William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar takes place in a world of male power and dominance.  The Rome of Shakespeare’s play is an arena of male competition, in which the female characters attempt to avert tragedy but find themselves powerless to do so.  The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company takes on this testosterone-filled play with an entirely female cast, exploring the performance of gender and challenging preconceptions of male and female.  Alisha Huber directs a cast featuring Pigeon Creek actors Heather Folkvord as Brutus, Katherine Mayberry as Cassius, and Kate Bode as Caesar.

Tickets $18 $15 students/seniors

Based in Grand Haven, Michigan, the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company was founded in the summer of 1998 by Chicago-area actor and director Frank Farrell and a group of local actors, including current executive director Katherine Mayberry. The company began performing the works of William Shakespeare outdoors in the Ottawa County Parks each summer. These performances included A Midsummer Night's Dream, Love's Labour's Lost, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Taming of the Shrew, Much Ado About Nothing, and a hiking production of As You Like It. 
          In December of 2002, the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company began a Repertory Company which consisted of a troupe of 5-11 actors who performed programs of scenes from Shakespeare and his contemporaries in non-traditional spaces, including coffee houses, book stores, bed and breakfasts, and churches. The Repertory Company specializes in adapting performances to each individual space, incorporating the atmosphere and architecture into each scene. In 2007, the Repertory Company performed its first full-length production, The Winter's Tale. This production was also the company's first to travel out of state.
          2008, the company’s tenth anniversary, marked the first year-long season for the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company, and included five productions: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Macbeth, Richard III, As You Like It, and Twelfth Night. In addition to these full-length productions, the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company continued to perform scenes in a variety of Michigan venues and to conduct educational programming in many university and secondary classrooms.
          The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company is an Original Practices company which is dedicated to bringing to its performances the authentic practices of Shakespeare and his actors. These practices include such performance elements as universal lighting (all lights on), audience contact (speaking directly to audience members), live music (performed by the actors), and doubling (one actor playing multiple roles). 
          The company’s 2009 season will include productions of King Lear, Julius Caesar, The Comedy of Errors, and Pericles.

Kathleen Bode (Caesar)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: Regan in King Lear,Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Tranio in The Taming of the Shrew, Hostess in The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Roles with Other Theatres: Adriana in The Comedy of Errors, Gonzalo in The Tempest,  1st Witch in Macbeth (Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival).

Education and Training: Associate in Arts from Grand Rapids Community College; London Theatre Exchange/Intensive Theatre Training Program.

Emily Decker (Multiple Roles in Caesar)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: This is Emily’s first production with Pigeon Creek.

Roles with Other Theatres: Hero in Much Ado About Nothing, Celia in As You Like It, Cinderella in Cinderella, Louisa in The Fantasticks, Elsie in You Can’t Take It With You, Elaine in Arsenic and Old Lace, Laurey in Oklahoma.

Education and Training: Working towards a B.A. in Art History from Grand Valley State University.

CreeAnn DeWall (Multiple Roles in Caesar)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: This is CreeAnn’s first production with Pigeon Creek.

Roles with Other Theatres: Rusty in Footloose.

Education and Training: Extensive dance training in hip-hop and jazz; Vocal Techniques Class.

Heather Folkvord (Brutus)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: Witch/Caithness/Murderer in Macbeth, Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Roles with Other Theatres: Queen in Cymbeline, Portia in The Merchant of Venice, Ariel in The Tempest, Lady Macduff in Macbeth (Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival); Sheila in Hair, Chorus in Antigone, Naomi in A Single Numberless Death, Hannah Porter Pitt in Angels in America, Part One, Darlene in Hurly Burly, Multiple Roles in Durang? Durang!, Sister Robert Anne in Nunsense (Grand Valley State University); Dragons in Talking With, Multiple Roles in Metamorphoses (Heritage Theatre Group); Lee in Marvin’s Room, Joan in The Guys  (10 Weston Theatre); Multiple Roles in I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (Avalon Theatre); Dawn in Lobby Hero (Actor’s Theatre); Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof  (Westshore College); Lily in Nobody’s Gilgul (Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids); Chorus in Wily and the Hairyman (Circle Theatre); Lady Plum in Jack and the Giant Beanstalk (Grand Rapids Civic Theatre).

Education and Training:  B.S. in Theatre from Grand Valley State University; London Theatre Exchange/Intensive Theatre Training Program; Private Voice with Dale Schreimer and Kathryn Steiler (Grand Valley State University).

Other Credits: Developer for multiple college theatre projects (including Expressions: Peer Theatre with Marlese Kowalski Brown/GVSU Women’s Center and ALERT Labs grant project with Karen Libman/GVSU Theatre); Currently works as a Private Acting Coach for students across West Michigan. 

Ellie Gramer (Portia and Others)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: This is Ellie’s first production with Pigeon Creek.

Roles with Other Theatres: Ulla in The Producers, Mrs. Walker in TOMMY, Nancy in Oliver!, Esta in Moby Dick, the Musical, Freida/Betty in Sunday in the Park with George, Renata in NINE the Musical, Chorus in Pippin, Chorus in Beauty and the Beast (Circle Theatre); Sister Mary Amnesia in Nunsense (The Theatre Project); Violet Hilton in Sideshow, Nancy D in A New Brain (Actor’s Theatre); Penelope/Sad Girl in Bye Bye Birdie, Chorus in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (Hope Summer Repertory Theatre); Chorus in Music Man (Grand Rapids Civic Theatre); Chorus/Flower Girl in Marriage of Figaro, Chorus in Romeo and Juliette, Chorus in Madama Butterfly, Chorus in Turandot(Opera Grand Rapids).

Education and Training: Vocal Training with Dr. Duane Davis (Grand Rapids Community College), Tap with Susan Hayes (Holland Area Arts Council), Ballet with Jefferson Baum (Grand Valley State University).

Taleah Greve (Multiple Roles in Caesar)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: This is Taleah’s first production with Pigeon Creek.

Roles with Other Theatres:  Pilate’s Wife/Crowd Leader and other roles in The Glory of Easter (Spring Lake Wesleyan Church); Susan in Reminiscence (Film by Jeremy Landers); Angel in Snow Angel (Film produced by First Curve TV)

Education and Training: B.A. in Communications (with emphasis in Theatre) from Grand Valley State University.

Kat Hermes (Casca and Others in Caesar)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: Queen Margaret/Catesby in Richard III, Adam/Audrey in As You Like It.

Roles with Other Theatres: Antipholus of Syracuse in The Comedy of Errors (The University Wits/Mary Baldwin College); Mistress Openwork in The Roaring Girl, Cariola in The Duchess of Malfi, Wrath/Evil Angel in Doctor Faustus (Mary Baldwin College/American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse); Sonya in Uncle Vanya (Piven Theatre).

Education and Training: B.A in Drama/Speech (Clarke College), M.Litt in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance (Mary Baldwin College in Partnership with the American Shakespeare Center), Piven Theatre Workshop (Piven Theatre).

Arielle Leverett (Calpurnia and Octavius Caesar)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: Understudy for Viola in Twelfth Night.

Roles with Other Theatres: Celia/Miranda/Viola in Bard to Go “Kissing and Courting” (Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival, Sapperlot Festival tour); Messenger/Musician in Antigone, Ensemble in Ragtime, Ensemble in The Rocky Horror Show (Grand Valley State University); Jeanette in Crowns (Circle Theatre).

Education and Training: Working towards a B.A. in Theatre from Grand Valley State University;  Shakespeare Workshop with Chris Hayes, Chekhov Workshop with Wil Kilroy (Grand Valley State University).

Elle M. Luckstead (Multiple Roles in Caesar)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: Cordelia in King Lear.

Roles with Other Theatres: Helen of Troy/Chorus in The Arraignment of Paris (Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival); Assistant #2 in Singin’ in the Rain, Helen Wilson in Fair Exchange, Chorus/Understudy in Cinderella, Margot Frank in The Diary of Anne Frank.

Education and Training: Working towards a B.A. in Theatre and English from Grand Valley State University, Shakespeare Audition Workshop with Katherine Mayberry (Grand Valley State University), Monologue Audition Workshop with David Theune.

Katherine Mayberry (Cassius)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: Goneril in King Lear, Viola in Twelfth Night, Elizabeth in Richard III, Celia in As You Like It, Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Hermione in The Winter’s Tale, Rosaline in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Rosalind in As You Like It, Titania/Hippolyta in A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Roles with Other Theatres: Rosaline in Love’s Labour’s Lost, Gertrude in Hamlet, Isabella/Provost/Elbow in Measure for Measure, Ferdinand in The Duchess of Malfi, Mistress Quickly/Alice in Henry V (Mary Baldwin College, American Shakespeare Center’s Blackfriars Playhouse); Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Hero in Much Ado About Nothing, Phebe in As You Like It (Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival); Bessie in Marvin’s Room, Chicklet in Psycho Beach Party (10 Weston Theatre); Various Roles in Nobody’s Gilgul, Liba in A Shayna Maidel (Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids).

Education and Training: Master of Letters and Master of Fine Arts in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance, acting emphasis, Mary Baldwin College in Partnership with the American Shakespeare Center; BA, Grand Valley State University; Summer Shakespeare Intensive, London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts; Intensive Theatre Training Program, London Theatre Exchange; Chekhov Institute, University of Southern Maine; Commedia Del’Arte Colloquium with Antonio Fava.

Other Credits: Adjunct Professor of English and Theatre, Grand Valley State University; Director of “Bard to Go: Kissing and Courting,” Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival 2008.

Sarah Stark (Antony)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: Olivia in Twelfth Night.

Roles with Other Theatres: Phebe/Lady Anne/Olivia in Bard to Go “Kissing and Courting” (Grand Valley Shakespeare Festival, Sapperlot Festival tour); Chorus in Antigone, Ensemble in Nickel and Dimed, Ensemble in The Vagina Monologues (Grand Valley State University)

Education and Training: Working towards a B.A. in Theatre and English from Grand Valley State University; 6 years of work with the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre Summer Stock and Travelling Troupe companies; Edwardian Period Salon and Movement training workshop (Actor’s Movement Studio/New York.)

Angela Taylor (Multiple Roles in Caesar)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: This is Angela’s first production with Pigeon Creek.

Roles with Other Theatres: Catherine in Proof, Bofur in The Hobbit, and a Cloud in The Clouds (Overbrook Theatre)

Education and Training: London Theatre Exchange/Intensive Theatre Training Program.

Alisha Huber (Director for Caesar)

Previous Roles with Pigeon Creek: This is Alisha’s first production with Pigeon Creek.

Credits with Other Theatres: Antony and Cleopatra, Eleemosynary, and Copenhagen(Hiram
College Theater); assistant director, As You Like It at the Athens Shakespeare Festival.

Education and Training: B.A. in Theatre (Hiram College); M.Litt in Shakespeare and Renaissance Literature in Performance (Mary Baldwin College in Partnership with the American Shakespeare Center)

The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company’s performance philosophy is based primarily on the original staging practices of acting companies from Shakespeare’s own period.  The use of original staging practices is a recent movement in the production of Shakespeare's plays, a movement with such proponents as the American Shakespeare Center in Staunton, Virginia.

Since its founding, the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company has sought to explore such original practice elements as

1. Performance in non-traditional theatrical spaces. The touring companies of Early Modern England performed not only in purpose-built playhouses like the Globe and the Blackfriars, but in such venues as innyards and noblemen's houses. The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company performs primarily in non-theatre spaces, including outdoor settings, bookstores, restaurants, country clubs, bed and breakfasts, and the Grand Haven Area Arts Council, a warehouse space.  Finding creative ways to use a variety of spaces -- including theatres of different architectural types as well as non-theatre spaces -- keeps the actors on their toes and results in an exciting and spontaneous performance atmosphere.

2. Universal lighting.  Shakespeare's audiences sat in the same light as the actors, either in outdoor playhouses or in candle-lit indoor playhouses.  The members of the audience were visible to the actors and to each other.  Because of this visible audience, many playwrights of that era wrote the audience into their plays, giving the actors lines to speak directly to the audience.  The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company performs in universal lighting and employs audience contact in its performances, making audience members feel as if they are a part of the play.

3. Minimal sets.  Acting companies of 16th and 17th century England did not employ the elaborate sets that 21st century theatre audiences have come to expect.  The texts of the plays, the actors' actions, and the audience's imagination helped to transform a nearly bare stage into all of the locations necessary in a given play.  The Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company follows this practice in order to maintain an energetic performance pace, uninterrupted by frequent set changes.  Using minimal or no sets also means that the company can travel easily and can perform in venues of many different sizes without lengthy set-up time.

4.  Cross-gendered casting.  During Shakespeare’s time, English law did not allow women to perform on stage, so the female roles in Shakespeare’s plays were originally performed by boys.  While we do have female actors to play women’s roles in our company, you may sometimes see women playing men or men playing women in the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company’s productions.  Through this kind of casting, the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company explores the ability of actors to create characters that are wholly different than the actors themselves.

5.  Doubling.  Records from Shakespeare’s own period suggest that the acting companies of the time were relatively small, typically employing 10-15 actors.  Since many of the plays performed during the period have 30-40 characters, we know that each actor played multiple roles in any given production.  During a performance by the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company, you may see the same actor play as many as five roles.  This practice demands great skill from the actors, who must be able to distinguish their characters very clearly for the audience.

6.  Company Structure.  In Shakespeare’s time, actors did more than appear on stage.  They took part in the business aspects of their acting companies as well.  The actors of the Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company do not only act in productions.  They are also the primary administrators of the company and producers of performances.