Since taking over the reins of Salt Lake Shakespeare a couple of seasons back, artistic director Larry West has worked on moving the company in new directions.
Beginning this year, SLS is establishing a pay-what-you-can policy for all of its performances, including "Henry V" and actor-playwright Jesse Harward's "Broken Verses: His Words, Our Rhythm," a series of monologues and situations from Shakespeare's plays adapted for modern American voices.
When SLS's 2006 summer season was announced, West was planning to produce two Shakespearean plays — "Othello" and "Twelfth Night."
"Then we thought maybe it was a little too ambitious to do two," he said, "and it turned out that Pioneer Theatre Company also had 'Othello' on their 2006-07 season, which would mean two 'Othellos' in the same building, so we looked at doing something else that could be interesting and topical."
That "something else" is "Henry V."
"I just love the play and once I found a way to approach it, I got very excited about it," said West. Instead of a large cast of 25 or 30, West's approach is that "we are simply telling the story."
He has U. graduate Paul Mulder, most recently seen in PTC's production of "Julius Caesar," in the title role of King Henry V. The other 35 or so roles will be divided among five other performers — Jesse Harward, Mark Fossen, Stacy Sobieski, Kristen Bailey and Brandon Econ.
PAY WHAT YOU CAN — West said patrons will be asked but not required to donate what they feel is appropriate to the evening's performances. "Our immediate goal is that people should be able to see Shakespeare regardless of whether or not they can afford to. We want the excitement of full houses and happy audiences."
ANOTHER NEW SPIN for the 2006 SLS season is . . . "Spin."
West's co-artistic director Kyle Lewis came up with the idea of having five local playwrights take three characters from three different Shakespearean plays and develop five 10-minute plays. Each will be performed as "curtain-raisers" prior to performances of "Henry V." All five may also be performed during one matinee sometime during the run of "Henry V."
The short plays, all directed by Lewis, are Justin Ivie's "Tempers Fugit," Hugh Hanson's "Chemical Reaction," Sam Payne's "Waking Up," Laura Neubauer's "Jail Bait" and Jesse Ryan Harward's "Interlude." They'll be performed by Rob Shand, Sarah Hamilton, Tyler Johnson and Hadley Nelson.
JESSE HARWARD'S one-man production, "Broken Verses," is a project that evolved over the past several months with input from Kyle Lewis. This will be performed on Mondays and Tuesdays, Aug. 7-15 in the Babcock Theatre. And this, too, will have a pay-what-you-can policy at the door.
"SHAKESPEARE FOR KIDS" will be presented by Salt Lake Shakespeare on Monday night at 6 and 7 p.m. at Red Butte Garden, 300 Wakara Way, as part of the garden's weekly "Family Night" series.
West said SLS will present selected scenes from "Henry V" in an informal setting geared to children and families.
Admission is $6 for adults, $4 for children, senior citizens or U. of U. faculty/staff or $24 for a Family Night pass admitting two adults and up to four children (581-4747 or www.redbuttegarden.org).
If you go . . .
What: "Henry V," Salt Lake Shakespeare
Where: Babcock Theatre, University of Utah
When: Wednesday through Aug. 20, Wednesdays-Sundays, 7:30 p.m.
How much: Pay what you can
E-mail: ivan@desnews.com