Steve Russumano (Count Bertram), Bethany Goldpaugh-Brown (Countess Rousillon), Joe Felece (Lafeu), and Catherine Domareki (Helena) in "All's Well That Ends Well," directed by David Aston-Reese.
This season, the Woodstock Shakespeare Festival looks to the past--twice! First, in choosing the Bard's little staged "problem play," and casting it in a Sixties idiom, complete with bikers, bandannas, and bell bottoms. "All's Well" follows the story of the lovelorn Helena, who must prove herself through impossible tasks to win the love of the reluctant-to-the-point-of-distraction Bertram, who would rather go to war than marry the lowborn beauty. (Crazy, right?)
Don't let the period garb distract you, however. As director David Aston-Reese says of the brilliance of Shakespeare's dialog in depicting our innermost human desires, "It's like painting thoughts using words."
"All's Well That Ends Well," will be performed on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 5pm at the Comeau Property in Woodstock. Performances are free, a donation of $5 is suggested. Bring-your-own seating. (845) 247-4007; www.birdonacliff.org.
