The Dog and Duke Dichotomy with Brad Sytsma
Repertory Company Member Brad Sytsma discusses the differences of his two characters in Two Gentleman of Verona. My experiences thus far performing with the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company have all had one thing in common: the characters I play all have names or titles that begin with the letter “D.” Two Gentlemen of Verona is no different; but taking on the dual roles of the Duke and the Dog presented a new array of challenges to overcome when creating their characters. I
Creating Shakespearean Characters by Kristin Ripley
Kristen Ripley talks about creating multiple characters in The Two Gentlemen of Verona. When playing a character onstage, it is essential that the actor take time to discover as much as possible about whom the character is. Character research for me usually begins with the following questions: Who does the playwright say this character is? Who does the character herself say she is, through her words or by her actions? Who do the other characters in the play say about her? On
In My Mind's Eye with Anessa Johnson
Introducing Anessa Johnson, answering some questions about her first Pigeon Creek production The Two Gentlemen of Verona. When creating a Shakespeare character, do you start from the “outside” (voice and physicality) or the “inside” (relationships and motivations)? Why? With any character, I start from the inside. I begin with the script to learn what they say about themselves, what other characters say about them, and how the playwright describes them, and from there I can b