Measure for Measure

Measure for Measure

The Drilling Company

Bryant Park Shakespeare

September 2, 2016

Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

The summer might be coming to an end, but there is one more free Bryant Park Shakespeare performance to enjoy.  The Drilling Company’s Measure for Measure is playing Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays through September 17.  Director Hamilton Clancy brings life to one of Shakepeare’s darker comedies with a remarkable cast and colorful concept.  He sets the play in present day in Viennaville, Louisiana with singing and live music that frame the action and energize the pace.

The synopsis from The Drilling Company’s program:  “Mayor “Duke” Vincentio, seeing his beloved town torn by lax oversight of the law, leaves Emergency Financial Manager Angelo in charge of righting the city.  Angelo decides to begin arresting people for petty offenses and putting them to death to show he’s serious.  Claudio is thrown into prison for getting Juliet pregnant (different Juliet from Romeo).  He asks his pal Lucio if he’ll go to the Nunnery and ask his sister Isabella to plead for mercy for him.  She does.  The righteous manager sees an opportunity to manage more than the city.  Meanwhile, Vincentio disguises himself as a Friar, visits prison, learns of Angelo’s proposition to Isabella, and plots to help her win mercy for Claudio.”

The Stage at Bryant Park
Photo courtesy of Bryant Park Shakespeare

Lukas Raphael is cunning and unscrupulous as Angelo.  Ivory Aquino captures your heart as Isabella.  Together they are beguiling and generate startling intrigue through Shakespeare’s complex scenes.  Emanuel Elpernord commands the Bryant Park stage as Duke Vincentio.  Michael William Bernstein is captivating and entertaining as Lucio.  Jarrod Bates shines in every scene, skillfully portraying six distinct characters ranging from serious to slapstick, as well as playing the trumpet and mandolin.  Rachel A. Collins, Serena E. Miller, Aly Byatt, Eric Paterniani, Kendra Lee Oberhauser, TJ Wagner, Veronica Nolte, Andrew Dahreddine, and Wesley Zurick all create colorful and genuine characters who engage in truthful relationships which conjure a realistic setting that evokes the culture of the Louisiana.

Photo courtesy of The Drilling Company

End the summer season with quality outdoor Shakespeare that The Drilling Company is famous for.  Measure for Measure plays Thursday nights at 9:00 and Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00 through September 17.  All performances are FREE at Bryant Park.

  

Domenick Danza