"It's based on Shakespeare's plays where in the stage direction it will say ‘meanwhile, in another part of the forest...'" said Laura Berman, associate artistic director for the Ballet.
Artistic Director and Choreographer Gordon Peirce Schmidt imagined what would happen if the various characters in the woods somehow encountered each other.
"There's a 30 second Romeo and Juliet who get mixed up and lost in the woods," Berman says, "and Juliet dresses up as a man and falls in love with another man ... it's hilarious."
Many of Shakespeare's most familiar works are included, and those audience members with a sharp eye will be able to spot characters from Macbeth, Much Ado About Nothing, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, As You Like
Shakespeare Celebration Grand Rapid Ballet, Peter Martin Wege Theatre |
It, and King Lear; Hamlet even comes out with a skull.
Also making an appearance in Another Part of the Forest is William himself.
"There is a Shakespeare character," Berman said. "He's a poet and is writing; the characters are coming in and out of his mind. It's really quite fun, and it makes you think about how those plays were written."
She is quick to reassure potential audience members who may have skimped on their Shakespeare readings that "you don't need to know all the details of the plays to enjoy it ... they're classic storylines with mix-ups and humor; everyone will recognize those things because they're part of our culture. The character is there and it makes sense to your because of the story."
The first half of the show is also a Schmidt original. The Tempest is classic Shakespeare, which means it includes a love story, attempted regicide and at least one silly jester. Mozart is played live onstage by cello, violin and harpsichord and the set makes excellent use of silk drapes.
"The drapery itself ... is the stage setting; they create the tempest in silk as well as the costumes of the characters," Berman said.
For Another Part of the Forest, there are "stilt walkers who are absolutely gorgeous."
Standing 12 to 14 feet tall, these performers represent the trees in the woods.
"The characters move in and out of them and they move. They create the scene."
Besides imaginative sets, beautiful costumes and rich story material, there is another key factor at work.
"Gordon Peirce Schmidt is really masterful in the way he puts these ballets together," Berman said. "He comes up with the music, figures out what will work to make the story told, decides how to create the scene and tell the story and fit it all together with movement ... you really come away from it having had a very enriching experience."
