Director, actors seek to fill Shakespeare void

The debut of Tavern Shakespeare in December at Bear's Place was an opportunity to "hang out with a big drunken fat man and his friends," said show director Phil Kasper.\nThe fat man he refers to was Falstaff of Shakespeare's "Henry IV."\nTavern Shakespeare, Kasper's brainchild, was born two-and-a-half months ago out of a need to fill Bloomington's 'Shakespeare voids', Kasper said. \nBefore then, a group called Bloomington Shakespeare Festival performed locally but died out after about two years. \nKarol Stewart, a graduate student in the arts administration program, is helping Kasper to avoid the same pitfalls.\n"We are examining what went wrong with the Bloomington Shakespeare Festival and other festivals that didn't work and learning what makes a show successful for the Bloomington community," Stewart said. "It is important to get a feel for what the community is interested in to determine what will work and what might fail."\nFor Kasper, Tavern Shakespeare is a perfect opportunity to engage in his passion -- every aspect of Shakespeare. The scenes are performed from parts one and two of "Henry IV" and are set in The Boar's Head Tavern. The audience is face to face with Shakespearian characters and can eat and drink along with the cast. \nKasper said the inception of Tavern Shakespeare provides a comfortable environment for audiences to enjoy their food and drink while being entertained. \n"We were able to use the bar as scenery, and it was nice to be performing in a non-theater venue," he said. "I encouraged the cast to play to the audience."\nKasper said since the first night was a test run for the cast, audience size and involvement played a key role in determining a repeat performance. \n"The subject matter drew a sizable audience, and the intimate setting suited the cast," he said.\nIU graduates Dave Cole and Diane Kondrat played the roles of Falstaff and Mistress Quickly, owner of the Boar's Head. IU theatre students Tenaya Hurst as Doll Tearsheet, Falstaff's favorite prostitute, and Kevin Wallskog rounded off the cast.\n"Preparation for this show was very relaxed," Hurst said. "The costumes were simple, and the atmosphere was completely different than a theatre venue." \nHurst has been acting since she was 10, but this was her first time working in 'dinner theatre.'\nHurst said she has found a new affection for Shakespeare in the past few months.\nBoth Kasper and Stewart believe Shakespeare speaks to every generation.\n"It is applicable to contemporary life, contemporary audiences and contemporary artists," Stewart said.\nThe troupe is planning another show in February, most likely at Bear's Place. \nKasper said he hopes to see this grow into a tradition and possibly a summer Shakespeare festival, aiming for a two-show season by the summer.\n-- Contact staff writer Jaimie Cohen at jrcohen@indiana.edu