Shakespeare’s timeless works are getting a fresh take at Pasadena’s Lineage Performing Arts Center.
Pasadena-based the Ensemble Shakespeare Theater will open a new run of popular ever-changing “Shakespearean Un-Play”, What You Will, on Feb. 9 at The New Lineage Performing Arts Center on 920 E. Mountain Street.
After taking a brief hiatus, the Ensemble Shakespeare Theater is returning with a “new lineup of original takes on Shakespeare’s words in an 80-minute performance of genre-flexible theater.”
With each cast member having control over their own pieces, audiences are treated to a unique experience every time they attend the show.
“The Ensemble is a group of professional actors from TV, film, and theater around LA, who create each iteration of What You Will using Shakespeare’s language to make 5-minute mini plays. There are 10-12 pieces each night that are each helmed by an individual in the Ensemble, then developed by the group,” the group said in a release.
The idea for the event came from a group of professional actors and friends who wanted to see something different on stage.
With a focus on collaborative creation and anti-racist theater standards, the performers aim to deconstruct Shakespeare’s traditional world and create their own.
The result is a 75-minute show filled with a dozen self-contained mini plays that are both personal and societal, funny and serious, and always surprising.
“What makes ‘What You Will‘ special is that over the course of the 75-minute show, you’ll see about a dozen different short ‘mini plays,’ created by each member of the Ensemble in the way they want it done,” Brian Elerding, executive director at Lineage Performing Arts Center and Artistic Director of Ensemble. “So each piece is totally self-contained, and in its own style and theatricality. So you might see a piece that uses nothing but text from ‘Julius Caesar’ to talk about modern mob mentality, followed by a piece that pulls from Shakespeare’s sonnets to talk about dealing with unasked-for wedding advice. You might come in expecting a stuffy Shakespeare recitation, but instead you’ll always get something that surprises you.”
For Debbie Ortiz, member of the Board of Directors at Lineage, what makes the show exciting for the artist performing and the audience engaging is that it’s not traditional, from development to performance.
“As creators we start off with ‘kernels’ of ideas, something that excites us,” Ortiz said. “It can be an image, a life experience or Shakespeare text, it’s always very personal. Since we all come from different backgrounds we find ways to incorporate our stories on parenthood, exclusion, immigration, Star Trek (yes, it happens), etc. We deconstruct Shakespeare’s traditional world, create our own, and invite the audience in on that moment.”
“What You Will” started as an experiment by Ederling and friends at Descanso Gardens in La Canada Flintridge. Cut short by the pandemic, Ederling and his group brought it home to Lineage, where it’s now entering its third year.
“The response has been so extraordinary, and I think a lot of that has to do with the fact that the show is ever-changing, so you can come back and see it over and over again, and always enjoy new pieces and new points of view,” Ederling said.
Although the production is the brainchild of the Ensemble, Ederling adds that Lineage founder Hilary Thomas is a “story magnet” with a penchant for new ways to tell stories.
“She’s a story magnet, so you’re always going to get new perspectives when Lineage is involved,” Ederling said. “It’s an honor to be able to produce ‘What You Will‘ here at Lineage.”
The Ensemble has been to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, considered to be the world’s largest arts and media festival, with adaptations of many of The Bard’s plays called “Shakespeare’s Villains.” The group also created an adaptation of “Hamlet” that Brian Gene White edited to tell the story from Horatio’s perspective.
“We’ve got another show in the works, but it’s not quite ready to announce just yet,” Ederling said. “We’re having a lot of fun with ‘What You Will,‘ so we’re not in a hurry.”
The theme for each run changes throughout the year, so fans could return regularly to enjoy new, intriguing shows. For the next three months, the theme is “Hot Courage and High Desire”, which is, as their ticketing page points out, a Shakespeare quote pulled just in time for Valentine’s Day. The show’s themes occasionally slip into adult territory, so mature audiences are recommended.
Masks are required for all guests. The Ensemble’s ticket prices are in the $5 to $20 range to encourage people to give their wild and risky takes on Shakespeare a chance; the ticketing website says no one will be turned away for lack of funds.
To purchase tickets for “What You Will,” visit https://lineagepac.my.salesforce-sites.com/ticket/#/instances/a0F3o00000qHKJOEA4.
For more information, visit www.lineagepac.org.
