In the Spotlight: Sam Perry

Name: Sam Perry

Character: Katharina

Why Acting? Why Shakespeare? 

Its a tremendous amount of fun! Shakespeare is challenging, beautiful, and always larger than life.

How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare& this production? 

Heard about from friends and auditioned wanted a fun show to be in for the beginning of the summer.

Sam Perry

What is your Favorite Word? Lush

What is your Least Favorite Word? Smelly

What sound or noise do you love? 
Purring Kittens

What sound or noise do you hate?
Dry markers

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? Archeology

What profession would you not like to do? Doctor

What is your earliest memory of theater?  

An Indiana Jones Show in Disney when I was 2 or 3

Why is Theatre Necessary?

Theater and all Art make the world a better place to live in! Theater allows society to take a step back and look at itself and make change.

Has performing Shakespeare given you any interesting insights into Shakespeare? 

Shakespeare is meant to be performed not just read! its huge and powerful and can bring something out of an actor that they never knew was there.

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Sam Perry (A Player/Katherina) will be a senior Theater major next fall at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Past credits have included Antonio in "Twelfth Night", and Hansy in "Spring Awakening". He is very excited to be involved in Hampshire Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew".

In the Spotlight: Linda Tardif

Name: Linda Tardif

Character: Petruchio

Why Acting? Why Shakespeare?

I just received a B.A in theater from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and am about to head out into this crazy world in hot pursuit of my dreams. I particularly enjoy Shakespeare because I enjoy the beauty of his language. The imagery and wordplay is so cool, but it is very challenging! It is very rewarding to work on.

In "Milosevic at The Hague"

How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare& this production?

A few of my friends were auditioning, and I thought I would too. "Taming of The Shrew" is interested me for a lot of reasons. The dialogue is so fabulous and witty. It also reminds me a little of "Family Guy" because although I find myself laughing, I am constantly cringing. I was also really excited by the idea of outdoor Shakespeare. Verse and warm June nights? Sign me up!

What sound or noise do you love?

I love the sound of fans! I sleep with a fan on every night, even if it is below zero outside.

What sound or noise do you hate?

I hate the sound that Styrofoam makes when it rubs against other Styrofoam! Bleck.

In "Spring Awakening:
A Sin of Omission"

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

A sushi chef. Then I could have sushi all the live long day!

What profession would you not like to do?

I could never be a doctor. The...site...of...blood....would....make me...... *faints*

What is your earliest memory of theater?

My parents took me to see "Cyrano De Bergerac" when I was very young. I remember the big nose, big words, sword fighting, and a hat with a plume. My father said I watched with my mouth open the whole time.

In "Recent Tragic Events"

Why is Theatre Necessary?

Theatre is necessary because it creates an escape for people who need it.

Has performing Shakespeare given you any interesting insights into Shakespeare?

He had quite a sense of humor! It is truly amazing how his work is centuries old and still seems so modern and fresh.

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Linda Tardif

Linda Tardif (Tavern Hostess/Petruchio) just received her B.A in theater from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She is thrilled to make her debut with the Hampshire Shakespeare Company! Favorite past roles: Jelena  ("Milosevic at the Hague") and Ilse ("Spring Awakening: A Sin of Omission") Thanks and love to Mom and Dad!

In the Spotlight: Emily List

Name: Emily List

Character: Tranio, Huntress

Why Acting? Why Shakespeare? I love acting because it allows you to explore so many facets of yourself; movement, voice, innovation. Performing Shakespeare is like unlocking a series of mysteries to find meaning personal to the character, and there are no wrong answers.

How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare & this production?

I performed with HSC's first-ever Young Company in "The Tempest" and held on for "As You Like It," "The Winter's Tale," "Hamlet," Twelfth Night," "A Midsummer Night's Dream," and "The Merry Wives of Windsor!" There is nothing like Shakespeare under the stars!

What is your Favorite Word? Ethereal

What is your Least Favorite Word? NO

What sound or noise do you love? 

Any opening guitar chord played by Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones

What sound or noise do you hate? Gunfire

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? 

I'd love to be the chatty hostess of an authentic British tea shop.

What profession would you not like to do? 

Anything that didn't involve acting in some way.

What is your earliest memory of theater? 

Playing Glinda in my ballet school's production of "The Wizard of Oz."

Why is Theater Necessary?

"Merry Wives of Windsor"

Theatre creates important memories... I think most people who are involved in or attend the theatre remember their shared experience and feel a part of something whole that needs everyone's creative energy to work. Theatre lifts the heart.

Has performing Shakespeare given you any interesting insights into Shakespeare? 

That Shakespeare needs to be performed and experienced, not "taught" or simply read, especially in schools.

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Emily List  (Tranio, Huntress) recently moved back to the Valley from Winchester, England, where she completed her masters in Theatre and Media for Development. She last appeared with HSC as Mistress Page in "The Merry Wives of Windsor." This summer, she appears as Lora in "All the King's Women" with the Ja' Duke Theatre Company in Turners Falls.

In the Spotlight: Rachael Jacobs

Name: Rachael Jacobs

Character: Lucentio

Why Acting?

Acting and theater are essential to our growth and change as human beings. I act for the opportunity to influence people to feel something real in the present moment. Even if they dislike what they are viewing, it is a true genuine feeling that they are creating for themselves, and connecting with that is vital.  Why Shakespeare? Any opportunity to play with Shakespeare is not to be missed!

How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare & this production?

I am in another theater group SPITT (Serious Play Theater Ensemble) with Jack, our director, and he asked me to audition.

What is your Favorite Word?

Wispy

What is your Least Favorite Word?

Rachael Jacobs

Chunks

What sound or noise do you love?

I love the sound of the waves rolling onto the shore.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Nails on a chalkboard.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

None or I hope I'd be attempting it.

What profession would you not like to do?

I hope I never have to be a hotel maid.

What is your earliest memory of theater?

5 or 6 seeing Man of La Mancha.

Why is Theatre Necessary?

ART CHANGES THE WORLD. Theater is live art and it is that amazing experience to sit in a dark room and not just observe, but be a part of your peers portraying characters and giving new ideas and words life before your eyes. It becomes electric and allows you a break from the monotony of everyday life and a new perspective of the world. It is joyous!

Has performing Shakespeare given you any interesting insights into Shakespeare?

I gain insight every time I get on stage, but as far as Shakespeare goes, he was a so connected with human nature and our relationships too each other. Within that he was a funny, dirty, aware genius of a man. The most important thing I relearn every time I perform Shakespeare is that it is impossible to memorize the language if you don't know what it means. 

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Rachael Jacobs (Serving Woman/Lucentio) hails from Western MA and is proud to be making her debut with Hampshire Shakespeare Company. She holds a B.F.A. from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts where she studied at Stella Adler Studio and Stonestreet School of Film and T.V. A deep thank you to all her cheerleaders!

In the Spotlight: Chris Gollnick

Name: Chris Gollnick

Role/Title: Stage Manager

Why Theater? 

Aside from being a profession that I care about, am highly talented and well versed in, its the matter of what theater can do for people.  That being the ability to create a product to display for an audience that teaches them something important about themselves, society and the world we live in.  That it can spur a single person to take up the reigns and become the arbiter for social justice and order.

Chris with stage managers,
while directing "Fugue" 

How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare & this production?

I had been searching around for jobs in theater in the area and came across the listing for the stage manager position on craigslist and applied from there. 

What is your Favorite Word?

In theory or theoretically.  I suppose its the term I use the most to when discussing options and what is going to happen next. Honorable mentions: exude, efficiency, dilatory, acta non verba.

What is your Least Favorite Word?

Green.  Not the color, but when it's used in context to discuss environment options. Honorable mentions: Global warming, climate change, activism, peace.

What sound or noise do you love?

Chris rocks

Call me biased but it'd be the sound of my PRS Custom 24 running through my Mesa/Boogie Mark V Rig.

What sound or noise do you hate?

The sound of hangers scarping against the metal bars they're hung on. 

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

I work a lot in the arts as a whole (Theater, music, dance, literature, visual arts) and I see them all as necessary and linked into each other.  If I chose a career outside of the arts it would have to be something that wouldn't be mundane and routine-- maybe I'd be a lawyer or fighter pilot or mercenary or something.

What profession would you not like to do?

Teaching any younger than 6th grade

What is your earliest memory of theater?

Going with my parents to see Phantom of the Opera at the Bushnell when I was a kid.

Chris in "Nicholas Nickleby"

Why is Theater Necessary?

Theater is not just a means of entertainment.  Theater when produced and performed correctly carries a powerful message about society and the state of the world today.  It can demonstrate to the audience what the lives of us or of other societies are like.  It allows the audience to see the good and the bad elements of their own lives that they can not themselves see.  As theater artists it is our duty to show them this, to carry the message of social order and justice that need be brought forth so that our society, culture and lives do not bring about their own demise.  If the message is not heard then where will it all end?

Has working on Shakespeare given you any interesting insights into Shakespeare?

In part.  I have studied Shakespeare at great length on a literary level and a directing level so seeing how other directors and actors interpret the script has brought a contrasting and intriguing view than mine own.  It gives me a view at the person to see how my perceptions of who Shakespeare was and what he believed vary much from how others have perceived him.

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Running the light board
during "Tartuffe"

Chris Gollnick (Stage Manager) is a recent graduate of Westfield State (Bachelors in Music Composition & Theater Performance & Design). He was awarded the Christopher R. Slaughter Award in Theater Management & Service and is an experienced designer, technician and manager with the intent of opening a theater in the area.

In the Spotlight: Aaryn Smith

Name: Aaryn Smith

Aaryn Smith

Character: Hortensio

Why Acting? 

I see acting as an opportunity to freely engage imagination and passion by exploring human nature at all levels. Acting allows me, for a time, to experience the life of a character who may exist in a wholly different world than I do. Plus, I get the chance to work with marvelous people on sharing stories with an audience--such fun!

How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare & this production? 

My friend and roommate Kelsey, who is also a Taming cast member, was familiar with Hampshire Shakespeare Company, and decided to audition. Never one to miss the chance to perform Shakespeare, I insisted I tag along.

What is your Favorite Word?

Bewafflegast

What is your Least Favorite Word?

Phlegm

What sound or noise do you love?

Trees

What sound or noise do you hate?

Yelping dogs

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Starfleet Commander

Aaryn in "The Tempest"

What profession would you not like to do?

Gong farmer

What is your earliest memory of theater?

When I was four, I played Gretl in A Sound of Music. I remember loving how the stage could rotate and move up and down.

Why is Theatre Necessary?

Obviously, theater is largely about entertainment--about telling stories to an audience. But it also functions as a means of communication, reflecting issues of the times as well as problems any given society might face. On a greater scale, it can provide insight about the human condition and help shape societal ideals and values...at its finest, theater is a medium through which people as a community can harmonize themselves with reality.

Has performing Shakespeare given you any interesting insights into Shakespeare?

Indeed.

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Aaryn Smith (Hortensio), a Colorado native, has performed with the Denver Center Theater Company, Civic Theater, and Compass Theater, as well as in movies and commercials. Currently majoring in Classics at Mount Holyoke College, Aaryn also enjoys fencing, puns, playing cello, and hunting orcs.

In the Spotlight: Duncan Grossman

Name: Duncan Grossman

Character: Bianca/Lord

Why Acting? Why Shakespeare?

It's hard to do these answers justice with short responses, but in short I suppose they both can be summed up in one word: audience. 

How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare & this production?

Duncan in "Reservoir Dogs"

Funnily enough, my colleague (Sam Perry) came up to me one day after I had missed auditions and asked me, "Still looking for something to do this summer?" I asked what he had in mind and before I knew it, I was auditioning in front of the director and the production manager. The obvious answer of "why this production" is, I think, because I loved having the opportunity to play the opposite gender. With that said, the idea of performing outdoors and with an entirely new company made the experience sound even more appealing.

What is your Favorite Word?

Impossible.

What is your Least Favorite Word?

Boring.

What sound or noise do you love?

Sizzling bacon. I don't even like bacon...

Duncan in "Twelfth Night"

What sound or noise do you hate?

Passive aggressiveness.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

International Urban Search & Rescue.

What profession would you not like to do?

Anything at a desk.

What is your earliest memory of theater?

I made my theatrical debut as one of the trolls in "The Three Billy Goats Gruff." I crawled out from under the bridge and fronted my first line ever as an actor: "Who's that trip-trappin' over my bridge?!"

Why is Theatre Necessary?

"Spring Awakening"

Well the true question is, in my opinion, why is story-telling necessary? Because frankly, some stories need to be told -- if not for entertainment, then for inspiration or education. Whether it is a professional Shakespearean actor or an interesting lecturer, there is nothing like a good story.

Has performing Shakespeare given you any interesting insights into Shakespeare?

Sometimes, it just needs to be said out loud.

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Duncan Grossman (Lord/Bianca) is a senior theater and kinesiology major who will be entering his fifth (and final) year at UMass Amherst in the fall. Duncan is excited to be making his HSC debut and would like to thank his friends and family for putting up with his perpetually hectic schedule.

In the Spotlight: Su Hoyle

Su Hoyle

Character: Grumio

Why Acting? 
Perfect combo of left and right brain

Why Shakespeare? 
Love the feel of the words in my mouth; love playing The Fool.

How and why did you get involved with Hampshire Shakespeare & this production?

Have been wanting to get involved for years; didn't want to pass up

this opportunity. (Thanks to Jack for taking a chance on me; thanks to

everyone who threw in a good word or two or three for me.)

What is your Favorite Word?

Too many to count, but one favorite has a not-so-happy meaning, yet I

love the look and sound of it: "diaspora."

What is your Least Favorite Word?

"Youhaveto."

What sound or noise do you love?

Little waterfall outside my bedroom window, especially at night.

What sound or noise do you hate?

Sirens. Ack!

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt?

Train engineer

What profession would you not like to do?

Daycare. It's really important to give little ones excellent care. The

people who do it are saints, and I'm no saint.

Su in "Agnes of God"

What is your earliest memory of theater?

Doing high school plays -- the first was The King & I. The chorus -- or that one, and always, it seemed.

Why is Theatre Necessary?

I was just thinking about that today. I think that like all art, it's an attempt to comprehend and experience the intangible. Humans have that need. Also we have the need to dress up in other people's

clothes.

Has performing Shakespeare given you any interesting insights into Shakespeare?

Yeah -- he was amazing in his ability to turn both crotch jokes and

universal human tragedy into poetry.

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Su Hoyle (Grumio) is delighted to make her first appearance with HSC. Past productions include Arena Civic Theatre's Annie, The Country Players' Moon Over Buffalo; Amherst playwright Richard Ballon's When The Dead Talk Back, NYC’s Women At Work Festival, and with comedy improv troupe Schtick & Stones.

Welcome to the Hampshire Shakespeare Company Shrewblog!

Here you will find extensive information about this summer's production of The Taming of the Shrew. 


We will bring you periodic updates, and peeks behind the scenes. Visit us often, and reserve yourself some tickets!