…….Gremio, Servant, Tailor, Widow
Jonathan Wetherbee…….Hortensio (later disguised as Licio), Curtis
Elizabeth Scheuerman…….Servant, Biondello, Merchant
The Winter’s Tale
April 2011
International Theatre Program
Directed by Nigel Maister
John Amir-Fazli…….Leontes, King of Sicilia
James Howie, Sarah Levenstam, Melissa Martin …….Mamillius, young prince of Sicilia
Kevin McCarthy…….Camillo, lord of Sicilia
Mo Seraji…….Antigonus, lord of Sicilia
Phillip Dumouchel…….Polixenes, king of Bohemia
James Howie…….Florizel, prince of Bohemia
King Lear
April 2007
International Theatre Program
Directed by Nigel Maister
Jonny Stulberg…..King Lear
Taryn Kimel…..Goneril (Lear’s eldest daughter)
Holly Culbreath…..Regan (Lear’s second daughter)
Anna Fagan…..Cordelia (Lear’s youngest daughter)
Mark Patch…..Duke of Albany
Jeremy Sliwoski…..Duke of Cornwall
Hamlet
April 2003
International Theatre Program
Directed by Nigel Maister
Noshir Dalal……..Hamlet
Matt Wolfe…….Polonius
Elizabeth Wilson…….Ophelia
Eric Hoffman……Horatio
Tucker Ruderman…….Laertes
Kelly Smith…….Rosencantz
Sara Cohen…..Guildenstern
Coriolanus
1996
International Theatre Program
Directed by Mervyn Willis
Dennis Cohen ….. Coriolanus
Rachel Holz ….. Chorus
Michael Sherman ….. Cominius
Ryan Overbeck ….. Aufidius
Michael King ….. Sicinius
Aaron Bowers ….. Brutus
Henry IV
1993
International Theatre Program
Directed by Mervyn Willis
Roger Gans ….. King Henry IV
P.J. Sosko …… Prince Hal
Matt Voas ….. Prince John
Sash Harris ….. Earl of Westmorland
Jeremy Sarachan ….. Sir Walter Blunt
Mark Schryver ….. Earl of Northumberland
Rishad Lawyer ….. Harry Percy
Two Gentlemen of Verona
1986
Committee on Performing Arts
Directed by Marcy Gamzon
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1985
UR Summer Theater
Directed by David Richman
Twelfth Night, or What You Will
1982
Pericles Prince of Tyre
1982
UR Summer Theater
As You Like It
1980
Committee on Performing Arts
Directed by David Richman
Macbeth
1980
UR Summer Theater
Directed by David Richman
Twelfth Night
1964
The Stagers and Experiment ’64
Directed by Lisa Rauschenbusch
James Johnston ….. Orsino, Duke of Illyria
Peter Grobe ….. Curio
Donald Koretz ….. Valetine
Sonya Raimi ….. Viola
Robert Stearns ….. A sea captian
Goerge Fraser …. Sir Toby Belch
Marian Goldsmith ….. Maria
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1956
The Stagers
Directed by Lisa Rauschenbusch
Robert Edgerton ….. Theseus
Joan Cory ….. Hippolyta
Peter Rickert ….. Philostrate
John O’Brian ….. Egeus
Susan Gay ….. Hermia
Richard Westburg ….. Demetrius
Richard Fox ….. Lysander
Suzanne Finke ….. Helena
Love’s Labor’s Lost
1908
The Alumnae Association
The all-female cast included: Julia Seligman ’03, Miriam Seligman ’02, Ruth Dennis ’03, Eleanor Lattimore ’04Ma and Eleanor Gleason ’03.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
1897
Delta Kappa Epsilon Club of Rochester
Other known productions of Shakespeare include: Romeo and Juliet (1988), Much Ado About Nothing (1979), Winter’s Tale (1978), Richard III (1976), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1975), Measure for Measure (1972), Henry IV, Part 1 (1969), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (1966), and King Lear (1955).
