Shakespeare finds love at Woodstock

Carson Performing Arts presents Shakespeare's "Love's Labour's Lost" one weekend only, tonight through Sunday, at the Carson Community Center. The cast and audience are in an intimate setting on the stage at the Bob Boldrick Theatre.

The Carson High School advanced theater students transport Shakespeare's love story to the 1960s and Woodstock, complete with iconic costumes and music.

"It's so much fun to take Shakespeare and put it in different locations and different eras," said Karen Chandler, director of the play and Carson High School theater instructor. "When deciding a setting, I think about what is going on in the story."

The students enjoyed exploring the costumes of the era. Recognizable to anyone familiar with the Woodstock era are the styles of Janis Joplin and The Beatles "Sgt. Pepper's" uniforms, which lend themselves to the king's costume.

"It's so much fun to wear hippy stuff," she said. "The students had a lot of fun pulling those kind of iconic characters into the play."

Also fun was populating the stage design with paper mache cows in honor of the New York dairy farm where the musical festival took place. Created with individual personality, the cows in varying sizes lend perspective to the small stage.

"Love's Labour's Lost," one of Shakespeare's later works and one of his most challenging, centers on a king and his noblemen who have foresworn to stay away from all pleasures, dedicating their lives to study. The entrance of a beautiful princess and her ladies turns their plan awry.

Lead performers include senior Jeremy Pellant, as the King of New York (instead of Shakespeare's Navarre). The visiting princess, who with her ladies foils the men's studious plans, is played by senior Amanda Lytle. Junior Jake Branco plays Berowne, who woos Rosaline, played by senior Hallee Ackerman.

Although slightly abridged, the CPA production retains Shakespeare's language.

"They've done a great job, really mastered it," Chandler said.

The performance features an intimate setting with only 80 seats per show.

"We don't use the auditorium seating at all. Everything is up on the stage," Chandler said. "It's a neat experience for the audience."

Due to the small setting, reservations are recommended.

Shows are 7:30 p.m. tonight, Friday and Saturday, Jan. 27-29 and 2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 30. Tickets are $6, $7, $8 at the door or can be reserved by e-mail: boxoffice@carson.K12.nv.us.