Review: Texas Shakespeare Festival, JULIUS CAESAR and SWEENEY TODD! You asked and they delivered!

Texas Shakespeare Festival, 2024 

Season 39

Reviewed by Natalie Shaw

Nestled within the natural beauty of East Texas, which displays glistening lakes, charming homesteads and majestic piney woods, lies a friendly festival of dramatic actors known as Texas Shakespeare Festival. Each Summer season, at Kilgore College, these powerhouse performers bring the Kilgore community and neighboring cities together through their love of Theatre and Shakespeare. There are many Shakespeare festivals, Classical Theatre Companies and the like around Texas, probably too many to count, but TSF continues to set the bar, raising the standard and quality of the productions which goes unmatched. 

If you are unfamiliar with TSF, allow me to clarify their strategy for their season. Five productions are chosen, two of which are usually Shakespeare. In January, artists from all over the country submit their applications and go through the selection process to become a member of the TSF Company for that annual season. In Spring, the artists collaborate and rehearse in order to prepare for the opening of the Summer season. By late June, the productions are up and running! All five productions rotate performances, providing patrons with afternoon matinees and evening show times. With this option in place, patrons have the opportunity to see two (or three) shows in the same day, on the same stage, while seeing many of the same performers onstage, delivering various characters. Technicians perform a set "change over" to transform the stage between performances. To be a company member, actors must be versatile, flexible, and agile. Technicians must be swift, concise, and mindful at all times. The 2024 Company understood the assignment and they have delivered! Upon my visit, I had the privilege of seeing two shows: the first, Julius Caesar; the second, Sweeney Todd. But, oh, how I wish I could stay to see every production! 

Julius Caesar

By William Shakespeare

Directed by Susan Felder

Audience Rating: PG-13 for heightened language and violence

Running Time: 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission

Accessible Seating: Available

Hearing Devices: Available

Sensory Friendly Showing: Unavailable

ASL Showing: Unavailable

Noise Level: Comfortable Volume Level

Noises and Visuals to Prepare For: violence and blood with sword fighting, death, talk of fire, blood and burning, suicidal themes, murder

Julius Caesar was the very first full length play I ever read. As a middle school student, my seventh grade teacher used the audio tape and our textbooks to walk us through the story and language of this widely known Shakespearean tragedy. My classmates, unfortunately, were not impressed or privy to the plot line, despite our teacher's best efforts. I, however, had already entered the tunnel, hyper-focused on the context I was reading and the way it was being read to me; lost in the beauty of the language and the passion of the characters. 

In Julius Caesar, a group of men, known as The Conspirators plan and perform Julius Caesar's (played by *Steven Young) murder. His closest friend and confidant, Brutus (Sean M. Dale) takes part in this, as well, leaving us with Caesar's final words "Et tu Brute?" (translated: "Also, you, Brutus?") Cassius (Matthew Simpson) and Brutus believe that Caesar is hungry for ultimate power and wants to become king, making him "too ambitious." When, in actuality, it is Cassius who is too ambitious to become the next Roman Emperor. Meanwhile, Roman general, Mark Antony (Travis Ascione,) much like Caesar, is betrayed by The Conspirators, and unaware of their intentions. When the Plebeian citizens become outraged at Caesar's death, Brutus does his best to assure them that it was the best decision, which was made by "honorable men." Antony, following Brutus' speech to the citizens, reminds the crowd that Caesar denied the crown three times, and cleverly twists Brutus' words. Antony nimbly slants the phrase, "honorable men," leading the Plebeians (and us) to catch on to the sarcasm in his speech, quickly realizing that Caesar's death was unnecessary and performed out of envy and deceit. 

Young delivers a confident leader in Caesar, who expects his commands to be followed and his will to be carried out, while also showing us a tender, compassionate husband in his relationship with his wife, Calpurnia (Laura Brennan.) Brennan's Calpurnia is wise and direct with her husband, boldly unafraid of any judgement cast toward her when she begs Caesar to stay home after she's had fitful nightmares of his death. Unfortunately, he pays no heed to her intuition. Brutus' internal struggles, before and after Caesar's murder, are carefully executed in Dale's interpretation of the character, and Ascione is thoughtful in his approach with Antony, which is softly cunning and noble in his revenge for Caesar's murder. Displaying great range in this production is Simpson, in his method toward Cassius. in which he masterfully humanizes the villain, making him, dare I say, relatable. As we watch him search for the same love and respect bestowed once on Caesar and now on Brutus, it's as if each confrontation delivered to him cuts his ego with a razor sharp sword, and we witness him endure each pang, which essentially leads to his demise. Rather than hang Cassius, we desire to comfort him.

A well-constructed set, designed by Meghan Potter, allows for a towering staircase with large sturdy pillars and patriotic Roman flags for the first half of the show. These same pillars are split in half and lay strewn across the staircase in the second half of our story. Sturdy canvas suits, in muted colors with dark sashes across the shoulders of the soldiers indicate streamlined military uniforms, designed by Camilla Morrison.  Lighting, designed by Tony Galaska and Sound, designed by Maxwell Franko aid in scene transitions and provide dramatic ambiance. 

We don't have to look far to see that this play is perfectly placed in the climate of the present day. Politics, betrayal, assassination (or attempts) are just as prevalent today as they were in ancient Rome.  As a society, we ignore the warning signs, make excuses, and justify our own moral compass to raise up a candidate far higher than is worthy of him. He is, after all, just a man. 

Texas Shakespeare Festival's Julius Caesar gives us much to consider, as it reminds us of the danger we are to ourselves; our own progression, when we become blinded to the reality of truth by our own pride and selfish gain. 

*indicates Dallas Theatre Journal Pro-Focus Artist

Sweeney Todd

Book by Hugh Wheeler

Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim

Directed and Choreographed by Whitney Branan

Music Directed by Richard Crawley

Audience Rating: PG-13 for heightened language and violence

Running Time: 2 hours with a 15 minute intermission

Accessible Seating: Available

Hearing Devices: Available

Sensory Friendly Showing: Unavailable

ASL Showing: Unavailable

Noise Level: Comfortable Volume Level

Noises and Visuals to Prepare For: violence and blood, death, murder, loud slicing of metal sound

If I saw this production a hundred times, I should never tire of it! It's not that I'm obsessed with Sondheim musicals (Although, I do greatly appreciate Sondheim,) nor is it because I favor horror tales over other genres. It is simply this production. Having been the fourth live production of it that I've seen, I am fairly well acquainted with Sweeney Todd. For the show to come together perfectly, there are multiple elements to consider. Not only did every component connect faultlessly, many extra features are added to heighten the experience. 

Travis Ascione plays the vengeful Sweeney Todd, who we soon learn is really the formerly exiled, "Benjamin Barker," returning to London, after being wrongfully convicted by the crooked Judge Turpin (Josh King) and his Beadle (Sammy Pontello.) Fifteen years after being banished, Todd learns that his wife was raped by Turpin, took poison and died, and his daughter, Johanna (Jo Garcia-Reger) has been shut up in Turpin's mansion, and will be forced to marry him. Todd's grief, outrage and vengeance are only fueled by this information. Together, with Mrs. Lovett (Sasha Hildebrand,) Todd develops a scheme to lure the Judge and the Beadle to his barber shop, slit their throats and rescue Johanna. When Todd begins to slit more throats than he originally intended, Mrs. Lovett cleverly thinks of a new plan. As a baker with no budget, Mrs. Lovett has had to resort to using stray cats in her meat pies, making them "The worst pies in London," as the song says. Her song, "A Little Priest" reveals that she is devising a plan of her own, one in which they can use the meat from the bodies Todd slays to make the best pies in London! And, indeed, the townspeople feast--on their own!  

But, just because there's a lot of horror, doesn't mean we can't have a little romance, or perhaps an attempt at such. Ascione and Hildebrand showcase an exceptional dynamic between Sweeney Todd and Mrs. Lovett, one built on both trust and deception. Hildebrand's Mrs. Lovett is saucy and sensual, while Ascione's Sweeney is less enthused by her advances, but willing to tolerate them, as she is the means to his end. Young lovers, Johanna and  Anthony (played by Samuel J. Perry upon my viewing) meet, swoon, and scheme to rescue Johanna from her state. With innocent naivete, Garcia-Reger and Perry give us all a since of hope for her future. We hope, likewise for the betterment of young Tobias (played by Kruz Maldonado with tender purity of spirit,) who has also seen too much abuse and the world's cruelty, through the manipulative and mean-spirited Pirelli (Danny Crowe.) 

And, what's a good nightmare without terrifying monsters? King's Judge Turpin and Pontello's Beadle give us villains we love to hate, as they maliciously taunt the townspeople and duel out life-altering punishments for minor crimes, much to their own amusement, and leaving innocents like Laura Brennan's Beggar Woman to fend for themselves, in any way possible. Brennan brings us a desperate Beggar Woman, who may seem twisted and demented, but we learn later that her intentions are thoughtful and well-meaning, warning her townsfolk as best she can in her mental state.  

Vocals, directed by Andrew Schwartz and music, directed by Richard Crawley in this frightful score are pitch-perfect, especially, when called to be in discord. Costumes, designed by Erin Reed Carter in Mid-Victorian style with various shades of black and red; mixed patterns, textures and tones add to the violent themes within the script. A dreary London with dark silhouettes, slanted windows and multi-leveled platforms, as designed by Meghan Potter. Foggy, dramatic lighting and a glowing furnace, designed by Tony Galaska, and slicing sound effects rip through our ears, as designed by Maxwell Franko. 

If you plan nothing else this Summer, plan your trip to Kilgore, Texas to witness the unrivaled experience of Texas Shakespeare Festival! 

Listen to the TSF Julius Caesar/Sweeney Todd podcast episode on the DTJ's Spotlight On! and Follow us for episode updates! Read more about this production on the DTJ Patreon page in the extended review! 

Enjoy, 

Natalie 

Travis Ascione as Sweeney Todd