Next week, on October 30th through November 1st at 8pm, the Theater and Dance department will be presenting William Shakespeare’s Cymbeline!
“What the heck is Cymbeline?” Okay, so it’s not well known, like Romeo and Juliet or A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Fine, it’s rarely produced and very much under the radar. Nevertheless, it is one of Shakespeare’s later works, and it is chock-full of everything we love about a good Shakespeare play: romance, royalty, betrayal, war, poison… You get it.
“Why THIS play?” Every year, each senior Theater and Dance major must complete a senior project (aka a thesis), which includes a production related to his or her area of concentration. For Morgan Ashly Brown ’15, her focus on acting brought her to Cymbeline, with a little guidance from Professor Ron Bashford, who is a professional director of Shakespeare and the director of this production. The female lead in Cymbeline, Imogen, is a dynamic role that requires major acting chops – basically, it’s the perfect role for Morgan to tackle.
“Okay cool. Why should I see it?” The better question is why wouldn’t you see it? If you’re a fan of Shakespeare, this is a rare opportunity to see this particular play produced (and it’s being performed by a sizable cast of your peers). If Shakespeare is not necessarily your thing but you’re interested in knowing more about the Theater and Dance department, this production is a great example of the resources the department has and the dedication that the students and faculty put into making sure each performance is phenomenal. The set design by Reilly Horan ‘13 is a work of art, as are the costumes designed by visiting professor Nikki Delhomme, created specifically to fit the roles with a timelessness that crosses and connects many eras of fashion. It’s important as Amherst students, I think, to expose ourselves to everything our college has to offer, and Cymbeline is sure to be a great representation of the arts at Amherst College.
If none of those reasons convinced you, here’s one more: it’s on campus in the Holden Theater (only a short walk away from whatever dorm you live in) and it’s FREE. That’s right, you won’t have to spend any beer money to see this fully produced play. I would, however, recommend reserving tickets ASAP by calling the box office, (413) 542-2277.