Nov. 3, 2011
In Shakespeare's Love's Labor's Lost, the princess of France (Kelsey Kovacevich, third from left) and her ladies in waiting (from left, Brittny Rebhuhn, Heather Smith and Sara Jensen) arrive just as the king and his lords swear off women. Photo by Dan Neubauer.
Shakespearean 'romcom' brings young love to Fisher Theater
by Erin Rosacker
Get ready for a romantic comedy, Shakespearean style. Love's Labor's Lost, believed to be one of William Shakespeare's early works, is ISU Theatre's next production and begins a two-weekend run at Fisher Theater Nov. 4.
King Ferdinand (senior Ben Millar) vows to devote himself to scholarly studies for three years without the distraction of women. Three of his lords -- Berowne (senior Colin Morgan), Longaville (senior Michael Brandt) and Dumaine (junior Drew McCubbin) -- pledge to join the king.
As if on cue, the princess of France (junior Kelsey Kovacevich) arrives for a visit with three ladies in waiting -- Rosaline (senior Heather Smith), Maria (junior Brittny Rebhuhn) and Katherine (senior Sara Jensen). The scholars immediately fall in love, but each tries to hide his feelings from the others while expressing his devotion to his lady in verse. Delivery mishaps and eavesdropping reveal the broken scholarly oaths, and a series of playful tricks and masquerades ensue between the men and women.
"It's a play about young love," said Matt Foss, lecturer in music and theatre and director of the production.
Foss said his adaptation of the play does not stray far from the original -- adding appropriate songs and sticking to Shakespeare's original dialogue.
"We made some cuts and rearranged some of it without losing the unique nature of the play," Foss said. "We tried to streamline and distill the story to one about boys who are learning about love through their pursuit of young ladies."
Show times for Love's Labor's Lost are 7:30 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays (Nov. 4-5 and 11-12), and 2 p.m. on Sundays (Nov. 6 and 13). Tickets, available through Ticketmaster and the Iowa State Center box office, are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and $8 for students. Tickets also will be available at Fisher prior to each show.
