Spring Spectacle of Shakespeare on tap this weekend at DePauw

Even when the heroes fall, love prevails in classic Shakespeare plays. DePauw Theatre’s annual Spring Spectacle of Shakespeare presents “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Twelfth Night” and “Romeo and Juliet,” three classic love plays from the English playwright.

While there are few love stories as fabled as those between Claudio and Hero, Viola and Duke Orsino or Romeo and Juliet, this isn’t just another performance.

The annual festival is the result of months of DePauw student engagement with the local schools and youth community. Each play is directed by several DePauw students, and each cast is comprised of high school and junior high students from North Putnam, South Putnam and Cloverdale school systems.

For months, the student directors, under the guidance of DePauw professors Gigi Jennewein and Susan Anthony, have traveled to the schools to cast actors, teach acting and run rehearsals. Additional theater training was taught by Kevin Coleman of the educational program Shakespeare & Company, the model on which the Spring Spectacle is based.

In “Much Ado About Nothing,” a bitter brother of a prince sets to ruin the wedding of ideal lovers Claudio and Hero by falsifying Hero’s infidelity. The humorous “Twelfth Night” crafts a messy love triangle when Viola disguises as a man and works for the Duke Orsino — who is in love with the grieving Olivia — and falls for him. “Romeo and Juliet” exhibits doomed lovers, when the young son and daughter of hostile families fight for their romance.

Program director Gigi Jennewein’s instruction has led the integrative productions.

“This is a unique ‘theater’ program because the product isn’t the plays,” Jennewin said, “the product is the experience. DePauw students are learning how to manage a large project. Putnam County students are learning how to function as a team, how to have agency in the artistic process and how to be comfortable exploring new territories (in this case, Shakespeare).”

Jennewein did not tightly control the directors. Students made their own directing and staging choices themselves. The directors take some artistic liberties with their productions, such as this year’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” set in modern city mob culture instead of traditional Italian town of Messina.

“We aren’t seeking a theatrical product,” Jennewin said. “We care about giving all involved opportunity to know themselves better — their curiosity, skills, strengths and their weaknesses — in service to becoming more knowledgeable, confident and happy.”

Performances of the Spring Spectacle of Shakespeare are in Moore Theatre at the Green Center for the Performing Arts are Saturday, May 4, starting at 2 p.m. with “Much Ado About Nothing,” 4 p.m. with “Twelfth Night” and 6 p.m. “Romeo and Juliet.”

Tickets are available at the Box Office at 658-4827 or online at depauw.edu/arts. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $5 for students.