Guest director Andrea J. Dymond was excited to be selected to spend part of her summer sharing one of William Shakespeare’s most famous written works with both indoor and outdoor audiences in Valparaiso.
“I’ve taught ‘King Lear’ in the classroom, but I’ve never been involved in a stage production, so I’m also learning a few things this summer along with our cast,” said Dymond, who is a directing faculty member at Columbia College in Chicago.
“It’s exciting for us as the artists creating this experience, and it will be exciting for audiences too.”
Produced by Chicago Street Theatre, there are three ticketed performances at 8 p.m. July 19 and 20 and 2:30 p.m. July 21 on the main stage at 154 W. Chicago St. The indoor run comes a week after free outdoor stage performances at Valparaiso’s Central Park Plaza, 68 Lafayette St. starting at dusk July 12 and 13.
“This production concludes Chicago Street Theatre’s 69th season and we’ve shortened the play name to just ‘Lear’ to stay within our new vision of William Shakespeare’s tale of power and greed, but the story is centered around a monarch and three daughters as heirs.”
“I’ve not ever directed for Chicago Street Theatre in the past, but I have been to their performances. Last year they had an entire female cast for a telling of ‘Julius Caesar’ and it worked. ‘Lear’ has the similar themes of family, fear, jealousy, loyalty and betrayal.”
Murder and intrigue unfold as aging ruler of Britain Lear must decide which of her three daughters will take over her reign, as well as evaluate what control each of the daughters’ husbands have for influence.
“I’m approaching this production with the lens of a matriarchal society while examining how the weight of curses and betrayals might differ,” Dymond said.
The 16-member cast includes Lisa Formosa-Parmigiano as the title character Lear, Lindsay Parpart as the Fool, Mahaffa Thompson as Goneril, Erik Gollnick as Albany, Ashleigh Happer as Regan, Brandon Hearne as Cornwall, Molly Herren as Cordelia, Samuel Alger as the King of France, June Saavedra as Kent, Grant Fitch as Gloucester, TJ Kay as Edgar, Jack Reichert as Edmund, Whitney Perish as Oswald and an ensemble consisting of Emma Johnson, Olivia Lozano and Peter Parker.
“Our ensemble cast has to slip in and out of various characters and costumes, so they are very important in all of their scenes,” Dymond said.
The first known production of “King Lear” was a performance in 1606, and since, the title character for runs on Broadway and London’s West End has been played by a noted roster including Orson Welles, Christopher Plummer, Ian McKellen, Sam Waterston and for the 2019 Broadway revival, Glenda Jackson.
Since so many of the Bard’s works were originally performed outside, Chicago Street Theater has continued the decade-old tradition hosting “Shakespeare in the Park,” an offering of a pair for free performances as a complimentary arts and culture opportunity which began in 2012 when “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” was presented.
Chicago Street Theater Board Chair Donna Henry said the annual summer offering of two free outdoor performances is treated as the theater company’s “thank you” to dedicated arts patrons who support ticket sales throughout the year.
“This is our way of encouraging everyone to attend and enjoy the creative talent from around our area we have to showcase season after season,” Henry said.
“The community gives so much to us throughout the year and this is our way to show our appreciation.”
Dymond said she is learning new things with outdoor performances and she’s not often worked with a cast who are not using microphones.
“I’m learning some from my cast about what it’s like to do performances outside and how inside sets and props have to translate to an outside performance since I’m not familiar to that aspect,” Dymond said.
Chicago Street Theatre will open its 70th season in August with baseball stage favorite “Bleacher Bums,” followed in October by the ghost story “The Woman in Black.”
Philip Potempa is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
‘Lear’
When: July 12-21
Where: Downtown Central Park Plaza, 68 Lafayette St. and Chicago Street Theatre, 154 W. Chicago St., Valparaiso
Cost: Outdoor shows July 12 and 13 are free; indoor shows July 19-21 are $22 for adults, $20 for seniors 62 and older, students and military members with ID
Information: 219-464-1636; chicagostreet.org
