DSC theater students cram all of Shakespeare into 97 minutes

The Infinite monkey theorem states, "If you put enough monkeys in a room with a typewriter they'll produce Shakespeare."

This is what the Dixie State College theater department has in store for audiences Jan. 26-28, 31, and Feb. 1-4 in the Eccles Black Box Theatre. The monkeys in the room will actually be actors and actresses, and they will be performing "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)(Revised)."

The three lead monkeys will be played by Michelle Honey (playing the female lead), Guy Smith (playing the lead actress—yes, this show has boys playing girls parts!), and Kyle Flowers (playing the male lead). The setting of the show is in a one-ring circus tent, and the plot contains some "Othello," some "Romeo and Juliet," a Narcoleptic and Twilight-hating Hamlet, and some pseudo JLo, Eminem, and The Blue Man Group.

Confused yet?

The show is "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) (Revised)," a parody of 37 Shakespeare shows performed in 97 (or so) minutes. The show is set in a circus tent that the performers are trying to make come back to life. The performers learn Shakespeare and make up what they think Shakespeare is supposed to be like. In the meantime, they utilize all the resources they have in the circus to try to make the show work, Director Mark Houser said.

About 20 people make up the team behind the show. Three leading actors play most of the characters, though.

"When all three actors engage and come together, it becomes something larger," Houser said. "The best part is when they let go and are living [their parts] themselves, seeing talent come to life and take direction and make it their own."

The three leads in the show have much theater experience and have been at DSC for quite some time. Honey and Smith are seniors this year.

Houser said the audition process for this show was a grueling one because the theater department has so many talented actors and actresses. This year the amount of theater majors at DSC rose drastically. Before, about 40 students were theater majors, and the theater department this year has 83 theater major students. Houser said it was hard to narrow down the choices for the leads, since a lot of the talented theater major students auditioned.

"We filled the Black Box with props and set pieces, and they had to use the entire space while [reciting] their monologues," Houser said.

The actors also had to improvise at the audition because the show requires a substantial amount of improvisation. Houser said he found a great cast, however, and is excited for the show. Houser said a lot of audience participation and surprises are in store for this show, and audience members won't know what they are in for until they come to witness the show for themselves.

Houser said he has enjoyed the rehearsal process and connecting with the students.

"They took the direction I gave them and went beyond my expectation," Houser said. "My favorite part is to watch students flourish."

Matt Russell, a junior theater major from Las Vegas, plays one of the members of the Blue Man Group. He has no speaking parts in the show, but he has had to rehearse not speaking and showing what he wants to say with his body and facial expressions, instead of his words.

"You can't just say 'woe is me,' but you have to show it," Russell said.

Russell said he loves being a part of the DSC theater department. He grew up living in Las Vegas where he was always with family and friends, but after moving to St. George he didn't know anyone.

"[Theater] has opened my eyes to possibilities I would not have learned back home, like learning to be me," Russell said.

He has enjoyed the two weeks of rehearsal for "The Complete Works of Shakespeare (Abridged)(Revised)" before Christmas break, and the two weeks of rehearsal since, and is excited to start performing the comedy.

"It's funny and stupid and very Jim Carrey-ish," Russell said.

Houser said the show is politically-incorrect but relatively clean to make it universal for all audiences.

"You'll bust a gut the whole way through," Houser said.