Alston Albarado, a University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo graduate in performing arts, will direct the second annual Kid Shakes production, I Hate Shakespeare, to be performed at Kalākaua Park in downtown Hilo. The intergenerational cast ranges from 9 to 62 years old. Matinee performances will be held on Saturday and Sunday, July 11 through 25, 11 a.m. In this modern romp through the classics, zombies and a talking cow share the stage with Hamlet, Juliet and Macbeth.
Also happening at the park this summer is Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure, the Hilo Community Players’ 38th annual production, which “plays” into several workshops and learning experiences sponsored by UH Hilo. Starting on July 9 under the famous banyan tree at the park, director Rob Hunt has re-conceived the play to unfold in jazzy New Orleans of the 1920s, where pimps and ladies of the evening rub elbows with errant dukes, fools and an unwavering nun. The three-weekend run goes through July 25, with weekday shows beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, followed by Sunday matinees at 2 p.m. There is no admission to the open air event. Umbrellas and cushions are suggested.
Shakespeare Pacifica: A Visit with the Bard
Summer 2015 also welcomes a new initiative for those who enjoy Shakespeare and theatre in general.
The Hilo Community Players, along with the UH Hilo Department of Performing Arts and Department of English—the latter working with support from the Droste Foundation—are collaborating to present Shakespeare Pacifica: A Visit with the Bard, including the two productions in Kalākaua Park and a series of workshops open to the public.
At the heart of the initiative is the appearance of William Shakespeare himself, in the guise of Chuck Wilcox, an award-winning actor, director and weapons expert who has appeared in 36 of Shakespeare’s 37 plays. Wilcox has been creating The Bard for the Colorado Shakespeare Festival in Boulder, Colorado for decades.
For more info and for a full list of workshops, visit the UH Hilo Stories website.
—From the UH Hilo Stories website
—By Susan Enright
