Students at North Central College in Naperville, Illinois, will stage Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” a Renaissance tale, with a 1950s twist.
The performance runs Jan. 7-10 in the College’s Madden Theatre at the Fine Arts Center.
Dave Peterson, a visiting assistant professor of theater, took Shakespeare’s production, which was set in the 1590s, and adapted it to 1950s America. Peterson collaborated with associate professor of theater and director Carin Silkaiti, scenic designer Dan Stratton and costumer designer Kandace Huebner to create the design and script. In the end, they came up with a "Happy Days"-type dinner with soda fountains and other classic American cultural icons.
“While keeping the majority of Shakespeare’s language with its word play, poetry and power of language we’ve made small changes to clarify new relationships and locations,” Peterson said.
The play centers around Falstaff, a man who has status but no money. He attempts to seduce two women, and the audience can laugh along as the women turn the plot on its head.
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