Shakespeare In The Park Moves To Fall; Director Seeks ‘Good Turnout Of Actors’

By: Betsy Reason

By this time every summer, Noblesville Shakespeare in the Park has already played out on stage.

Auditions are usually the first week of June and performances near the end of July.

But this year, Noblesville Cultural Arts Commission’s 31st annual outdoor theatrical production —  the second oldest Shakespeare in the park program in Indiana and the oldest in Central Indiana — moves to the fall.

Mark your calendars for Sept. 27-30, for four evening performances of William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, “As You Like It,” at Federal Hill Commons Pavilion in Noblesville.

And if you like Shakespeare and want to audition, there is still time to put it on your calendar. Auditions are at 7 p.m. this Monday and Tuesday at Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Noblesville.

“I hope we get a good turnout of actors,” said Noblesville’s Jen Otterman, who will be in her fourth season to direct Shakespeare in the Park.

“There are sooooo many different theaters now … all competing for the same pool of actors and technicians. So I hope we have plenty of talented actors who want to be in our production,” she said on Thursday.

I’m told that having Shakespeare on your resume is impressive. But if you’re new to Shakespeare auditions, do your research about the show and the characters you’re interested in playing. For Shakespeare veterans, it all comes easy I’m told.

So here’s what auditionees need to know: Prepare and memorize a one-minute Shakespearean monologue and be prepared to read from the script of “As You Like It.” There are 15 roles available, four of which — Rosalind, Orlando, Celia and Oliver — must remain true to gender described in the character description, but the rest of the roles are able to gender bend. All roles are open and unpaid just as they are in any other community theater productions.

Otterman — a retired teacher and director of productions at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers and who has directed shows at The Belfry Theatre in Noblesville and Westfield Playhouse — started directing NCAC’s Shakespeare in the Park in 2020, “smack dab in the middle of the Covid crisis,” she said. “So we had to adapt our show that year to oral interpretation of vignettes (titled “Shakespearean Scenes”) so that actors kept their distance from one another.” So the NCAC board agreed it would be a one-night-only performance during which actors wore facial coverings while on stage in their positions, then removed face masks when it was their turn to speak.

Otterman’s second year of Shakespeare was “Taming of the Shrew” and her third year was “The Tragedy of Hamlet.”

This year’s Shakespeare in the Park moves to September, “mostly for scheduling reasons with the Parks Department,” said Joni Corbett, NCAC’s board president.

Otterman said, “We are hopeful that the weather will be more pleasant for both patrons and certainly for the actors who are clothed in Elizabethan costumes.”

In years past, Otterman’s costumer Linda Grow has tried to make sure that costumes that she makes are cotton and lightweight to keep the actors cool on stage. Plus, the cast has enjoyed air conditioning during rehearsals at the Emmanuel UMC. During many years in the past, rehearsals were outdoors at Seminary Park, where productions took place until Federal Hill opened in 2017, on the 25th anniversary of Shakespeare in the Park. Seminary Park, though intimate and a favorite of many, the Old Town Noblesville city park lacked bathroom facilities and storage for the production.

“We have a stellar production team, and we all look forward to another successful year,” Otterman said. She is thankful for longtime crew, including the Heighway brothers. David Heighway (props) has been involved since the very first Shakespeare in the Park in 1993, and Rob Heighway (assistant director) has been involved since 2015. She said, “Rob Heighway and I are excited to get started.”

Otterman has been in theater for more than 55 years and has worked more than 100 shows. She taught an acting class in Shakespeare for several years at Hamilton Southeastern High School, where she directed more than 50 plays.

So, if you’ve always wanted to audition for Shakespeare in the Park, even the smallest of roles to get your feet wet, or help out as crew, or with costumes or props or backstage, come out on Monday and/or Tuesday night to the auditions at Emmanuel UMC in Noblesville. Otterman is a good teacher from whom to learn.

-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times Editor Betsy Reason at betsy@thetimes24-7.com. Read more about NCAC’s upcoming events, including a Vintage Film Series, which all have connections to Hamilton County, Aug. 28, Sept. 23, and Oct. 28 in the Lacy Arts Building, and free summer band concerts, New Horizons Band on Aug. 20 and Indianapolis Municipal Band on Aug. 27, both at 6:30 p.m. at Federal Hill Commons, in the Betsy Reason column in an upcoming edition of The Times. All of NCAC events are free, although donations are accepted. Visit noblesvillearts.org/