By Khalida Sarwari
As if our political leaders and presidential candidates aren’t dishing enough of it, the Silicon Valley Shakespeare company is bringing a classic tale of betrayal and power to Sanborn County Park this summer, along with an adventure story with a spin.
The theater group will be presenting a modern take on both Shakespeare’s historical drama “Julius Caesar” and Alexandre Dumas’ story about a trio of adventuring heroes in “The Three Musketeers.”
“Both shows are very classical stories, but being done in very relevant ways to what’s going on right now,” said executive director Doug Brook.
This summer marks the first time Silicon Valley Shakespeare has staged “Julius Caesar.” This version will recount the challenges Caesar (Nick Mandracchia) faces to his rule upon his return from war. More central to the story is the struggle between the conflicting demands of honor, patriotism and friendship for Brutus (Larry Barrott).
Directed by Richard Farrell, the classic political thriller explores the power and problem of the mob mentality and how far people will go to rule a nation. Silicon Valley Shakespeare’s rendition will be set in modern times, said Brook.
“‘Julius Caesar’ is about a power struggle,” he said. “It’s about people doing whatever it takes to try to run a country, so it seemed very relevant to the presidential election year.”
The theater group will concurrently stage “The Three Musketeers.” Adapted for the stage by Ken Ludwig and presented under Brook’s direction, the production tells the story of the musketeers’ attempt to defend the Crown against the evil Cardinal Richelieu (Mandracchia) and the formidable Countess de Winter (Caitlin Lawrence Papp). Based on the historical novel by Dumas, Silicon Valley Shakespeare’s adaptation of Musketeers offers a newer version of the story that includes plenty of adventure, treachery, romance and swords. With the introduction of the character Sabine (Ella Tarczy) as D’Artagnan’s (Myles Rowland) sister, one might also deem this a “girl power” version, said Brook.
“I think [Ludwig] is doing a very good job of bringing the women more centrally into the story where we’re used to it focusing on the men,” he said. “The women have a really strong presence in this play, which I think makes it more balanced and more compelling for modern audiences in some ways.”
Founded in 1999 by Dinna Myers, Sara Betts and Jeff Day, Silicon Valley Shakespeare is a nonprofit that aims to make Shakespeare accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds. The organization produces plays primarily at Sanborn County Park and Willow Street Park in San Jose. This year marks their 18th season.
In another outdoor performance, Bay Shore Lyric Opera will present Mozart’s comedic classic, “The Marriage of Figaro,” on Sept. 25 from 2 to 5 p.m. at Wildwood Park, 20764 Fourth St., Saratoga. Featuring members of the Winchester Orchestra under the baton of conductor Michael Di Giacinto, the production will be fully staged and sung in Italian with English spoken dialogue. The program is free.
“Julius Caesar” runs from July 29 through Sept. 2. “The Three Musketeers” runs from Aug. 5 through Sept. 4. Showtimes for both shows are 7 p.m., Thursday through Sunday, at Sanborn County Park, 16055 Sanborn Road, Saratoga. Both run about 2½ hours with intermission. Attendees are invited to bring a picnic to the park.
Tickets are $17 to $22 for each play and free for youth under 18 with a paid adult. They can be purchased online at svshakespeare.org or at the park. For more information, call 408.867.4040.
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