COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE is Coming to The Gateway

Gateway Playhouse in Somers Point will showcase all of William Shakespeare's 37 plays – in just 95 minutes – in the hilarious “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged/Revised/Again)” by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, who originally created the show for the Edinburgh Theater Fest in 1987. Since then, it has toured the world over, delighting audiences, whether connoisseurs of The Bard or perhaps barely remember one play from high school. This delightful show comes to the Gateway for one weekend only, March 7 to 9.

“This show is so funny … the writers really made it accessible for all audiences,” says Chip Garrison, the director of “The Complete Works …,” as well as a theater teacher at Absegami High School in Galloway.

Audiences will recognize characters such as Hamlet, Macbeth, the Merchant of Venice, Puck, Cleopatra, and, of course, Juliet and her Romeo. With so many tragedies under Shakespeare's belt, one may wonder how this show can be funny. “You'd be surprised,” laughs Garrison, saying that the script was last updated in 2023 to be more topical when it comes to today's Insta-culture. He adds that slapstick humor, sight gags and props-gone-wild help carry the storyline along in a most humorous way. As an example, for “Titus Andronicus” – the tragic Roman general who avenges the deaths of his children by murdering their killers and baking them into a pie –  the character of Titus in the “Complete Works …” channels his inner Guy Fieri and the scene becomes a riotous reality cooking show.

Three actors will portray numerous characters – often within the same scene. The actors are Henry, Nathan and Michael Moore, brothers from Galloway for whom it is the first time they are working together on stage. Nathan was seen at the Gateway last year as Claudio in “Much Ado About Nothing,” also by Shakespeare, while Michael recently portrayed Seymour in the Gateway's production of “Little Shop of Horrors.” Henry is usually found in the pit, and never acted before.

“You need actors with excellent timing. What better way to do this than with brothers?” says Garrison. “They've even incorporated gags they pulled on each other growing up!”

Each performance will be different, thanks to some improv and audience participation, which is thrilling for the actors.

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