About the Production

What is the play about?

Measure for Measure takes place in Vienna, where Duke Vincentio decides to leave his post as leader of the city and put Angelo, a judge, in charge.  The Duke hopes that Angelo will be strict about enforcing morality laws that have always been in place but that have never been enforced.  Claudio, a young man whose fiancé, Juliet, is pregnant, is arrested for adultery.  Claudio’s sister, Isabella, goes to Angelo to plead for mercy for her brother, and Angelo’s reaction sets off an unexpected chain of events.  The Duke, meanwhile, disguises himself as a friar to observe the goings on in Vienna, and then finds himself scrambling to avert a disaster.

 

Is the play appropriate for children?

Because the play specifically deals with sexual coercion as a major plot point, Pigeon Creek does not recommend the play for children under 14.  A full summary of the play is available online in many places.  Parents and guardians who are thinking of having children attend should look at a summary like the one at https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explore-shakespeare/shakespedia/shakespeares-plays/measure-measure/.

 

Who is directing the play?

Aili Huber directs this production for the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company.  Aili is the artistic director of Silk Moth Stage, a theatre company in Virginia.  She holds an MFA in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University/American Shakespeare Center.  She has directed several other productions for Pigeon Creek, including Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Much Ado About Nothing, Antony and Cleopatra, and Richard III.  She has also directed for many university theatre programs and professional companies across the country.  Along with her work as a director, Huber teaches the Take 5 principles for creating safe and mentally healthy rehearsal spaces.  She created these workshops and has taught them to directors, teachers, and theatre administrators from around the world.

 

Who are the actors?

Pigeon Creek’s actors come primarily from West Michigan and have extensive training and experience with performing Shakespeare and other classical plays.  This production features actors Chaz Albright, Chaz Bratton, Mike Dodge, Kimi Griggs, Kat Hermes, Scott Lange, Katherine Mayberry, Ashley Normand, Sarah Stark, Scott Wright, and Seraphina Zorn.

 

When and where will performances take place?

Pigeon Creek is a touring company, and each of our productions travels to multiple performance venues.  Measure for Measure will open at the Sauk Theatre in Jonesville, Michigan, on November 4.  The rest of the show’s run will take place in March and April, 2024, at venues in such communities as Muskegon, Saugatuck, Grand Rapids, Zeeland, and more.