'Comedy of Errors' comes to high school theater

For what seems to be the first time, a classic Shakespeare play will be presented on the Green River High School theater stage this weekend when the students perform "A Comedy of Errors."

When he first got the idea to do a Shakespeare play, GRHS Theater Director Bradlee Skinner decided to look back to see if it had ever been done at the high school theater before. Skinner couldn't find any record that it had been, so he decided to go for it as a way to challenge the students but also present a classic work in an accessible way.

"Shakespeare is challenging, but most importantly, it's meant to be seen," Skinner said. "Shakespeare is not something you just sit around and read. . . . It's difficult to understand the language if you're just reading it, but when you see it being performed, when you hear the actor say the words, all of a sudden the clarity is there. You understand the whole concept, and you just get to enjoy it for what it is, which is just great language, brilliant literature and a wonderful performance."

Another reason a Shakespeare play was a perfect choice for this year is because it's relatively cheap and easy to produce, which was helpful to the theater as the high school continues to struggle with the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and budget cuts. Because Shakespeare's works are in the public domain, they are free for anyone to use, so the high school didn't have to pay for royalties. Additionally, the theater was able to reuse materials for the play and recoup losses from plays that had to be canceled due to the pandemic.

"95% of everything that you see in the show - the set, the costuming, props, everything - 95% of it is all recycled," Skinner explained. "We've repurposed items, we've borrowed, we've recycled, and made it work without having to go over the budget."

The final reason now was the perfect time for GRHS to do Shakespeare is because it became clear it's the perfect time to do "A Comedy of Errors."

This is one of Skinner's favorite Shakespeare plays which he's never had the chance to direct. But it's also a play that can be difficult to produce since it centers on the story of two sets of twins. However, the GRHS theater department has just the actors to tell the story, with actual twins Riley and Haylie Johnson and look-alike sisters Grace and Malea Gomez.

Skinner explained he hadn't been planning on doing "A Comedy of Errors," but once he realized the department had the actors to make it happen, he thought: "This is too great of a time not to do it."

Skinner is also excited for the audience to see the twins and sisters in action in their roles. Although this is the first play Malia has been in, Skinner believes everyone will be impressed with what she brings to the stage, and he's confident her sister Grace will be a "phenomenal performer" for the department for the next few years.

"And the comedic timing of the Johnson sisters, they're absolutely hilarious," Skinner added. "To see the way that they interact on stage is just pure comedic gold."

While "A Comedy of Errors" isn't one of Shakespeare's most well-known works, Skinner said the audience is likely to see several comedic tropes they recognize from other works which borrowed from the story.

Even those who are familiar with the story can also see "A Comedy of Errors" take on new life in GRHS's production, which not only sets the story in 1960s Italy but also genderswaps the entire cast, having the traditionally male roles played by females and female roles played by males.

The entire cast and crew have worked especially hard on this production, according to Skinner. The students have been working for over two months to master the more-challenging language of Shakespeare and design and build the detailed set. In addition, many of the students working on the production are also involved in other school activities and sports.

"The kids have shown that they're able to manage their time," Skinner said. "They're being effective in the classroom, on stage and on the field."

Skinner hopes the community will come out to see the first Shakespeare production at GRHS and to support the hardworking students who've made it possible.

"Come out, enjoy it, come and laugh," Skinner said. "And especially support the arts. It's such a vital thing. These kids do so much work. . . . So please come and see the show."

"A Comedy of Errors" at GRHS will only have four performances, with shows at 7 p.m. tonight as well as Friday, April 1 and Monday, April 4. There will also be a matinee performance at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 2. Tickets are $5.