Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast and Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - David Andrew Laws

"Last, but not least" is a phrase not usually associated with Shakespeare. Sometimes, when dealing with the Bard, last and least go hand in hand. Two Noble Kinsmen? Come on. And Sonnet 154? It doesn't even rhyme! All we're saying is, the bar's been raised high, and if David Andrew Laws wants to overcome it, he's gonna have to use all the lankiness he embodies to do so.

"Challenge accepted."

(Special thanks to company member Samantha Maurice for providing these questions, so that David didn't have to interview himself.)

HID: You know the drill. What's Costard's favorite color?

DL: Luckily, Costard isn't bound by such conventions as "favorite" or "color" or "What's". He's a fan of every and all things. Asking him to choose a favorite color would be like asking a molecule of water to compose an original opera. But also, it's yellow.

HID: Costard treats us with several songs during the show. What is Costard's favorite 90's single?

DL: Unfortunately, Costard's favorite 90s single hasn't been released yet, because it's from the year 2090. But it's called "All 4 of U", which is a gritty remake of the Sister Hazel song combined with relevant themes on personal cloning devices. It's going to have been a big hit.

HID: Costard also has a penchant for malapropisms. Have you ever embarrassed yourself through trying to sound smarter than you are?

DL: Okay, this is a such a leading question that I'm almost certain you're looking for me to tell a specific story, but the sad truth is that this happens to so frequently that I can't decide which one. Recently I remember realizing that the word "fluctuate" doesn't have an "x" in it, which just blew my mind. Other words I may frequently misuse include "indoctrinate", "obstinately", and "completely legal".

HID: What is Costard going to spend his guerdon and his remuneration on?

DL: Spoiler alert! But probably nothing. In the scene where he exits joyfully with them in hand, it's very likely that he tries to throw the coins in the air and catch them...but drops them and loses them in a storm grate. Not that I've done that with the props, Dayle! I promise. Dayle? I don't want to go back in the cupboard....

HID: Anything else we need to know about you or the show?

DL: The serious answer is that singing in front of an audience is the second scariest thing I've been asked to do in front of an audience, so enjoy that opportunity while it lasts.
        The silly answer is, I'm gonna need someone to let me out of the cupboard when this airs.

We'll be sure to send someone soon, David, but all the people reading this are going to be too busy buying up those last few Love's Labour's Lost tickets. Right? RIGHT?? See you there!
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For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast and Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Justin Weaks

We're not sure if you're aware, but Justin Weaks, who plays the King of Navarre in our Love's Labour's Lost, is actually royalty. He's the king of our hearts. *blush* But seriously, we love him, and you're going to too! Be careful, you might have to fight to Princess of France for him! But between all the loving looks he'll be shooting you and the melodious harmonies of his personally written love-ballads, you'll be willing to take that chance.

Let's keep the fan-ficion PG-13 though, shall we?

HID: The world’s dying to know: What’s King Ferdinand’s favorite color and why?

JW: Ferdinand's favorite color is most definitely red. It's a color you must pay attention to. It also signifies strength and determination, which one needs a lot of if they're ruling over a kingdom in their 20's. 

HID: If you were king, what would be your first kingly decree?

JW: That's a toughie! If I, Justin, were king I'd find a way to get as many books for as many kids as I could. Too many don't have access to something so basic! 

HID: When it comes to ladies, have you and your friends ever gotten up to any similar antics as the King and his men?

JW: My friend, Andrew, was going on a blind date and invited me and another friend of ours, Cassie, to come to the restaurant, sit at a nearby table, and scope his date out. Then, during the dinner he and his date would "run into us" at the other table. And we'd give him our opinion of his date when he asks "How's the dessert?". His date was flaky. 

HID: Yikes. Burn. Okay, which of his court is really King Ferdinand’s favorite? Be honest.

JW: Longaville, fo sho! He's always down for the King's ideas! 

HID: We hear that. Anything else we should know about you or the show itself?

JW: When I was 6, I went to the playground to marry my first grade girlfriend (we had arranged this at snack). I went to the wooden fort on the playground, the alter, to exchange vows, but got a bad splinter and stood her up at the alter instead. That was in 1996, and I still have the splinter!! That's Love's Labour's Lost-ish, yeah? Enjoy the show!! 

Well, now we're just going to spend the whole time wondering where the splinter is! Place your bets before coming to the show to see if you can spy it yourself! See you soon!
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For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here: http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast and Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Travis Klemm

Travis Klemm has been with us since the beginning. He stole our hearts in Two Gentlemen of Verona, dutifully brought them back in The Taming of the Shrew, and pawned off our hearts and our sanity in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare [Abridged]. He's been the butt of many jokes, the victim of constant double-casting, and one of our hardest workers. Sometimes it's hard to say why we love him so much, but we're certainly glad he wandered into your lives.

Plus, we get a government subsidy for keeping him off the streets--
Er...we mean...nevermind.

HID: Travis, for $25,000: What are Longaville and Dull’s favorite color and why?

TK: Longaville's favorite color is ninja turtle green. He always secretly wanted to be a pizza eating crime fighter, and thinks of the dudes of Navar a bit like an exclusive bale of turtles. 

Dull's favorite color is dark white. Not grey, mind you. Dark white. It may only exist in his mind, you'd have to ask him what that looks like.   And I'd assume his answer would be "Its white…but darker" 

HID: By now you’ve got a reputation for playing multiple roles in Hamlet Isn’t Dead shows. Do you have a process for approaching each character that helps you make them so different?

TK: It's always a little different for each character, but I basically find a physical hook for each one, right off the bat, and let the character evolve from there. Sometimes it's a stance or a walk, sometimes it's something a bit sillier. Like "What if Thurio had personal space issues, and just touches people a bit too much?". It's always a character by character issue, but I find that especially with multi-rolling, clear & distinct physical traits help keep different characters easily identifiable. Vocal choices and different sets of actions tend to fall into place pretty quickly after that.

HID: If you were going to play every single role in one of Shakespeare’s plays, which would it be? And how do you think it would be received?

TK: Definitely a tragedy. I think a one man show full of death and murder would be a lot of fun. Titus maybe. I think playing a girl with no hands who is also playing a man cutting off his own hand has some real potential for greatness. 

HID: Are there any moments in LLL that are difficult as an actor not to laugh at?

TK: Tons. Some I've entirely given up on, but they're semi-appropriate moments for me to be laughing (and hopefully the audience will be so busy laughing themselves that it'll slide past unnoticed). I have a very hard time keeping a straight face anytime José is onstage. 

HID: Anything else we need to know about you or the show itself?

TK: It's great!! You should buy your tickets early and often. Oh, and if you get the chance you should read some of the notes that get tossed around during the show. They range from comedic genius to utter filth. 

Challenge accepted! Come catch the love (and a furiously balled-up haiku) with Travis and the rest at Love's Labour's Lost!
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For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here: http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast & Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Samantha Maurice

Fact: This is an article about Samantha Maurice. Fact: She plays Katherine and Holofernes in Hamlet Isn't Dead's Love's Labour's Lost. Fact: She is amazing at it.

It's time to face the facts as we near the end of this production's Struts & Frets series and the end of LLL's run. And the fact is, this fun, fast, farcical romp wouldn't have been nearly as successful without Sam's involvement. Whether she's lisping her way through Latin, mimicking and mocking the dudes of Navarre, or scurrying through a quick change from one character to the next, she does it all while looking absolutely fabulous.

And, yesh, that is a tear-away shkirt.
Why do you ashk?

 HID: First thing’s first: What’re Katherine and Holofernes’ favorite color and why?

SM: Katherine is one sassy lady and she likes a sassy pink--not a barbie pink but more of like a hot fuchsia: bold, notice me and a little dark.

     Holofernes is a fan of rainbow print. I dunno if you're familiar with Lisa Frank, but I think of a rainbow-maned and -tailed unicorn as Holofernes' spirit animal. She definitely decorates her binders with those stickers. 

HID: Holofernes is obviously one for pontification. What’s your favorite big or obscure word, and can you use it in a sentence?

SM: Holofernes and I are of the same mind in this regard. We both exult the written word. My current project is reading all of the Pulitzer Prize winners for fiction (I've currently read everything written after 1990 to 2014 and about half of the winners from 1980), and in that pursuit I've come across a lot of big and obscure words that I didn't know existed until reading that book.

     My current favorite is from Tinkers by Paul Harding and the word is susurrus, which means something murmuring or whispering, particularly associated with moving water. As in, "the susurrus of the ocean tide calmed her frazzled nerves." There's something onomatopoeic about that word that really appeals to me, plus I'm very connected to the sound of water moving as something calming; it reminds me of home. This has taken a turn for the far too serious. 


HID: Can you give us a list of the physical and mental ailments afflicting Holofernes? In any order.

SM: ...I don't think there's time. Poor Holofernes. Her biggest problem is that she is simultaneously incredibly insecure and incredibly vain about her intellect. Physically she's two scoops pigeon-toes, a dash of scoliosis, a cup of near-sightedness, a massive serving of perpetual sinus infection, a hint of an overbite and a noticeable lisp. Maybe she'll surprise us all and become the ugly duckling who becomes a swan--I think if you take of those glasses and let her hair down...well, she'll still be a mess. But who doesn't love a makeover? 

HID: It also seems Holofernes has a bit of a crush on Nathaniel. Who’s your celebrity crush at the moment?

SM: I'm certainly not kicking any of the Avengers (or any of their non-superhero buddies) out of bed--except maybe Mark Ruffalo--sorry dude. Chris Pratt, Benedict Cumberbatch, John Oliver. 

HID: We'll make sure Mark doesn't get ahold of this. Anything else we need to know about you or the show itself?

SM: I can rap all the lyrics to 'Loser' by Beck--a 90s band that I think should be more represented in this show.

Well, it's too late for that, but you can come and watch Sam belt out some Hootie & the Blowfish, along with all the 90s nostalgia you can stomach. Join us dudes and dudettes for Love's Labour's Lost!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here: http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast & Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Joshua Mahaffey

We have good news and bad news. The good news is, you're about to fall in love. The bad news is...he's already married. But that shouldn't stop you from fawning over Josh Mahaffey, who plays Moth (and the guitar like a god) in Love's Labour's Lost! He was also our latest guinea pig in the HIDiot's Guide series, where actors drunkenly summarize Shakespeare's works. He's cute, down-to-earth, and an adorable, drunken mess, just like normal people!

"Normal" is a relative term.

HID: Pop Quiz! What’s Moth’s favorite color and why?

JM: Color - Green YO!!!! Moth's favorite band is Green Day. Also, as the name would suggest, Moth prefers being outdoors among the trees, and, on the grass (no pun intended - maybe?), and clearly, outside, green is King of the Colors.

HID: You provide most of the soundtrack for the show on your lovely guitar. What other instruments do you play, and how long have you been playing them?

JM: I "play" the guitar, piano, ukelele, bass guitar,  and clarinet. I've been trying to make sounds on the piano since I was a toddler, but never took any formal training. I picked up Ukelele this year, and it still needs some work :) Clarinet I played in elementary and middle school, and then we lost touch with other. Guitar, I've been playing since I was twelve. I took lessons for three years, and continued to teach myself ever since. It is definitely my preferred instrument.

HID: Moth says he hopes to prove a man if he lives. What do you want to be when you grow up?

JM: When I grow up, I want to be the President of the United States. However, it should be noted that the question was prefaced with "When you grow up", and I have no plans to do that anytime soon. Hopefully, whenever that day comes, it'll still be as easy to jump into the race as it seems to be today.

HID: We know there are a lot to choose from, but you’re onstage for most of them: What’s your favorite joke in the play?

JM: I think my favorite joke of all is when Berowne finally confesses his love, "sans crack or flaw", to Rosaline in a very tender moment, only to be shut down with a dig at his poor pronunciation of the word "Sans." It's such a good joke on it's own, but also represents the feeling of the play as a whole. It's also a play on language, which has been a very important element in the show's process.

However, I want to give an honorable mention to one of "Dull's" first lines, which is simply, "Me. I am Anthony Dull." The delivery from the actor (Travis Klemm) is just brilliant.

HID: Spoiler alert! Anyway. Anything else we should know about you or the show itself?

JM: Well, most of my favorite songs from the '90s don't exactly jive with the overall theme of the show, but I still found some moments to stick them in. I would challenge the observant listener to spot the inclusions of Nirvana, The Offspring, and Jane's Addiction in the backing score.

Will you take up the challenge of identifying the whole playlist? Come fail at suppressing the urge to sing along at the toe-tapping, knee-slapping extravaganza that is Love's Labour's Lost!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here: http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead 

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast & Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Dayle Towarnicky

One part director, one part actor, three parts voice and speech teacher: all awesome. Dayle Towarnicky is a lady of many talents, and she's brought something from each of those skill sets to tackle Love's Labour's Lost, a comedy full of jokes in Latin, archaic puns, and lots and lots of bad poetry. 

How do you make a show like this accessible to a modern audience? Well, for Dayle and Hamlet Isn't Dead, you throw in a smattering of 90s music, the best cast you can find, and it helps if you know the show inside-out.

This is a photo of Dayle in a previous production,
but also just how she presents herself on a daily basis.

HID: We asked all the actors, so we didn’t want you to feel left out: What’s your favorite color and why?

DT: BLUE - blue is my favorite color. Always has been, always will be. I don't really know why, because I was drawn to it before I knew that colors had names, but I think part of the reason was because my blue eyes were super blue as a baby, and people commented on them all the time, so I think I was potentially indoctrinated into the cult of blueness by random strangers who coo over babies. 

HID: What was it about Love’s Labour’s Lost that first made you want to direct it?

DT: Love's Labour's Lost is my first real directing project (fake directing projects include a one-act play in middle school, and a 48-hour film submission which I forced a bunch of guys to "let me direct" ....). So really, I think the heftier question is "what made me want to direct?" period.

         A lot of things led me in this 'direction' (yes bad puns). I had been assistant directing/text coaching our Henry VI cycle and thought to myself, "Hey - you know what? I could do this, I could!" - which was a big step for me because I had felt for a long time that I wasn't director material. I thought that because I never could envision a concept of a play. But last summer, I had been teaching for nearly two years, and was assistant directing and somehow realized that I was the little engine that could... and I thought to myself - a concept doesn't actually have to be fully formed in order to be created. I 'm gonna quote Anne Bogart here-

"Do not assume that you have to have some prescribed conditions to do your best work. Do not wait. Do not wait for enough time or money to accomplish what you think you have in mind. Do not wait for what you assume is the appropriate, stress-free environment. Do not wait for maturity or insight or wisdom. Do not wait until you are sure you know what you are doing. Do not wait until you have enough technique. What you do now will determine the the quality and scope of your future endeavors."

        And I decided not to wait! And Shakespeare was most likely my age when he wrote LLL - so I feel a connection to it as a play. The things that happen to the characters feel like things that have happened to me and my friends - love at first sight, ridiculous courtship, love triangles and bittersweet loss. All of which is peppered with word play and sex jokes.

        So basically LLL was for me a right time, right place moment - I felt the urge to try directing, it was coming up soon in the Shakespeare canon (which is important because at Hamlet Isn't Dead we're producing the plays in the *possible* order that they were written), and it was a a play I loved. So I thought... why not!? 

HID: The soundtrack for the play has been supplemented with hits from the 1990s. Care to discuss where that initial decision came from, and how you chose the specific songs?

DT: That previous moment, in which I thought "Why not!?" happened to arrive while I was on the N train listening to "Time" by Hootie and the Blowfish. Somehow those two moments became linked for me, and I envisioned the music that I love from the 90s filtering through the show. So as the concept developed and changed over time, I continued to link in music from that era (era? is that even appropriate for only 20s years ago??). Choosing the songs went basically like this "I LOVE THESE SONGS. WE'LL USE THESE SONGS."

        I've been listening to 86% 90s music on Pandora since last August, refreshing my memory and reconnecting to songs even I had forgotten! What cracks me up is that most people in the cast know all the songs, and yet no one knows the titles, and often not the artists. Like "Two Princes" by Spin Doctors. Can you sing that off the top of your head?? But I bet you if you google it, you'll have the "ah-ha!" moment and start singing a long. (Also, side note, until this year I thought they were saying "Princess" not "Princes" ..... oops.)

HID: How is this Love’s Labour’s Lost different from other productions people might have seen?

DT:  I think our LLL is different because Hamlet Isn't Dead has a unique approach and style. And while I'm directing, I have directed specifically with that Hamlet Isn't Dead style in mind. So this LLL is irreverent, bold, outrageous, and endearing - because that's what HIDiots are! Other things that are different include setting the play in the round - I've seen the play five times myself, and previously been in it, and I've never seen a production in the round before! It's HID's third "in the round" show (preceded by Taming of the Shrew and Henry VI part 3) and it's a style we love to do!

        Also, something that's different for HID is that there was a focus during casting to have more diversity in the company. I want to see plays that represent the community I live in - and my community (New York City!!) is diverse. So I want to see that on-stage as well.  Our cast includes people from three different continents, all over the country, and different cultures. I was thrilled with the cast that we compiled - not only have we increased diversity in respect to all of our previous shows, but they are FABULOUSLY talented. Just... whoa. Directing has been a joy. I think LLL is a great show to explore colorblind casting because love can strike any of us at any moment and bring us together with people we wouldn't have anticipated. However, I won't go so far as to say #Lovewins .... (partially because I hate hashtags most of the time) - but also, because let's face it.... Love's... Labour's.... LOST.... 

HID: Anything else we need to know about you or the show itself?

DT: I played Rosaline in a production of LLL at the Columbus Civic Theatre in Ohio in 2010, directed by Ben Gorman. The cast also included my best friend Megan Mahaffey (née McSweeney) as Maria. I am proud to say that Megan is my Assistant Director for this production, keeping me sane and remembering all the things I've undoubtedly forgotten! It's so exciting to be creating work and art with Megan and her hubby Josh (Moth) - both of whom attended a performing arts high school with me. We're part of a group of best friends and artists that came out of that '06 class and I'm overjoyed to have their support on my first directing project!! We've been going strong for 11 years and who knows what we'll be up to in the future :D

Hopefully still dressing like this.

 The stage is set, the lights are hung, and Dayle's ready to stand in the back and silently judge the audience's every reaction (or lack thereof). Come give her something to judge at Hamlet Isn't Dead's Love's Labour's Lost!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast & Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Shanna Dana

Happy Birthday, Shanna Dana!!! Okay, in all likelihood, it's not actually Shanna Dana's birthday when you're reading this. But this blog posts exist and are accessible year-round. So there's a 1/365-ish chance that you've returned here on Shanna's birthday. And if so, hooray! Let there be cake! And ice cream! And an interview with Love's Labour's Lost's best Maria/Jaquenetta combo ever!

Seen here auditioning for Two Gentlemen of Verona's inevitable gritty reboot.

HID: First: What are Maria and Jacquenetta’s favorite color and why?

SD: Maria is very much like myself, so of course her favorite color is Purple.
Jaquenetta's is red because it's bright and flashy.

HID: If it weren’t for the “unexpected surprise” at the end of the play, who do you think Jacquenetta would really end up with, Costard or De Armado? Be honest….

SD: Well both are very handsome contenders, but I do believe Jaquanette would end up with De Armado in the end. There's this awkwardness with De Armado that makes things less easy, which let's be honest is how things usually are for Jaquenetta. I think she secretly likes the extra effort that's needed for their relationship.

HID: Be doubly honest. What is it Maria actually sees in Longaville?

SD: I believe Maria once saw Longaville sweetly give a kiddo a cookie off an unreachable tray at a marriage feast in Normandy. Since then she's wanted to have his babies. Also, how could you not love those handsome eyes!

HID: Have guys done anything creepy (such as dressing up like Muscovites) to win your affection since you moved to New York?

SD: Oddly yes. One time this guy stole my phone in hopes to heroically return it later. After two hours,  many many tears,  and one too many drinks on his part, he attempted to cheer me up with some pictures of Canadian bears he had taken. Instead of pulling out his own phone though, he tried to show me his pictures on my own phone...let's just say it didn't work out.

HID: Anything else we should know about you or the show itself?

SD: Working with this group has been so wonderful and, they all are so kind. I can't wait for ya'll to come see this show!

Awww...we're blushing. All Shanna Dana wants for her birthday is for you to come see Love's Labour's Lost. Make it happen!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast & Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Jordon Waters

The legends have told for years of mysterious man who would grace the stages of the West Village. One who moves like a snake, speaks like a fox, and sings like the morning lark.
That man...is Jordon Waters.

*BUM BUM*

Coming this summer, Jordon Waters is...Love's Labour's Lost. Join us for the magic, the music, and the machismo. Will he be able to save the world in time, or is that even what the show's about in the first place? Can the Lord of the Dance save his own two feet from turning against him? Only the plot will tell.

There's a reason we do the show barefoot.

HID: First thing’s this: What are Dumain and the Forester’s favorite color and why?

JW: Forester- light green, it reminds him of majestic meadows.
Dumian-Purple, always vibes with Prince "purple rain".

HID: You’re quite a mover (and a shaker) as we see during Dumain’s love song. Do you come by that naturally, or have you trained at it? Maybe a little of both?

JW: I graduated from California Institute of the Arts in 2013 with my BFA in Dance/choreography. I have been dancing for 8 or so years. When I was younger I had no rhythm or any kind of movement skill what so ever. It's amazing how far I have gotten even still having trouble getting on beat. I'm an odd duck but I find my own geese to fly with.

HID: We see at least what happens to Dumain before the end of the play, but the Forester’s only on for a moment. What happens to him afterwards?

JW: The Forester finds a lovely tree in a meadow and rolls his favorite joint "Pineapple Express" while listening to Jimi Hendrix and eating an tangerine.

HID: Personal question: Do you still sleep with a stuffed animal? If not, what would be your first choice of one?

JW: I have a blanket that i have had since i was born. Every where I travel it comes with me. It has seen and experienced more then most baby blankets should ever go through. Yet it manages to keep its figure.

HID: Anything else we need to know about you or the show itself?

JW: This is the first time I have a speaking role in Shakespeare. My roller coaster of emotions, being challenged, excited, scared and joyful, is the experience and passion that really makes me love theater. I just moved to New York in February of 2015, there is nothing I can't do.

We've only known Jordon for a few months ourselves, but we're firm believers in him as well. Come bask in all his glory (and sit in the front row to triple that effect) at Love's Labour's Lost, opening July 16th!
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For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast & Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Megan Greener

There's really only so much words can do when you're marketing a show. Sometimes you have to just let the images do the talking for you. With Megan Greener on board, that's an easier task; pictures with her in them do plenty of talking. Whether it's the promo shots you've been seeing of her on our Facebook saying "Hi. How are you? Ready to come see the most beautiful comedy in town?" or some of her more candid shots saying "HI! WHOOOOOOO'S READY TO LAUGH?!", a picture of Megan is always worth a thousand smiles. And seeing her in person is worth a lot more, so get excited.

Though good luck getting as excited as she is to see you.

HID: We’ll start off simple: What’s the Princess’ favorite color and why? What’s your favorite color?

MG:      The Princess can be described as a complicated woman - she's fun, flirty, has a sense of humor, and yet has a quick intelligence and a keen sense of duty - so it wouldn't be fair to limit her to just one color. Not for this royal lass.

    She likes being surrounded by warm pinks, oranges, and the very royal red, and yet also responds to blue (which is interesting, because back in Shakespeare's time, a lighter blue was the color that represented young, marriageable women - wink, wink, Navarre! - while deeper shades represented chastity - and another wink for you, Navarre!).

HID: If you were a princess (not to imply that you’re not), what would be your first princess-ly decree?

MG:      Oof, this is a loaded question. Not because I don't know - quite the opposite. I have a very specific idea; the problem is that I have to work hard to keep my answer concise... and I also don't want to stop people from coming to see us because I might have ruffled a few feathers - though with our audiences, I doubt that will be a problem. It's nothing they wouldn't know already.

    If I were a true-to-form princess, I'd make it a mission for the arts to gain much more public funding than it does in this country, hopefully resulting (and this wouldn't be an overnight thing, it would be a process) in it being regarded as more of a cultural priority here, similar to how it is it in Europe. Not to say that Americans don't like to be entertained, and don't like art - we certainly do. We obviously do. However, unfortunately, the roots of both performing and visual arts don't seem to get the same respect and acknowledgement on a daily basis, and are not as deeply ingrained in our upbringing

    I could go on a whole thesis about this (and I certainly wouldn't be the first or last, not by a long shot), but I won't, so I'll sum up the problem I'm referring to in an example. I actually didn't make this up - well, I did put my own silly spin on it, yes, but the main structure of the argument was told to me several years ago by a professor, and man does it still ring true.

Here are two different versions of the same conversation - the first one can be heard anywhere in Europe. The second is usually what I'll hear in America:

Europe:
- "Hey, I've got two tickets to Hamlet, would you like to come?"
- "Ooh, isn't so-and-so in it? I was really curious about his particular take on the role..."

America:
- "Hey, I've got two tickets to Hamlet, would you like to come?"
- "Nah. I saw it, already... back when I was in high school, when my next-door-neighbor was in it."

Get my point?

HID: Uh…sort of. How is playing the Princess of France different from your previous roles with Hamlet Isn’t Dead?

MG:      It’s funny, until joining Hamlet Isn't Dead, I was never really cast as a "lover" in Shakespeare plays. I had gotten to be quite accustomed to playing Mechanicals and other more clown-y roles. I think I tend to confuse casting directors a bit, in that I may have a certain young, even ingenue kind of look - but the second I start talking, the voice doesn't quite match the face. I sometimes sound like my father, with long hair... which, in this case, might actually be ideal... If Lavinia and the Princess are going to take after anyone, it'd be their fathers. At least, I like to imagine so.

    As far as their differences - well, besides the obvious fact that the Princess actually lives to see the end of the play, body parts and virginity intact - their positions in life and society differentiate their actions, and how much they are able to get away with. Lavinia has a very specific role to play for her father and family, but it's not one in which she can openly express her own different desires and opinions without facing disgrace, and even paying serious consequences. The arc of Lavinia is as emotionally and physically extreme as you can get on a live stage, at least that I know of.

    The Princess, however, is quite progressive as a royal figure, considering the time in which it was written - which makes me wonder if aspects of her personality were loosely based on Elizabeth I. She has a real sense of individuality and boldness, and yet, on the other hand, is compassionate; she posses enough character to admit when she's been mistaken in her actions, which must be a rarity in a royal figure. Although the Princess's arc is absolutely nothing like Lavinia's - to a normal person, it's still wildly nuanced with all of the personal and political stakes at hand.

HID: Any other roles within the Shakespearean canon you’ve got your eye on someday?

MG:      Beatrice is my number one - she's the best of all worlds. She's literally food for any actor playing her. She's the funniest person in the room, she falls in love (or gets her second chance with it, which is even better), she's extremely loyal, is full of rage and sadness, and has a wit that even I wish I was blessed with. I come from a witty family, but Beatrice has her Ph.D in wit. Kate from Shrew is a close second... I wouldn't be able to do it with Hamlet Isn't Dead anytime soon, but I guess we can always wait till the rotation comes back around... many, many years... from now...

        Regan in King Lear - she's delicious - who doesn't want to do that blinding scene?! Cymbeline, Rosalind, Viola... But my sights go beyond the excellent women in the canon. I'd love to play Benedick, Petruchio (I would have killed to see Janet McTeer's Petruchio at the Globe), Mercutio, Hamlet, Iago... I know I'm forgetting some... and whatever else is thrown my way. I'd love any of it.

HID: Anything else we need to know about you or the show itself?

MG:  This is actually my first experience doing anything in the round! I'm not trying to make anyone panic - I swear I'll stay out of everyone's way... and yet still try to show my face. If my butt happens to be facing you a lot during the show... just know that I'm wearing biker shorts underneath my costume, so it's being held modestly in place.

Get some face-time (and possibly some butt-time) with Megan Greener, and the rest of the well-butted cast of Love's Labour's Lost, opening this week! Don't delay; book your seat today!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!

Struts & Frets: Interviews with the Cast & Crew of Love's Labour's Lost - Nicholas Stauffer

Here's a familiar face! If you've been fortunate and diligent, you saw Nicholas Jaye Stauffer in Hamlet Isn't Dead's first two productions, The Two Gentlemen of Verona and The Taming of the Shrew. If you didn't, you're even luckier, because now you get to experience the thrill of him for the first time! In this play, he presents the nerdy cleric Nathaniel, and "honey-tongued" Boyet. Whether you know Nick or not, it's easy to tell he constantly lives somewhere between those two personalities.

Case in point.

HID: Let’s not beat around the bush: What’re Boyet and Nathaniel’s favorite color and why?

NS: Boyet's favorite color is black. Undoubtedly. What's not to love about it? It matches with everything. He wears it to remind everyone just how pasty white his skin is. It's a point of pride.

(Editor's Note: As Nick didn't reveal Nathaniel's favorite color, we can only assume it's hot, sparkly pink, just like Nick's.)

HID: Can Boyet tell us any gossip about the ladies he serves?

NS: Maria spits in Rosaline's foundation so it gets clumpy faster. No one, and I mean -NO ONE- knows that, and Rosa would be SUPER mad if she found out.... You're not going to tell anyone, right?

        I also heard from Katharine, who heard from Rosaline, who heard from the Princess that Maria got a phone before Katharine, which made Katharine totally mad because she said to Maria-....

       You know.... Some questions are better left unanswered.

HID: Fair. Some of your switches between Boyet and Nathaniel are very fast. Do you have anything specific that you do to help you switch characters on a dime?

NS: I'd say it all comes from the terribly uncomfortable way that Nathaniel wears his pants. They're hiked up so high that it's nearly impossible to forget that you're anyone but Nathaniel.

HID:This is also your third production with Hamlet Isn’t Dead. What is it that keeps bringing you back? Be honest….

NS: I mainly keep coming back because I have such confusing feelings about co-founder David Laws... I'm not sure if it's puppy love, or the real thing. It may take one more show to know the answer for sure.

HID: Anything else we need to know about you or the show itself?

NS: I'd say the MAIN thing to know about the show itself is that it's not NEARLY as confusing as one would originally assume, and anything that was confusing Dayle has done a pretty good job of clearing up. This one is going to be very high energy, and it's quite exciting.

BBBOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!

We're not sure Nick anticipated us keeping that "Booyah" in, but it's a very fitting salutation for such a dynamic actor. Don't miss one of our favorite people doing what he does best, making you smile at every conceivable moment. Join us soon for Love's Labour's Lost!
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For tickets and more information, you can either go here: http://hidlove.bpt.me/
or here:  http://www.hamletisntdead.com

If you haven't Liked us already on Facebook, now is the time! All the cool kids are doing it.
https://www.facebook.com/HamletIsntDead

If Twitter's more your speed, we have that too. We just want to please you any way we can.
https://twitter.com/hamletisntdead

Or to see us in action, you can check us out (and subscribe, hint, hint) at https://www.youtube.com/user/hamletisntdead

Basically, if you want to follow us, you just put hamletisntdead after something. And why wouldn't you want to follow us?? We're a lot of fun. So, see you soon for Love's Labour's Lost!

And remember, it's Hamlet Isn't Dead:
Theatre You’ll Love, Whether You Like It Or Not!