Farmington High Cast Trains Hard for Shakespeare Comedy

A talented and energetic group of Farmington High School students will this weekend present 37 of William Shakespeare's notable works in 97 minutes, approximately. 

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare–Abridged opens Thursday, 7:30 p.m., with performances at the same time on Friday and Saturday. To prepare, cast members have not only been running their lines, they've been literally running to build their stamina to keep up with the fast-moving script. 

"We've been running around the theater, doing push ups, sit ups," said junior Grace Newlin. Castmate Tony Sharpe, also a junior, said learning meditation has also been part of the process.

Pace and comedic timing have been challenging, cast members said. Lily Talevski, a senior who performed in Kiss Me, Kate, a take on Shakespeare's Taming of the Shrew, said the hope is that the audience catches most of the gags, which fly by fast. 

"The hardest part, Sharpe said, "is keeping a straight face." 

Director Lauren Kozak said after doing serious dramas three years in a row, a comedy was chosen "to lighten it up and do something fun for the kids ... It's a very fast-paced, high-energy show."

The show has no set pieces, only a backdrop, Kozak said, adding, "Everything that's entertaining is their timing and their interpretation of the characters."