The daily digest of Twin Cities culture | Secrets of the City

Intro text by Juleana Enright, interview by Kate Iverson
Rehearsal photos by Amanda Hanson

To the cast and crew of the theater company, Strange Capers, all the world truly is a stage. And the best place to entertain isn't inside a theater, but among the natural world. For this weekend's Shakespeare in the Park opening, nine talented local thespians take to the great outdoors in a lively rendition of the Shakespeare classic, As You Like It, directed by prolific local actor/director Randy Reyes. Drawing inspiration from the beautiful backdrop of the Mississippi River and Boom Island Park, the performers inventively and alluringly re-tell the frolicking tale of love in a enchanting forest, where song, dance, clowns, wrestlers, mistaken identity, and, our favorite Shakespeare theme (cross-dressing) reign supreme.

Saturdays & Sundays through August 16th, 2 p.m., Boom Island Park, 724 Sibley Street NE, Minneapolis, Suggested Donation

Secrets of the City's Kate Iverson chatted with director Randy Reyes this week about his new Shakespeare in the Park production, the Twin Cities theater scene and more...

Shakespeare in the Park is a great tradition, but what can we expect from a "Randy Reyes" production that will be different?

First of all, it won't be a "puffy pants" production.  I've never understood companies that do outdoor theater in heavy costumes.  So no tights and no wool.  The production will look like it belongs outside.

With any theater that I do, acting or directing, I like to tell a clear story.  So the first challenge in doing Shakespeare is the language.  I'm lucky enough to have a company of actors who handle language very well.  Due to some tough weather in the early weeks (we rehearsed at Boom Island from 12-4 monday-friday), we were able to spend some quality time analyzing the script, which really paid of when we started to put the show on its feet. Another aspect of doing theater that I value, is a sense of play.  I love adventurous actors that play outside of their comfort zone during the exploration of their character.  This production is very playful.  The company was really inspired by the open spaces, the grass, the trees, the Mississippi , the sky, etc.  How can you not be excited when god is your lighting designer?

Beyond anything else, I really believe in truth.  The audience needs to care about these people.  The actors have worked so hard to anchor all their choices with an honesty that comes from deep within them.  If that's the foundation of a choice, then one can go pretty far in terms of the expression of that choice. So this "Randy Reyes" production will tell a clear story in an adventurous way grounded in truth with no "puffy pants".

The play As You Like It is certainly a festive choice -- was this a no-brainer when you were deciding what to produce? Why do you think Shakespeare has remained relevant for so long?

As You Like It was a perfect choice in launching an outdoor Shakespeare company.  Beyond the obvious exploration of what love is, the play also investigates the tensions between "city" and "country" life.  In the locations that we set the play at Boom Island, the audiences will be able to sit on the grass amongst trees and see the buildings of downtown beyond the Mississippi .  The play is also highly theatrical.  When people ask me about my "concept", I say that my concept is to create an exciting production of As You Like It.  There's not much one needs to do in a play that has a tyrannical Duke, a wrestling match, cross dressing, first love, first lust, runaways, clowns, and depressed individuals railing against nature.  The play itself is exciting, we just need to do it.

Shakespeare is still relevant today because of the amazing way he deals with universal themes.  I believe great writers are able to capture very deep human truths.  When Shakespeare talks about love, or the pursuit of love, it resonates beyond the 1600's.  As his characters wrestle with what it means, we become invested in the characters because we can relate, we understand, we have felt those same things.  And Shakespeare is able to express these very complicated human desires in a poetry that transcends emotions or intellect.  As a performer, Shakespeare is a full body experience.  His language is physical, not intellectual.  And when done right, it becomes a very powerful form of expression.

You've had a successful acting career in the Twin Cities -- what inspired you to direct?

Since I first started seriously acting, I've always been interested in all aspects of production.  I would sit and watch rehearsals of scenes that I wasn't in, to observe the process of creation.  As I learned more about the art of theater, I became frustrated with productions that I saw, or ones that I was in, where the story wasn't clear or moments didn't make sense.  It's fascinating to me how important storytelling events are looked over because of a "cool" idea or some ego in the room.  Directors that I admire are dedicated to telling a compelling story and having an audience care.  It's not that I think there shouldn't be any cool ideas in plays, but I feel like it's cooler if those ideas actually help in the storytelling.

As an Asian American actor, I don't have as many acting opportunities as my anglo counterparts.  This fact opens up big chunks of time that I've been able to fill either directing and/or teaching.  I went to 8 years of actor training ( University of Utah and The Juilliard School ), so I'm determined to pay off my student loans in the same field that I created those loans.  I was lucky enough to work with Mu Performing Arts upon moving to Minneapolis about 5 years ago and Rick Shiomi gave me my first big directing opportunity-- Circle Around the Island at the Guthrie's Dowling Studio.  If you're going to be successful in life, you need people to give you chance, then you need to take advantage of that opportunity.  Ken Washington gave me that chance at the University of Utah, Joe Dowling gave me my first professional acting job out of Juilliard, and Rick Shiomi gave me my first big directing opportunity.  Part of the drive for my success is making these mentors proud.

 
Can you tell us a bit about your theater company, Strange Capers? How did it come about?

Eric Holm, the other Artistic Director, actually approached me with the idea of starting a summer outdoors theater company based on his former theater company, Shakespeare on the Cape.  I liked the idea of theater as a gift and then passing the hat for donations which we would split evenly with the whole company, including administration.  Much like the way Shakespeare's company did it.  I was also adamant that I didn't want the administration to be dominated by artists, so we assembled Rob Nygaard and Lauren Ignaut as Managing Directors and Rachael Crew as our Marketing and Communications Director -- all of whom work for the Guthrie in similar capacities.  So once the founding members had 3 administrators and 2 artists, I was on board.  Beyond those specific details, I have ambition to be an Artistic Director of a theater company.  It is a ton of work to produce one outdoor Shakespeare play a year.  I can't imagine the work that Joe Dowling takes on, but that's my goal.

As you know, we have an amazing theater scene in the Twin Cities. How do you see it evolving, and what do you see your role being within it?

I moved from New York City 5 years ago because of the amazing theater scene and I couldn't wait to be part of it in any way that I could.  What has transpired while living here has gone beyond any of my expectations and I hope it just continues to grow.  I get to act in a vast variety of theaters and styles.  I have a cultural artistic home with Mu Performing Arts.  I'm part of so many different theater communities from the Guthrie, to Mixed Blood, to The Workhaus Collective, to Mu, to The Pillsbury House.  I get to teach in the premier BFA actor training program at the University of Minnesota .  I've gotten to direct at the Guthrie, the Playwright's Center, the Minnesota Science Museum, the Mill City Museum, and the Bloomington Civic Theater (coming up: Thoroughly Modern Mille).  I get to work on Shakespeare and on new plays.  I get to work with veterans and students.  I'm growing everyday and I really don't feel like there are limits to what I can do and where I can do it.  I just want to keep getting better, to keep learning and to keep doing theater.  I want to create work that excites a community to go and see theater.  I want to be part of a community where theater is an important form of entertainment and socialization.

What are your 5 favorite things about the Twin Cities?

Brunch with Rachael at the BLB.
Late night Happy Hour at Azia and Jasmine 26.
Spring
Lakes
the Arts (all of them)

For more information on Strange Capers and As You Like It, visit http://thestrangecapers.wordpress.com