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Some say Shakespeare, the worlds most renowned English playwright, wrote 37 plays while others say it was 38. Imagine seeing all of his plays in the same show, all in just 2 hours, one right after the other, including Hamlet, Macbeth, Romeo & Juliet, Julius Caesar, Othello, King Lear & The Tempest, just to name some. That’s exactly what happens in the Pharr Community Theater’s latest staging of the bard, “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged.” Except the play’s will be acted out by only three actors, playing all the parts, and presented through a series of short vignettes of each and every single play that Shakespeare wrote. How’s that for energy and entertainment?!!
Isidro Lerma a theatre teacher for McAllen High School as well as Artistic Director and Chairman of the Board for the Pharr Community Theater directs the play alongside his colleague Rise D. Morris, a theatre teacher at Nikki Rowe High School in McAllen, and long time director for Weslaco’s historic Tower Theater. The two directors wanted to stage this play individually but then decided to collaborate and are very excited to make it happen, ”I like to make sure every word is correct in Shakespeare and that the deeper subtext is there,” said Morris. “You find Shakespeare funny and interesting in this play and you get that pointed out to you, you don’t have to be a scholar.” The play’s author’s are Adam Long, Jess Borgeson & Daniel Singer. “The stories to be told play homage to the 400 years since Shakespeare’s death on May 3, 1616,” added Lerma. “Known the world over and translated into nearly every language spoken, his plays have been performed, practically, more then any other playwright in the world.”
Ricardo Godinez, 18 years old from McAllen is one of the three actors. Lately, he’s been performing theater in high school, mostly in UIL one-act competition and was recently seen in the 13 0’Clock theater company’s play, ‘Pablo and Pedro.’ “I carefully study body and vocal interpretation and it’s helped me in this play. I’m playing a lot of the fun parts and most of the women, (he laughs), I’m the butt of most of the the jokes.” The other two actors in the play are 17 year old Michael Morris, who is Rise’s son, and 20 year old Juan Cantu. The younger Morris started doing theater since he was 4 months old when he played baby Jesus for the Tower Theater and he hasn’t stopped since, “this play is not the usual theatrical experience for the audience, our interaction is constant and it’s funny, exciting and none stop action,” he said. Twenty year old Juan Cantu is the third actor, “I love telling all of Shakespeare’s stories in one night. Come, it’s extremely fun!” added Cantu.
The play will be presented at the newly remodeled theater in Pharr which has just been baptized with a new name, in honor of the theater founders, Drs. Elva & Keith Michal. Although the venue is still the Pharr Community Theater Co., the building is now called, ‘The Elva and Keith Michal Performing Arts Center.’ Opening night will also present a ribbon cutting ceremony in honor of the new name at 6:00 p.m., June 23, just before the 7:00 p.m. curtain. Those who wish to partake for the naming ceremony are cordially invited (complimentary refreshments and pastries will be served) and then catch the first show at 7:00 p.m. as our guest. The intimate theater seats 50 persons at a time and is wheelchair accessible.
Showtimes are: June 23-25 at 7:00 p.m. and June 30-July 2 at 7:00 pm. The Pharr Community Theater is located at 213 W Newcombe Ave., Pharr, TX and tickets will be sold at the box office starting one hour before curtain, for $7 & $6 dollars, or may be purchased online in advance at: W.Shakespeare.brownpapertickets.com. For more information please call 956-600-9463.
