4 out of 20 Top Productions!

The Lincoln Journal Star recently selected 20 top productions from the last two decades of theater in the area. Four Flatwater Shakespeare shows are listed!  Here's some of what reviewer Larry L. Kubert had to say about them -- 

Taming of the Shrew

Directed by Bob Hall, 2008

Shakespeare meets Sergio Leone meets situation comedy, with a little bit of The Cisco Kid thrown in. Excellent performances were delivered by two of Lincoln’s leading actors, Melissa Lewis and the late George Hansen. The fire and fury that the pair brought was outstanding.

Julius Caesar

Directed by Bob Hall, 2009

The corrosive moral destructive power of ambition, envy, and corruption, set in a political arena, was the thrust of this production, [which explored] the motivations behind, and repercussions of, the assassination of the arrogant Caesar. The tempo of the drama played out with patience and perspective, ultimately allowing for appropriate climactic peaks of intensity. Brad Boesen's portrayal of Brutus was one couched in intense character concentration.

Hamlet

Directed by Bob Hall, 2015

In the most impressive portrayal of Hamlet that I have ever seen, Matt Lukasiewicz made a choice in the development of his character to shy away from the brooding depression often associated with the role and instead attacked the part with a ferocious emotional intensity that was staggering. That intensity fluctuated between anger and rage at his father’s murder and his mock psychosis façade, with the power in both [proving] forceful and penetrating in their effectiveness. Excellent stuff.

The Merchant of Venice

Directed by Tom Crew, 2016

Religious prejudice and bigotry can become prime subjects for dramatic scrutiny. Such subjects allow an opportunity for self-reflection and examination of attitudes and actions taken under the guise of a specific faith or creed. Merchant [offers] comedy and romance amid multiple story lines, but religious bias is the catalyst that drives the play and [ensures] discomfort for contemporary audiences. Dramatic tutorials were delivered by Richard Nielsen as Antonio and Patrick Lambrecht as Shylock.

Photo: Matt Lukasiewicz as Hamlet. Photo Credit: John Nollendorfs.