The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again]

July 1 to September 20 • DOUGLAS CAMPBELL THEATRE

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again] has been loved the world over, and now this irreverent, fast-paced romp makes its Bard on the Beach debut. Three players present an acclaimed (and hilarious) [and irresistible] sprint through all of Shakespeare’s canonical plays (plus the sonnets!). It’s a wild ride through the Bard’s histories, tragedies, and comedies that will leave you helpless with laughter. As The Today Show says, “If you like Shakespeare, you’ll like this show. If you hate Shakespeare, you’ll love this show!”

Written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield; new revisions by Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield.

Directed by Mark Chavez.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again] has a rotating cast featuring three performers in each performance. Come back to see it again with the actors playing different roles!
For inquiries, check in with our Box Office.

Season and production run dates subject to change.

Production run time: TBA

Audience Advisories: TBA

Production Sponsor:

 

Photo Credit: Tess Degenstein with Matthew Ip Shaw, Arghavan Jenati & Jacob Leonard
Photo & Image Design: Emily Cooper

 

The Story

In an unused tent teeming with props and set pieces from Bard productions of yore, three unsuspecting performers must prove their chops—by acting out all of 37(ish) Shakespeare’s plays.

On William Shakespeare
Not as familiar with Shakespeare? No worries—we’ve got a quick run-down to catch you up.

While records from the period are neither clear nor comprehensive, there are a few facts that scholars generally agree on.

William Shakespeare lived and worked in England about 400 years ago, and while he was born in Stratford-upon-Avon, he divided his time between Stratford and London. In London, he joined a playing company called the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, a name that was later changed to the King’s Men when James I became the King of England and chose to be the company’s patron. 

From about 1590 to 1610, Shakespeare wrote about three dozen plays, most of which were performed by his company. He would later retire in Stratford, where he died in 1616. In 1623, two of Shakespeare’s colleagues in the King’s Men, John Hemmings and Henry Condell, published 36 of his plays in a collection now referred to as the First Folio. As Shakespeare’s original manuscripts have been lost to history, the publication of the First Folio was hugely important in preserving his plays and allowing us to talk about his work all these years later—perhaps to the chagrin of the poor players in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again].

 

Translations of “The Story” available in the following languages below, click the button to read!
Chinese (Traditional)  Farsi  French  Korean  Punjabi  Spanish

Director

Mark Chavez (he/him)

Director

Mark is a comedy person: a writer, actor, and creator working in theatre, film, and podcasts. He was one half of the Pajama Men, a duo that The Guardian hailed as “one of the most influential comedy groups of a generation.” He co-hosted the Webby Award–winning CBC podcast Let’s Make a… and is currently co-hosting a new comedy podcast, The Town Show. In Vancouver, Chavez has appeared on stage for the last five years in Theatre Replacement’s East Van Panto. Mark performs every Sunday in the mainstay Vancouver improv group The Sunday Service.

Actors

Tess Degenstein (she/her)

Ensemble

For Bard: The Comedy of Errors and Measure for Measure. Tess has performed across the country, recently touring the hit Spontaneous Theatre show Blind Date. Internationally she has performed and taught in Vienna, Berlin, Athens, London, Oslo, and Atlanta. She received a Jessie Award for Noises Off. Television credits include featured roles in New Eden, So Help Me Todd, and Murdoch Mysteries. Film credits include The Players and Osgood Perkins’ The Monkey.

Craig Erickson

Ensemble

Bard on the Beach: 11th Season. Theatre: Measure for Measure (Bard); Child-ish and Wakey, Wakey (Pacific Theatre); Hurricane Mona (Touchstone/Ruby Slippers); The Cull, Angels in America: Part One and Part Two, and The Glass Menagerie (Arts Club); Titus Bouffonius (Rumble); The Invisible Hand (Pi Theatre); the East Van Panto (Theatre Replacement); and The Idiot (Neworld). Stratford: 2 seasons. Shaw: 2 seasons. 10 Jessie Award nominations. TV: So Help Me Todd, Bau: Artist at War, The Man in the High Castle, and Lucifer.

Arghavan Jenati (she/her)

Ensemble

The Birds and the Bees (Alberta Theatre Projects); The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time and A Thousand Splendid Suns (Arts Club); and Alice Munro Stories (Belfry). Select film and TV: The Recruit (Netflix); With Love and a Major Organ (SXSW Premiere); Honor Society (Paramount+); Fresh (Hulu); Turner & Hooch (Disney+); Heart of the Matter (Hallmark); A Million Little Things and Big Sky (ABC); Girlfriends’ Guide to Divorce (Bravo); Arrow (The CW); and Ashbridge (CBC). Best Actor at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Run N Gun 2022. Whistler Film Festival’s Stars to Watch.

Nathan Kay (he/him)

Ensemble

Select credits: Stupid F***ing Bird, Bunny, Fairview, and Dance Nation (The Search Party); King Arthur’s Night (Neworld); and Red Velvet (Arts Club). I feel very fortunate to be back at Bard on the Beach this summer! Thank you for coming to see theatre.

Creative & Production

Ryan Cormack

Set Designer

Ryan is returning for his fifth Season at Bard. He is a graduate of Queen’s University and studied set and costume design at NTS. Past credits: The Comedy of Errors, Measure for Measure, and A Shakesperience (Bard); Oliver! (Gateway); Yaga (Gateway/Touchstone); Jersey Boys (Arts Club); FourPlay (Studio 58); Parade (Raincity); The Last Wife (United Players); OZ (Carousel); Mr. Burns: A Post Electric Play (DSDM); and If/Then and Bring It On! (QMT). Assistant Designer: Done/Undone, Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, and Julius Caesar (Bard); Kinky Boots and Forgiveness (Arts Club); The Jungle Book (Alberta Theatre Projects); and Actually and The Great Divide (Harold Green/Obsidian).

Alaia Hamer

Costume Designer

Alaia is a Vancouver theatre designer originally from the Gulf Islands. Recent credits include costume design for Measure for Measure (Bard); Miracle on 34th Street, Million Dollar Quartet, and Sexy Laundry (Arts Club); East Van Panto: Robin Hood and Beauty and the Beast (Theatre Replacement); HMS Pinafore and Carmen: Up Close and Personal (Vancouver Opera); Beautiful Man (Pi Theatre); and set design for A Midsummer Night’s Dream (TWU); The Hobbit, Middletown, The Case for the Existence of God, and God Said This (Pacific Theatre); and Seventeen (Western Gold). Alaia is a graduate of UBC’s Theatre Design program from 2017 and holds an English Literature degree from 2012.

Jeff Harrison

Lighting Designer

This marks Jeff’s debut designing in the tent. He is a four-time Jessie Award winner for Pharaoh Serket and the Lost Stone of Fire (Carousel); Floyd Collins (Patrick Street Productions); Blasted (Pi Theatre); and Hand to God (Arts Club). Jeff is a graduate of SFU’s School for the Contemporary Arts, attended the Banff Centre, and is a member of the Associated Designers of Canada. Other lighting credits: Children of God (Urban Ink); Women of the Fur Trade (NAC); Little Red Warrior and His Lawyer (Savage Society); and Raven Mother (Dancers of Damelahamid). Upcoming for 25/26: Tomson Highway’s Rose (NAC).

Alana Hawley Purvis

Vocal Coach

Alana is an award-winning actor and vocal coach. A proud Canadian artist, she has performed on and worked with some of the fi nest stages in the country, including Stratford, Canadian Stage, Arts Club, Theatre Calgary, and Citadel Theatre. Alana is a graduate of the Academy for Classical Acting (MFA) and the Birmingham Conservatory. Her work on fi lm includes The Recruit (Netfl ix), Supergirl (CBS/The CW), Charmed (The CW), Range Roads (North Country), and a nomination for Best Actress at the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards. Alana teaches voice at UBC and is a proud member of the National Voice Association. alanahawleypurvis.com @alanahawleypurvis

Sam Jeffery

Fight Director & Intimacy Director

Sam is an award-nominated fi ght director, actor, intimacy director, and creator. Born and raised in amiskwaciwâskahikan (Edmonton) on Treaty 6 territory, she’s grateful to return to Bard and call the coast home. Select credits: The Comedy of Errors, Measure for Measure, Julius Caesar, As You Like It, and Henry V (Bard); Jersey Boys, Sexy Laundry, Red Velvet, and Elf: The Musical (Arts Club); Sunrise Betties (ITSAZOO); and Macbeth, Julius Caesar, Twelfth Night, and Henry V (The Malachites). samjeffery.com

Jenny Kim (she/her)

Assistant Stage Manager

Jenny is honoured and pleased to be able to work with such talented individuals on both productions. Assistant stage management credits include Mahabharata (Why Not Theatre); The Comedy of Errors, Measure for Measure, Henry V, and Coriolanus (Bard); Miracle on 34th Street, Red Velvet, Cipher, and Sweat (Arts Club); Bad Parent (vAct/Prairie Theatre Exchange/Soulpepper); and China Doll (Gateway). Other credits include Pachinko (Apple TV+).

Anton Lipovetsky (he/him)

Composer & Sound Designer

Anton is a Vancouver-based actor, songwriter, musical director, sound designer, and teacher. After six Seasons at Bard as a performer, this is his first Season as a sound designer. He has previously designed sound for the Arts Club, the Belfry, Carousel, and Green Thumb. Anton has also composed a dozen original musicals, including Blackout, featured at the 2022 NAMT Annual Festival of New Musicals in New York City. He is a graduate of Studio 58 and the Stratford Birmingham Conservatory. Find him online @antronsongs.

Alison Matthews

Head Voice & Text Coach

This is Alison’s 16th Season with Bard. She teaches in the Drama Department at the University of Alberta. She was a founding faculty member with the Arts Club Actor’s Intensive and taught voice, text, and dialects with the Banff-Citadel Professional Theatre Program in Banff, Alberta. Alison has three decades of professional acting experience in theatre, film, television, and voice-over, and she is a founding board member of the National Voice Association.

Rebecca Mulvihill (she/her)

Stage Manager

Rebecca is returning to Bard for her tenth Season. Most recently for Bard: The Comedy of Errors, Measure for Measure, Henry V, and Harlem Duet. Favourite recent credits: Burning Mom, Beneath Springhill: The Maurice Ruddick Story, and The Cull (Arts Club); The Father, Bunny, and Stupid F*cking Bird (The Search Party); and As dreams are made (Music on Main). Rebecca has worked with Vancouver Opera, Théâtre La Seizième, Electric Company, PuSh, and Coastal Jazz. She is a graduate of UVic.

Chirag Naik

Apprentice Director

Chirag is a South Asian theatre, fi lm, and voice actor. He’s honoured to return for his sixth Season at Bard. Born in Calgary, he’s revelled in renowned theatres countrywide including Bard on the Beach, the National Arts Centre, Theatre Calgary, and others. He also works in TV and animated shows including international favourites like Upload, Strawberry Shortcake, Momolu and Friends, and Polly Pocket. Love and thanks to his wife and family for their support. Enjoy.

Amanda Testini (she/her)

Choreographer

Amanda is an Italian-Canadian theatre artist based on the unceded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations. Amanda has worked with companies such as The Cultch, Theatre Replacement, the Banff Centre, Savage Society, Electric Company Theatre, Vancouver Opera, Axis Theatre, Pacific Opera Victoria, the Glimmerglass Festival, and Edmonton Opera. She is a graduate of Studio 58, a Jessie Award nominee, and the current Miriam Bennett Artist-in-Residence at the Arts Club Theatre Company.

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