My Buddy, The Bard

Perhaps it is a normal thing for a 9-year-old to develop an affinity for William Shakespeare.  I don't know.  I think it may be somewhat unusual, too.

And yet, I did.  I feel it a unique blessing to have lived in Cedar City, Utah and to have had access to the Utah Shakespearean Festival early in my life.  A Comedy of Errors, A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Tempest; these were the plays that introduced me to the Bard, to his intricate language, irreverent humor, and magical settings.  I was hooked.  There was something so compelling about the open-air theatre, the elaborate costumes, and the beauty of language, most of which I probably didn't understand. 

I was even in my elementary school's production of The Tempest, which proved to have had a lasting impact, when I named my youngest daughter, Miranda, after the young heroine of that play.

I had the role of Trinculo, who in league with Stephano and Caliban, foolishly sought to outwit Prospero. 

Throughout my life, I have retained a fondness for the works of Shakespeare, though my opportunities to see them performed have diminished.

Last month, as kind of a post-wedding treat, my Miranda and I planned an outing to Ashland for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.  We purchased tickets for two productions, made reservations at a charming downtown hotel, and then began counting the days until our trip.

What fun!  It was like stepping out of present day and into a literary world, a world untouched by the cares of everyday survival, where we were joined by other literature and drama geeks, for a celebration of the mastery of language, of costume, of theatre.

There were a number of highlights to our trip.  The first being a brilliant production of Hamlet.  We were blown away by the mastery of staging, acting, and language that is Hamlet.  What a way to get our feet wet.

"What a piece of work is man!"--Hamlet

We enjoyed two days filled with great entertainment, great food, and browsing in used book stores; all in a beautiful setting with a beautiful daughter.  I feel so blessed that my love of Shakespeare has been passed to the next generation; that my children also recognize the brilliance of The Bard.