Shakespeare Shorts LogoShakespeare Shorts

August 28th & 29th, 2009
Shakespeare Shorts is truly a labor of love for me," explains Kevin Purcell, of Petersburg, "I have adapted 5 of Will’s plays and added 3 sonnets. The presentation will feature sonnets and scenes from William Shakespeare's whimsical comedies, As You Like It and A Midsummer Night's Dream, his dark and powerful tragedies, Hamlet and Richard III, and will include the romantic balcony scene from Romeo & Juliet.

In January of 2009, Kevin Purcell went to NYC and spent a week studying “the acting of Shakespeare” with Patsy Rodenburg, of the Royal Shakespeare Company. "It was a peak experience in my theater life, "says Purcell. "When I got home, I started the Over the Moon Acting Ensemble and this is the inaugural production. Our 13 actors have met throughout the year to prepare this piece of work and we are very proud of it."

The OTM Acting Ensemble includes: Ben Beams, Tamara Bivins, Nancy Cole, Joey Cruse, Gina Decroix, Marian Levin, Becca Loschen, Kevin Purcell, Patrick Russell, Eric Thibodeaux-Thompson, Missy Thibodeaux-Thompson, Aasne Vigesaa, and Kristi Wilhelm.

Shakespeare Shorts also features live Elizabethan music by the minstrel group, Fealty. The production also features singing, dancing and stage combat.

Biographies:

Leigh Steiner: Leigh is a founding member of Over the Moon Productions, and has directed for TIP (Midsummer Nights' Dream, The Fantasticks); Muni (The Secret Garden, Children of Eden); STC (Sunday in the Park with George) and OTM (Cats, Camelot). Leigh has been seen as an actor in the roles of Blanche in Streetcar, Dr Livingston in Agnes of God; and Sister Rita in The Runner Stumbles and most recently as Dr Vivian Bearing in OTM's Wit at the Hoogland Center.

Aasne Vigesaa: Aasne received her MFA in Actiing from NIU. She acted in NYC and Chicago before moving to Springfield 3 years ago. Aasne was just seen in OTM's Camelot in the role of Guenevere, and in the ensemble of Wit; she has also been seen at Muni (Peter in Peter Pan; Anna in the King and I; Miss Sandra in All Shook Up) and at UIS (Hedda in Hedda Gabler; Mrs. Owens in Picnic).

Kevin Purcell: Two years ago, Kevin returned from 20 years in Seattle where he founded the Seattle Public Theater and performed with Olympic Shakespeare Company. TIP audiences will remember Kevin as Bottom in Midsummer Nights Dream in 2002 and El Gallo in The Fantasticks in 1999. Kevin was just seen in OTM's Camelot in the role of King Arthur. Kevin has directed many productions including OTM's Wit in Feb 2008 at Hoogland. Kevin will study with Patsy Rodenburg of the Royal Shakespeare Company in January 2009 in NYC.