The Two Gentleman of Verona at First Stage

Next up in First Stage's 2020/21 Virtual Season of Plays is THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA, one of Shakespeare's earliest plays. This adventurous, romantic comedy directed by Marcella Kearns has it all - love, betrayal, hidden identities, a gang of gentlemen outlaws - even a double wedding! As Young Company Director Matt Daniels described it, "THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA is a comedy about young people making mistakes as they venture into the world on their own for the first time, making it incredibly relatable for First Stage high schoolers who are about to embark on college adventures. As one of Shakespeare's earliest plays, the language is immediate and accessible, and the play's heroine, Julia, is the prototype for some of Shakespeare's greatest leading ladies, including Viola in TWELFTH NIGHT and Rosalind in AS YOU LIKE IT. Plus, there are hijinks with a dog named Crab!"

The production of THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA is a Young Company Performance Project, an actor-driven presentation that uses limited production elements allowing the connection between actor and audience to be enhanced emphasizing the power of the spoken word to come alive in exciting ways. First Stage's Young Company Performance Projects are sponsored by United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF).

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA streams DECEMBER 4 - DECEMBER 14, 2020. Performances will be livestreamed through Broadway On Demand on Friday, DECEMBER 4 at 7 pm, Saturday, DECEMBER 5 at 7 pm and Sunday, DECEMBER 6 at 3:30 pm. A recorded performance will be available to stream through Monday, DECEMBER 14. Tickets are available for $15, $25 or $40. Patrons are encouraged to choose the price point that best fits their family and budget. Ticket buyers will receive an access code to stream this performance through the streaming service Broadway On Demand. Tickets can be purchased online at www.firststage.org or by phone at (414) 267-2961. Performance runtime is approximately two hours including a 10-minute intermission. Suggested for families with young people ages 13+.

New this year: Family All-Access Pass Membership includes streaming access to this and all other virtual productions this season and starts at $200 per household. More information is available at: www.firststage.org/membership.

Director Marcella Kearns shared these thoughts on directing THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA: "This early Shakespeare has afforded the Young Company a chance both to exercise their verbal virtuosity and to knock at what it means to make this play in 2020. From how women are regarded in this play's world to what it means to love - and, ultimately, what it means to be a gentleman or a gentle man - the acting company has plumbed it all. They are so brave.

We've worked entirely virtually - from auditions through the plan to livestream. As a result, this Young Company Performance Project has freed up some things and presented restrictions on others with which we have to find a way to operate creatively. What's freeing? More time to dig into text, to discuss story, than we usually allow ourselves on a process. I have found the actors' exploration of this piece rich."

She continued, "What, on the other hand, is restricting? The performance medium, of course. Learning to act to a device's camera - therefore without the benefit of visually connecting to one's scene partner - is a skill and a frustration they experience. Learning to be their own assistant stage managers, lighting designers, scenic coordinators and more as they set up their own space to work has challenged them and required great ingenuity. I feel with every rehearsal that we inch closer to the technical singularity, ha!

One aspect of this project about which I have a special care: we have a host of understudies/swings who are preparing multiple roles, ready to step in if for any reason their principal actor can't be present for a rehearsal or performance. While First Stage routinely doubles its Young Performer casts for its main stage and First Steps productions, the Young Company rarely does. I wanted to broaden opportunity and offer additional YC members the chance to study and be a part of this process. The work of the understudy is very often unsung and always invisible until the work of that understudy is needed. The understudy team of THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA is building a professional skill, and they are working just as hard as their principals. I couldn't be prouder."