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The Complete Works of
William Shakespeare
(abridged)

A Note from the Director

I’m so excited to be directing the FIRST production at Highview Arts Center–and what a fun show to start us out. I first encountered THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) in 1994. I was fortunate enough to play one of the comically overwhelmed actors. I hadn't seen or read the play since then. When I did, I realized it wasn't completely reflective of today's more enlightened times or the people who live in them. Our cast and version of the script is more inclusive of our society and still embraces wholeheartedly the hilarity of the original. Our biggest aim with this production is to include the diversity of our world in our play, reinforcing the universality of Shakespeare.

 

Oh. One more thing. You’re gonna laugh your head off.

-Keith McGill

Keith McGill
(director)

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Keith (he/him) is excited to direct The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) for the inaugural production at Highview Arts Center. Recently he directed Threads of Our History: Where We Intertwine with Actors Theatre. For Commonwealth Theatre Center, Keith wrote and directed Nation in Crisis and No Turning Back, two shows that celebrate Black History.  Recently, he wrote Jamie Whatever and The Right Shoes as part of Stage One’s Theatre for Everywhere series. 

 

Also with Stage One, Keith directed Monster of Mine and Ghost, and has directed with the Derby City Playwrights Festival.  In January, he will be directing The Giver with StageOne Family Theatre.

 

In addition to acting and directing, Keith is a teaching artist with CTC, as well as the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, Actors Theatre, and Shakespeare Behind Bars. Keith appeared this summer with Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Richard III, and he will be appearing in StageOne’s Last Stop on Market Street this fall.

Jay Padilla-Hayter
(actor)

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Jay (she/her) is excited to be working on the first show for the Highview Arts Center in a show she thought she would never get to do. She has worked in the Louisville theater scene for 15 years starting with her Theater arts degree from UofL. She works with several theater companies in the area as a director, stage manager, and actor. 

 

Currently, she is directing Fulfillment for the Ten-tucky festival in September at The Bard’s Town. She is also the main director for Teatro Tercera, credits include: Confesiones (director), Silueta (director), Ogros en el Closet (director), G is for Gato (actor, director), Algo de un Tal Shakespeare (actor), and Henny Penny (Fox Delux, director). She has worked with other companies around town: Commonwealth Theater Center: The Boy Who Cried Wolf  (Francisco) and A Streetcar Named Desire (Old woman), as well as being a teaching artist for their outreach programs. The Liminal Playhouse: The Houseguests (Gale). The Chamber Theatre: Around the World of 80 Days (Detective Fix), A Doll’s House (Maria, stage manager). Looking for Lilith: Strangers/Extraños (Lidia), Carefully Taught (Cie). Company OutCast: A Few Good Women (director), Holiday Cabaret (actor). Upcoming productions for the company: Schoolhouse Rock Live! (Ensemble), A Tuna Christmas (director), Agatha Christie’s The Unexpected Guest (director). She is also the newest company member of Company Outcast.

Clarity Hagan
(actor)

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Clarity Hagan (she/they) is a theater artist and educator from Louisville, Kentucky, who is particularly interested in storytelling which lifts up under-heard voices and invites engagement, not only in its content, but also in the creative ways in which that work is produced and presented.

 

Some favorite roles include The Storyteller in Louisville Fringe’s The Forest and the Flames and Mac in Looking for Lilith’s Mac’s World. Clare has also worked as properties director with Kentucky Shakespeare, a playwright with the Derby City Playwrights, a company member with Looking for Lilith, and as an educator with Drama by George, Looking for Lilith, and Actors Theatre of Louisville.

Derrick Ledbetter
(actor)

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Derrick (he/him) is an Atlanta native that spent the better part of a decade as an actor, director, and teacher in New York City. He has performed in film, Off-Broadway, and in Regional Theatres around the country. He holds his M.F.A in Acting from the Professional Actor Training Program at UNC Chapel Hill.

 

He is a member of the National Alliance of Acting Teachers and an alumni of the Teacher Development Program. He is also a member of the Uta Hagan Teacher's Lab at HB Studio in NYC and the Michael Chekov Association. He regularly studies with Christopher Bayes at the Pandamonium Studio in NYC.

 

He has studied acting with the distinguished Larry Moss and Bob Krakower, Shakespeare with John Basil, Anton Chekov with Slava Dolgachev, and has studied speech extensively with the Knight-Thompson Speechwork®. His teaching focus is in the areas of psychophysical acting, clown, movement, script analysis and speech.

Jill Marie Schierbaum
(production manager/
HAC board member)

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Jill (she/her) is a Louisville-based multimedia artist, designer, and creative. She is the creator behind Design Studio 749 (www.designstudio749.com) and works as Digital Branding and Marketing Coordinator with Looking For Lilith Theatre Company.

 

Since 2006, she has worked almost every tech job theatre has to offer here in Louisville, besides hanging lights- terrified of heights. She is excited to work with Keith,  the actors, and the design team. This first show in a brand new space is something special and she looks forward to all those who attend. Here is to the first show of many!

Megan Meyer
(stage manager)

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Megan (she/her) is thrilled to stage manage Highview Arts Center’s production of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged).

 

Previously she stage managed Threads of Our History: Where We Intertwine with Actors Theatre of Louisville. She graduated from UofL in 2020 with focuses in stage management and scenic design. She thanks her friends, family, and the Highview Arts Center production team for all their support.

Rachel Meadors
(assistant stage manager)

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Rachel (she/they) is excited to be a part of Highview Art Center's inaugural production.

 

She previously stage managed Journeys to Freedom through the (Un)Known Project with Ideas xLab. She is a 2022 University alum where she focused on stage management and acting. She would like to thank her loved ones and the Highview Arts Center production team for this opportunity.

Daniel Riddlesmith
(sound designer)

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Daniel (he/him) is a Louisville native who has been following in his mother's footsteps and doing theatre since he was 5.

 

You may have seen him in assorted productions around town, or more recently you may have seen him out playing music as Cool Breeze at different events.

Featured Artist
Karl Anderson

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Although my career for the last 29 years has been Theatre/Scenic Production, I have made personal artwork my entire life. Starting with dinosaurs, Star Wars, superheroes, through the Renaissance and beyond. Even though I fell in love with a Fourth-Dimensional medium, I strive to treat the History of Art as a Cabinet of Curiosities. Most recently I have concentrated on pet-portraiture and animal-art. This selection shows my affectation for the slightly macabre and abstract design, as well as subjective storytelling.

IG @karlandersonart

La Catrina

Special Thank Yous

Thank you to The Louisville Metro Neighborhood Development Fund

and Councilman James Peden.

Without them, none of this would have been possible. Thank you!

Our Patron Level Donors ($500+)

Apple Valley Property Owners Association

Scott Davis

Taylor Torsky

 

Our Supporter Level Donors ($100+)

Baird Foundation

Sally Demling Larmee

James Peden

Jeanne-Marie Rogers

Christopher Shaw

 

Our Friend Level Donors ($50+)

Alexander and Mary Redden

Magdalen Hartman

Emily Grimany

 

Thank you to all our donors, large and small, for making our work possible!

Every donation is greatly appreciated!

Special Thanks to:

Scott Davis and his team

Camille Anderson-Linton

Kathy Preher Reynolds

The Fund for the Arts

Boy Scout Troop and Crew 341

Commonwealth Theatre Company

Dauenhauer Plumbing

Guelda Brothers and Son

Looking for Lilith Theatre Company

Okolona Church of Christ

Summit Heights United Methodist Church

Our incredible volunteers:

Orlando Grimany

Elaine Hackett

Mike Guelda

Chuck Crawford

John Torsky

Dawn Moretz

Rob Gersna

Karl Anderson

Sean Childress

Martin French

George Taylor

Karen and Glenn Eisenbrey

Kimby Peterson

Our Board Members:

Taylor Torsky (President)

Jeanne-Marie Rogers (Secretary)

Joyce Shelton (Treasurer)

Emily Grimany (Communications Director)

Scott Davis

Jill Marie Schierbaum

Tom Boisvert

Vin Morreale

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