Richard III: Learning Lines, In the Space & Tech Day!
We’re inching closer and closer to our first preview audience for Richard III here at Folger Theatre, and there’s no doubt in my mind that the energy the audience will inject into our intimate space will have a huge effect…
An Eye for an Eye, an Edward for an Edward
There are lots of characters in Richard III. Most of them are related to each other and figuring out exactly how is a task best accomplished with a large bottle of aspirin. To help out future historians and to celebrate…
Meet Drew Cortese: Folger's King Richard
Drew Cortese as King Richard. Photo by Carol Rosegg. Hello Folger audiences! My name is Drew Cortese and I’ll be playing Richard in Folger Theatre’s upcoming production of Richard III (which begins performances on January 28). I’m thrilled to be…
Words, Familiar in Their Mouths
One of the wonderful rewards of listening to lots of Shakespeare is the moment when you begin to recognize passages or themes that re-occur. It is the feeling of finally being able to recognize a painter from the strokes of…
Harry Potter vs. Richard III
In case you missed last week’s post and in honor of the first rehearsal of Richard III at the Folger today, here are eleven more reasons why Harry Potter is like Richard III. 1. Adorable But Annoying Child Harry Potter: Colin Creevey…
Voldemort vs. Richard III
In preparation for our upcoming production of Richard III, we here at Folger Theatre have been thinking quite a bit about that unfortunate king. Given that last week I compared Richard II to a Bonnie Raitt ballad, it only made…
What do Richard II and Bonnie Raitt have in common?
On December 2nd, the Folger hosted the first U.S. screening of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Richard II starring David Tennant. Most fans in America know David Tennant from the BBC television series Dr. Who, but he has been…
A Farewell To The Folger!
Your friendly blogger realizing he hasn’t yet packed. Blog Last: If you missed Romeo & Juliet at the Folger, you missed a good one. Here are my final blog thoughts in random order. This is the first cast of this…
Your Backstage Pass!
Brian Dykstra (left, as Lord Capulet) and Joe Mallon (as Paris) in Romeo and Juliet. Dykstra Blog: Your Backstage Pass Hey. Dykstra here. Once again. I thought ya’ll might enjoy a tour through the mind of the actor (a semi-dangerous…
Understanding Understudying (or The Show Must Go On)
Brian Dykstra as Lord Capulet in Folger’s Romeo and Juliet. Dykstra Blog: Understanding Understudying or The Show Must Go On! Her Name? Stephanie LaVardera. Her Role? Understudying Juliet. Her Job? Saving The Day. Job Complete! Look, there’s lots of times…
Getting Technucal
Brian Dykstra Note: This blog post by Brian Dykstra was written during tech rehearsals in early October. Romeo and Juliet began performances on October 15 and is now running through December 1. “Ladies and Gentlemen: It is now one o’clock.…
A Day In Rehearsal - An Actor's Diary
So, I thought maybe y’all might be interested in what actors do on a typical rehearsal day. Here’s a day in the life: Rehearsal is called at 10am. Which is rare. Nothing starts in the theatre before 10am. Nothing. Ever.…