“Olivia: What's a drunken man like, fool?
Feste: Like a drowned man, a fool, and a madman: one draught above heat makes him a fool; the second mads him; and a third drowns him.”
And what happens at drinks 4, 5, and 6? Let's find out!
It’ll be nice to work with a play that people are familiar with and already enjoy. Of course we will do it the way we always do: "Shakespeare Raw".
How does it work? I'm glad you asked.
A group of actors arrive the day of the show having read (or at least skimmed) the script so they are at passingly familiar with the text. Then, they pull a character name from the casting director (aka the Hat) to learn who they will be playing that night. They then have approximately 10 minutes to get into character (read: grab a drink) and get ready for their first scene. And the next one. And the one after that. You get the idea.
"But I'm not familiar with the play" you say, well, here's the gist:
Brother and sister Viola and Sebastian, who are not only very close but look a great deal alike, are in a shipwreck, and both think the other dead. When she lands in a foreign country, Viola dresses as her brother and adopts the name Cesario, becoming a trusted friend and confidante to the Count Orsino. Orsino is madly in love with the lady Olivia, who is in mourning due to her brother's recent death, which she uses as an excuse to avoid seeing the count, whom she does not love. He sends Cesario to do his wooing, and Olivia falls in love with the disguised maiden. Things get more complicated when a moronic nobleman, Sir Andrew Aguecheek, and a self-important servant, Malvolio, get caught up-
You know what? Let's just say it gets complicated. If you want to know the story ahead of time you can check out the Amanda Bynes movie "She's the Man". It's the same plot so it'll serve as a decent primer. Plus it introduced the world to Channing Tatum.
You'll have three opportunities to catch this spectacle: June 9th, 10th, and 11th all at 7:30. Doors officially open at 7pm.
The location? Best Place at the Historic Pabst Brewery. Yeah, the one that looks like a castle. We're doing Shakespeare in a CASTLE!!! A castle with on-street parking. When there isn’t a nearby concert anyway.
Cost is $10 at the door or $5 with ‘pirate’ gear. Eyepatch? You’re a Pirate! Baseball jersey for a team in Pittsburgh? You’re a Pirate! You have options! No matter what you bring you'll have an extra 5 bucks to spend at the bar.
So, show up, have fun, and remember:
"If music be the food of love, play on."
Also check out other Entertainment events in Milwaukee, Concerts in Milwaukee, Festivals in Milwaukee.
