Shakespeare and The School for Lies

What can you do for $10 this summer? You could go out to eat at that restaurant over there—but the drinks cost extra, and failing to tip would be just plain rude. Or maybe you can try seeing that new movie. But you’ll have to ditch the popcorn and the $4.50 water bottle and those little Sno-Caps that always find their way into your shirt. Never mind.   

Well, what about an evening at the feet of Shakespeare, in the streets of fair Verona amid secret oaths and swordplay? Or maybe a trip to a salon in 1660s France, where discontented houseguests spew gossip and stir chaos with rhyme and retort? Baton Rouge’s Swine Palace is offering just such an evening this July, thanks to its third annual Summer Fest held this year at Reilly Theatre.

This summer’s performances include Shakespeare’s famous Romeo and Juliet as well as Tony Award-nominated David Ives’ play, The School for Lies, a charming, funny twist on Molière’s classical farce, The Misanthrope.

George Judy, artistic director of Swine Palace and head of LSU’s Master of Fine Arts acting program, said he typically reserves summer for more lighthearted and comedic plays, but decided to test crowds this summer with darker—though still familiar—material.

“We thought that a ninety-minute cutting of Romeo and Juliet would be an especially good choice to attract new audience members because everyone has sort of a common reference to it,” he said. “It’s a great summer play because it offers the laughs and excitement and dancing and music and fun, but it also takes us into a tragic place with some of the most beautiful poetry Shakespeare ever wrote.”

Judy, a longtime fan of The Bard, has made a conscious decision to include Shakespeare every year—not just for people who already like his work, but for audiences who might not otherwise find theatre exciting or accessible. And he makes sure the opportunity is affordable; hence, the $10 movie-ticket price.

“The idea is to have a celebration of theatre in the summer,” he said, “but also to get crowds to the theatre as a bit of a mission for education and outreach.”

Not even the actors are left out of this higher objective.

“We have a group of undergraduate students from LSU who are playing some of the smaller roles and understudying some of the major roles played by professional actors from all over the country,” said Judy. “There’s also an internship opportunity for students to mentor with one of the professional actors. It’s wonderful for both educational and entertainment goals.”

To experience the rush with actors and audience members alike, purchase tickets from swinepalace.org or at the door. Romeo and Juliet runs July 8—12 at 7:30 pm and July 13 at 2 pm. Catch The School for Lies July 22—26 at 7:30 pm and July 27 at 2 pm.