Problem: Will is married and Viola is committed to marry the irrepressible Lord Wessex (Dennis Grimes). The dynamic of Will casting his Romeo by Thomas Kent (Kate McGonigle disguised as a man) and eventually falling for Kent once hs discovers that Kent is really Viola de Lesseps, a star-struck want-to-be actor. These scenes are funny and telling Larry Yando’s Henslowe acts as a sort of narrator here. We see the dynamics of mounting a new play in the 1590’s London. There is the distinguished actor Burbage who is often at odds with Will and Marlowe (Michael Perez). We see Will as he scrambles to make a living writing despite his ‘writer’s block.’ He is pressured by Henslowe (LarryYando), the debt-ridden owner of the Rose Theater who hopes Shakespeare can write a new hit show. The above summary is only the basic story. Will and Viola’s passionate, forbidden love affair goes on to inspire Shakespeare’s masterpiece-the most romantic tragedy ever written.” Surrounded by familiar players, including Queen Elizabeth herself (Linda Reiter), backstage antics collide with onstage dramas. He finds his muse in Viola de Lesseps (Kate McGonigle), who is driven to do anything-even disguise herself as a man-to fulfill her dream of performing onstage, where no women are permitted. He is overdue in finishing his latest play-a half-baked mess of a comedy called Romeo and Ethel, the Pirate’s Daughter. Synopsis: (from the press notes: “Young playwright Will Shakespeare (Nick Rehberger) is stuck. This fictional play (which follows the film closely) combines how The Bard may have found his muse to write Romeo & Juliet with the peculiarities of Elizabethan Era theater. Rarely does a stage adaptation of a famous film deliver the charm, wit, humor and romance of the film, But this production, now running at Chicago Shakespeare, absolutely delivers Once you become reacquainted with the charm of the film, you’ll enjoy the vibrancy and cuteness of Rockwell’s stage production even more. To better appreciate the enchantingly funny and heartfelt stage adaption directed by Rachel Rockwell and played by a terrific cast, I advise seeing the 1998 film, Shakespeare In Love (watch here for free: ).
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Romantic comedy deftly adapted from the 1998 Oscar-winning film is enchantingly funny. Based on the screenplay by Marc Norman & Tom Stoppard.