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PLAYWRIGHT'S NOTE
My dad used to tell me this story about how he took me on a whim to see the Kentucky
Shakespeare Festival do Hamlet when I was a very small child. I was a pretty rambunctious kid
who would constantly pace and wave my arms in the air to play pretend, referred to by my Aunt
Jackie as “whooshing”, so why he thought taking me to a place where I had to sit still and be
quiet was a good idea was beyond me. I’m forever thankful he did though. As the story goes
from the second the first line was uttered, I was entranced by what was unfolding. On the way
home, I begged him to take me back to see “the Ham play” again.
My dad enrolled me in Shakespeare Camp nearly every summer from ages 5–17, with the help
of my Aunt Jackie who took me every day (Only missing one summer for a different camp,
where I ended up needing my appendix removed. This might be superstitious but I don’t think
that would have happened if I’d stayed with The Bard). Shakespeare has given me some of my
oldest friends, who advised me on what scenes meant the most to them which ended up in this
show.
Shakespeare taught me what it means to be human. When I’m faced with an issue, I can find
something in the canon to inspire me. When my tongue gets tied up, I can find a sonnet to
express how I’m feeling. He’s given me a common language to connect with people and a love
language to tell those closest to me how I feel about them. He’s given me mentors who taught
me about the world, who I am as an actor, who I am as a person. He’s given me a way to
understand the world through. He’s even given me wedding vows.
Most importantly, he’s given me people, a purpose, and life long love of an art form I’d be
miserable without. This show isn’t a love letter to him, but a thank you. Not just to The Bard but
to my dad and my Aunt Jackie for letting me be an actor. To Anna, Ali, and Ken for being my
friend and favorite people in the world. To all my theater teachers for seeing something in me
worth nurturing. Most importantly, to whatever kid who this is their first show. I hope you find
your own “Ham play” one day.
Jake Rosenberger is a theater multi hyphenate from Louisville, KY. Most recently, he’s the producer of Hacks at Highview Arts Center and the Bob Cratchit in residence there as well. He is also the adapter of Shakespeare: The Icons and sincerely apologizes if your favorite piece was excluded, the show had to be under 2 hours. Credits include Sandy The Dog in Annie in the non equity national tour, Audrey 2 in Little Shop of Horrors at Dachshunds Playhouse, Dracula in Dracula at the Newfoundland Players Theater, and Lucius in Titus Andronicus at the Shetland Shakespeare Summer Festival. He graduated from the Pachón Navarro Conservatory for the Dramatic Dog Arts.
Natalie Dispenza is very excited for her first performance with Highview Arts Center! By day, Natalie is an elementary school teacher for JCPS! Previously, Natalie was a part of the street entertainment cast at the Pittsburgh Renaissance Festival. Natalie would like to thank her director, Jill for this opportunity, her family, and husband, Darrin, for their support in her artistic endeavors.
Rayann Houglin Walker is a Kentucky native who is so excited to return to the stage at Highview Arts Center! She has recently performed in productions with three witches shakespeare, Pandora Productions, and Bunbury Theatre. She has also contributed to several recent films, including Wildcat, The Bikeriders, Malum, and The Starling Girl. When she is not acting, Rayann can be found relaxing with her husband and pets, hiking, reading, or planning a new travel adventure.
Brooke Spatol received a dual Masters in Shakespeare and Performance from Mary Baldwin University. When she is not acting, she is teaching 7th grade Language Arts at Spencer County Middle School. Brooke would like to thank her family and friends for their unlimited support.
Laurel Henning is thrilled to be back for her second production at Highview Arts Center and to be doing so as she explores some of her favorite Shakespearean characters. She's so grateful to everyone who has made this production possible from the rest of the cast and production team to everyone who comes to see it performed. When not on stage she can often be found reading, holding a cat, or contemplating her next bake.
Marc McHone is thrilled to make his first appearance on the Highview stage playing The Bard himself in this production of Icons. Marc has directed one acts for both iterations of Quick Quills here at Highview, but this will be his first time performing. That being said, Marc is an accomplished local actor having appeared in numerous productions around town. Marc has a degree in theater from Ball State and was lucky enough to study Shakespeare in England. There he studied Shakespearean language with a Cambridge Don, performed at the London Theatre Museum and rehearsed on The Globe stage. So this production feels like everything is coming full circle for him.
During her professional career, Karole Spangler acted in, directed, or stage-managed over 170 productions in 15 states, including Alaska, and taught Theatre on every education level from Kindergarten to Graduate School.
She’s also had the great good fortune to work with almost every theatre company in Louisville.
Local audiences saw her most recently as La Poncia in The House of Bernarda Alba for Teatro Tercera Llamada & The Chamber Theatre, Margaret in The Inheritance for Pandora Productions, and in the world premiere of Asking Toddlers to Do Algebra for Mental Health Louisville. She holds an MFA from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, spent 20 years as a union member of Actor’s Equity, and is a proud company member of Looking For Lilith Theatre Company.
Thank you for being here and for supporting your hometown theatres and artists. You mean the world to us.
Joy Beth DeWitt-Riley (she/her) is ecstatic to be making her debut with Highview Arts Center! Joy Beth has a Bachelor of Science in Theatre from Murray State University where she also studied classical voice. During the day Joy Beth works in arts administration and at night she can be found on stages across Kentucky and Indiana. This show has been a very fun challenge for her as she typically performs in Musicals, but she has thoroughly enjoyed dusting off the old college Shakespeare training from the back of her actor closet. Some favorite past roles include The Witch in Into the Woods, Alice Russel in Lizzie the Musical, Woman 1 in I Love You You’re Perfect Now Change, and Marmee March in Little Women the Musical. Joy Beth is also bi and ace and she wishes you a happy Louisville Pride!
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Jill Marie Guelda is a Louisville-based multimedia artist, designer, and creative. Since 2006, she has worked almost every tech job theatre has to offer here in Louisville, besides hanging lights- terrified of heights. She currently works as Digital Branding and Marketing Coordinator with Looking For Lilith Theatre Company. She specializes in set design, prop design, and production management. She is super excited to dive into directing after years of “being in the room where it happens” as a designer and experiencing some great local directors work.
Kaitlin has been involved in the theater for most of her life. After getting her BFA in Musical Theatre from Lindenwood University she moved back home and got involved with Community Theatre here. This is Kaitlin's 3rd show with Highview Arts Center. Huge thank you to friends and family for their constant support, and enthusiasm whether she is on stage, backstage, or directing and especially Cody, for supporting and encouraging her to pursue theatre.Thank you to all of the cast and crew who have helped entertain Camille throughout the rehearsal process and HAC for being an inclusive environment for mom’s who want to stay involved in theatre!
Taylor is an active event and wedding planner in Kentucky. Currently the Wedding Director at the Seelbach Hotel, Taylor spends her days creating and designing weddings, Galas, and Derby Events in the Louisville area. Her career in Kentucky started with Heaven Hill Distilleries, Louisville Zoo, Oak Island Creative and Hummingbird Page Events, and Taylor has worked in several industries event planning for both corporate and private clients.
Prior to arriving in KY, she was a proud member of AEA, and stage managed on and off Broadway, with her longest tenure as an SM for Blue Man Group. Her experiences in NYC were sprinkled with stage managing anything and everything, from NYFW to galas with Billy Joel, movie premiers at Lincoln Center, to being a Parade Captain with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade. Taylor has tapped into the local community theatre scene, performing with TheatreWorks, Clarksville Little Theatre, Center Stage and Ballarmine University.
A lover of theatre, animals, and bourbon, she and her husband, John, spend their free time with their greyhounds, Barnie and Blaze, singing showtunes to anyone who will listen, and hunting for special bourbons.
ACT 1
BEGININGS
Macbeth
The three witches conspire to do mischief and predict the futures of Banquo and Macbeth. Macbeth learns that he shall be Thane of Cawdor and King of Scotland, Banquo learns his line shall become king after him, leading to James the First and Fifth off Scotland and England. Lady Macbeth learning of this decides she will do what it takes to be Queen
VILLIANS
Richard III
The play begins with Richard of Gloucester, the youngest brother of King Edward IV of England, describing Edward's re-accession to the throne. Despite this new era of peace and joy, Richard is an ugly and unloved hunchbackwho is therefore "determined to prove a villain". Due to a prophecy that "G of Edward's heirs the murderer shall be", Richard and Edward's brother Clarence (whose given name is George) is placed under arrest. (Edward interpreted the prophecy as referring to George, but it could just as easily refer to Richard of Gloucester.) Speaking to Clarence as he is escorted along to the Tower of London, Richard blames the queen, Elizabeth, and says that he will try to help Clarence.
Othello
Iago gets Cassio drunk, making it easy for Roderigo to provoke Cassio into a brawl, first with Roderigo, then with Montano, whom he wounds. Othello, called from his bed by the noise, stops the brawl and strips Cassio of his lieutenancy. Iago advises Cassio to seek Desdemona’s help in getting reinstated. The next step in Iago’s plan is to tell Othello that Desdemona supports Cassio because Cassio is her lover.
Merchant of Venice
In Venice Solanio and Salarino have learned that the Italian ship wrecked in the English Channel was Antonio’s. Shylock enters angry at Jessica’s flight. He declares his intention of taking a pound of Antonio’s flesh if Antonio is unable to repay the loan. Tubal enters to tell Shylock news of Jessica’s extravagancy and Antonio’s losses. Shylock sends Tubal to begin the process of Antonio’s arrest.
King Lear
Edmund, the earl of Gloucester’s illegitimate son, plots to displace his legitimate brother, Edgar, as Gloucester’s heir by turning Gloucester against Edgar. He tricks Gloucester into thinking Edgar seeks Gloucester’s life.
LOVERS
Romeo and Juliet
After the ball, in what is now famously known as the "balcony scene," Romeo sneaks into the Capulet orchard and overhears Juliet at her window vowing her love to him in spite of her family's hatred of the Montagues. Romeo makes himself known to her, and they agree to be married.
Taming of the Shrew
Petruchio and Katherine, left alone, enter into a furious bout of wordplay. Petruchio then lies to Baptista, insisting that Katherine loves him but that the couple have agreed that she will pretend to dislike him in public. Katherine’s wedding is arranged, and Baptista hears the offers that Gremio and Tranio (as Lucentio) make for Bianca.
Antony and Cleopatra
Cleopatra, after accusing Antony of hypocrisy and betrayal, gives him leave to depart from Egypt.
Much Ado About Nothing
At the wedding, Claudio publicly denounces Hero as a lewd woman. He is supported in his story by Don Pedro and Don John. Hero faints and her accusers depart. The Friar believes in her innocence and proposes that Leonato announce that she has died. This news, the Friar thinks, will make Claudio remember his love for her. After the others depart, Benedick and Beatrice admit they love each other, and Benedick reluctantly agrees to challenge Claudio to a duel.
ACT 2
WOMEN
Twelfth Night
Malvolio finds the disguised Viola and “returns” the ring. Viola, alone, realizes that Olivia has fallen in love with Cesario and understands that Orsino, Olivia, and Viola/Cesario are now in a love triangle that she is helpless to resolve.
Othello
Othello questions Emilia about Cassio and Desdemona’s relationship, acting as if Emilia is the mistress of a brothel and Desdemona one of her prostitutes. Othello denounces Desdemona to her face as a whore. Desdemona turns for help to Iago, who reassures her.
All’s Well That Ends Well
Bertram’s mother, the Countess of Rossillion, learns of Helen’s love for Bertram and forces Helen to confess this secret. When Helen reveals her plan to try to cure the King with medicines left her by her father, the Countess gives Helen permission to go to court, promising to support her in her “attempt."
King John
John’s victories and his capture of Arthur lead the French to despair and Constance to wild grief. Pandulph, predicting Arthur’s death and the hatred of John that will inevitably ensue, encourages the Dauphin to invade England and claim the throne as Blanche’s husband.
Macbeth
Lady Macbeth reads her husband’s letter about his meeting the witches. She fears that Macbeth lacks the ruthlessness he needs to kill Duncan and fulfill the witches’ second prophecy. When she learns that Duncan is coming to visit, she calls upon supernatural agents to fill her with cruelty. Macbeth arrives, and Lady Macbeth tells him that she will take charge of the preparations for Duncan’s visit and for his murder.
Merry Wives of Windsor
Falstaff arrives in Windsor very short of money. He decides that, to obtain financial advantage, he will court two wealthy married women, Mistress Ford and Mistress Page. Falstaff decides to send the women identical love letters and asks his servants – Pistol and Nym – to deliver them to the wives.
FOOLS
Two Gentlemen of Verona
Launce tells the audience that his master Proteus is a knave. Launce then announces that he himself is in love, though no one knows about it, and shows a letter to Speed listing his beloved's characteristics: she can fetch, carry, milk, sew, brew good ale, knit, wash and scour. She is not without her detriments: she is toothless, and overly fond of liquor, and has illegitimate children and "... more hair than wit, and more faults than/hairs, and more wealth than faults"
Macbeth
A drunken porter, answering the knocking at the gate, plays the role of a devil-porter at the gates of hell. He admits Macduff and Lennox, who have come to wake Duncan. Macbeth appears and greets them.
King Lear
Lear rages against the weather elements while the Fool begs him to return to his daughters for shelter; when Kent finds them, he leads them toward a hovel.
ENDINGS
Midsummer Night's Dream
Theseus dismisses as imaginary the lovers’ account of their night’s experience, and then chooses “Pyramus and Thisbe” for the night’s entertainment. The play is so ridiculous and the performance so bad that the courtly audience find pleasure in mocking them.
Hamlet
In the hall of the castle, Hamlet tells Horatio how he discovered the king’s plot against him and how he turned the tables on Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. Osric enters to ask, on Claudius’s behalf, that Hamlet fence with Laertes. Hamlet agrees to the contest, despite his misgivings.
Hamlet is winning the match when Gertrude drinks from the poisoned cup that Claudius has prepared for Hamlet. Laertes then wounds Hamlet with the poisoned rapier. In the scuffle that follows, Hamlet forces an exchange of rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes. As Gertrude dies, Laertes, himself dying, discloses his and Claudius’s plot against Hamlet. Hamlet kills Claudius. Before Hamlet dies, he asks Horatio to tell the full story that has led to these deaths and gives Fortinbras his support for the kingship. After Hamlet’s death, Fortinbras arrives, claims the crown, and orders a military funeral for Hamlet.
The Tempest
Just as you would be forgiven for your sins, be generous in your response to our play, and set me free.