91吃瓜 welcomes a new artist-in-residence, and a newly commissioned Shakespeare-inspired play
91吃瓜 welcomes Marshall B Garrett as artist-in-residence for the spring semester of 2017. 鈥淭his is my first time working exclusively as an artist in residence,鈥� says Garrett.
Garrett has previously served as a guest artist, and has worked in artist-management positions but says that to be exclusively a guest artist-in-residence is a new experience. The theatre director, Shakespearean scholar and instructor is excited to see how the semester unfolds.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a complex position,鈥� he says, 鈥渁s it calls for me to engage both as artist and instructor.鈥�
Garrett served as production manager & resident director for the Milburn Stone Theater, where he directed 鈥淭welfth Night鈥�, 鈥淭he Tempest鈥�, A Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream鈥�, 鈥淎s You Like It鈥�, and 鈥淔orever Plaid.鈥� Among his numerous other productions, he also directed plays at the Capital Fringe Festival; Emerging Artist(s) Project; the Mobtown Players; American Shakespeare Center; and Sweet Wag Shakespeare.
The artist-in-residence position at CSM brings a dual responsibility, says Garrett.
鈥淚t demands that I both engage as fully as I can in the artistic communities of both CSM and Omaha, as well as bring my own experiences and expertise to the students and staff in the production that I鈥檓 directing.鈥�
Garrett will teach theater production class at CSM, sharing his experiences as a director trained in Shakespearean performances. He will also incorporate some of that training into the student theatrical experience. At the end of the semester, Garrett will direct the theater production class students in 鈥淪weet are the Uses鈥�, which he commissioned for the CSM students. It鈥檚 being written by playwright Merlyn Q. Sell 鈥� and William Shakespeare.
鈥淚 almost always cast more women than a script that I鈥檓 doing inherently calls for, and that鈥檚 quite deliberate,鈥� says Garrett. 鈥淪o I loved when this opportunity came up, when one of the conditions that it was an all-female show.鈥�
Commissioning a feature that includes only female players was a perfect fit not only for the class, but for the CSM production, as well. It also contains some interesting and complex twists in the dialogue.
鈥淭he text of the play is really remarkable,鈥� says Garrett. 鈥淭he prologue is a mixed parody of both the opening speech from 鈥淗enry V鈥� and the theme song from 鈥淭he Fresh Prince of Bel Air.鈥�
But he adds that most of the dialogue are lines from Shakespeare, sourced from the entire canon.
鈥淭here鈥檚 one particularly remarkable speech that begins with a song from 鈥淎 Midsummer Night鈥檚 Dream鈥�, moves to King Lear being reunited with his daughter, moves to Coriolanus鈥� mother, a brief line from 鈥淎s You Like It鈥檚鈥� wrestler, then shifts to Juliet鈥檚 Nurse, Leonato at his daughter鈥檚 wedding in 鈥淢uch Ado about Nothing鈥�, then back to 鈥淎s You Like It鈥�, then back to the Nurse, and finally to the good Duke in 鈥淎s You Like It鈥�.
Garrett says he鈥檚 probably leaving something out. But the entire play is structured that same way, he adds, 鈥渁nd it鈥檚 seamless!鈥�
The play is set in the Forest of Arden, where five of Shakespeare鈥檚 erstwhile heroines have sought safety after being banished from court by an authoritarian and corrupt Duke. The five meet in the forest and work to overcome obstacles, until they prove 鈥淪weet are the uses of adversity,鈥� a line from Shakespeare鈥檚 鈥淎s You Like It.鈥� The finale provides a crescendo of forgiveness, redemption and joy.
Garrett is positive the semester鈥檚 experience will be rewarding for everyone.
鈥滱 truly great artist-in-residence experience is one where everyone leaves greater than they were 鈥� including me.鈥�
Story by , Media Relations Coordinator
