Love’s Labour’s Lost: From the Laughs, to the Lines, to the Lights
Cast and Crew of Love’s Labour’s Lost, which involved 60+ students.
When many think of Shakespeare, one typically doesn’t associate the Beatles with these classics. Yet, with Lakes Community High School’s 2017 fall play, Love’s Labour’s Lost, Eagle Theatre is taking a modern spin and setting it as present day and blending Beatles music with the Shakespearean text and language to help convey a fluid story for the audience.
Taylor Munson, a Junior who is casted as Boyet, explains how they are setting it in modern day. “Instead of doing it in Shakespearian times. They’re taking it and putting it in [a setting of] private schools. There are two different private schools that are rivals where the girls come from one, and the boys are at the other,” Said Munson.
She’s most excited for the audience to see how the Beatles songs are incorporated into the show and the modernness they are bringing to Shakespeare. Shakespeare and the Beatles are both classics, yet still timeless.
“Usually people don’t think of Beatles when they think of Shakespeare. We somehow came up with the Beatles and had it help tell the story in a more artistic way,” Assistant Director, Meghan Butler adds.
There is a variety of Beatles music integrated into the show.
With this show being Shakespearean, also comes with many challenges, as it is many student’s first times in a production with this language.
“The most challenging part is cutting the script because with Shakespeare the writing has to match up with what you cut,” Butler explains.
Like Butler, Munson agrees the language is the most difficult part of this production, especially while onstage.
“The most challenging part is probably the language because it’s harder to improv Shakespearean lines if you mess up,” Munson admits.
Scenes from Love’s Labour’s Lost that take place in a present-day preparatory school.
Along with the challenges onstage, there are many technical aspects that go on behind-the-scenes backstage. Lighting Designer, Sophie Ross, explains her job throughout the production as Lighting Designer.
“The Lighting Designer chooses where lights go to help convey the story. If there’s a sad scene, I’ll use darker colors. I basically choose the colors and how bright the stage is lit based on what’s happening in the scene.”
She also shares that she’s learned more about the process and how hard it actually is. It’s not just putting lights wherever you want. You have to think of logistics and where actors are on stage.
“I am excited for the audience to see all the different colors we use in the show, as this show we are using more LEDs than in the past.”
With all the many facets and components that make up the production, it’s fascinating to see it all come together to create a story and show, especially unique ones like this that combine the classic elements of Shakespeare with modern times and popular music.
