What did they do, all those brilliant, talented women performers in Shakespearean England? In France, Italy, and Spain adoring audiences could see men and women on stage, telling broadly hilarious and deeply passionate stories, while in England women on stage - if not officially banned - were virtually nonexistent until half a century after Shakespeare’s death. Yet his plays are full of women characters: Juliet, Porsche, Rosalind, Desdemona, Viola… How excruciating it must have been for all the unheralded, amazing women who knew they could not only act the pants off the men onstage but definitely the skirts! Women could attend the theatre in England, watching themselves represented and misrepresented in plays, but the life of an actor was judged too immodest and base for women to participate in. Or perhaps it would have been too liberating, and the Englishmen were afraid what the women might say. In any case, women onstage was not something England was ready for.

But what if…

What if a troupe of women decided to put on a play themselves? To act all the parts as women and men, to revel in the thrill of the comedy and danger, to have love scenes and sword fights, to secretly thumb their noses at the establishment who regarded them as too delicate to 
trod the boards? There aren’t records of this happening, but I’m sure it did. Often. In country barns and living rooms, in open fields by night and empty warehouses 
by day. 

The plays were too good to be left to men.

Wilma Bonet*
Keiko Shimosato Carreiro*
Emily Cummings
Valerie Fachman
Elizabeth Jones
Asha Bagal Kelly
Charisse Loriaux*
Rebecca Pingree

*Member, Actors Equity Association, the professional association of actors and stage managers.

Wilma Bonet - Aegon, Adriana
Keiko Shimosato Carreiro - Mother, Dromio of Syracuse 
Emily Cummings - Storm, Sailor, First Merchant, Officer, Courtesan, Second Merchant
Valerie Fachman - Duke, Antipholus of Ephesus
Elizabeth Jones - Wife, Angelo,  Courtesan, Amelia
Asha Bagal Kelly - Sailor, Luciana
Charisse Loriaux - Sailor, Antipholus of Syracuse, Pinch
Rebecca Pingree - Sailor, Dromio of Ephesus

Stage Manager
Anthony Aranda*

Set Designer
Nina Ball

Lighting Designer
Jon Tracy

Costume Designer
Tammy Berlin

Sound Designer
Ben Euphrat

Co-Properties Artisan
Nia Jacobs

Co-Properties Artisan
   & Object Animation
Rebecca Pingree

Kaleidoscope Dramaturg
Aejay Mitchell

Fight Director
Dave Maier

Intimacy Director
Cindy Goldfield

There will be one fifteen-minute intermission.

Duke Solinus, ruler of Ephesus, presides over the trial of Egeon of Syracuse. Syracusians are not allowed in Ephesus, so Egeon has been detained and will be put to death. When asked why he is now in Ephesus, Egeon explains how he is searching for his lost twin sons and their twin servants. 

Twenty-three years before, Egeon had lost his wife and one of their identical twin sons Antipholus (along with the boy's servant Dromio, also an identical twin) in a storm at sea. Egeon had brought up the surviving boy and his servant. At eighteen, they had gone in search of their lost brothers. After no word from them, Egeon had also left home to seek news in Ephesus. Solinus is softened by the story and allows Egeon until sunset to try to raise 1,000 marks as a ransom or else he must die.

Meanwhile, in a nearby marketplace, a merchant has befriended two tourists: Antipholus of Syracuse (Egeon's son) and his servant companion, Dromio. Learning of the ban on Syracusians, they put on local dress before going to explore the town. Unknown to them, their twin brothers (with identical names) have been living there after being saved from the storm by fishermen. 

Antipholus of Syracuse is very surprised to be accosted by Dromio of Ephesus. Dromio is angry that his master has not returned home to his wife, Adriana, for dinner. The likeness of the Dromio twins, and also the sons of Egeon, leads to a series of confusions. This is especially true when Antipholus of Syracuse dines with his sister-in-law and falls in love with her sister, Luciana. His servant, Dromio of Syracuse, refuses to open the door to anyone. He bars the door even when Antipholus of Ephesus returns home with his merchant friends. This exclusion enrages Antipholus of Ephesus and leads him to dine with his friend, the courtesan.

A gold chain that Antipholus of Ephesus has ordered is delivered to Antipholus of Syracuse instead. The goldsmith’s claim for payment leads to the arrest of Antipholus of Ephesus and his servant. They refuse to pay for a chain that they did not receive. Adriana, fearing for her husband's sanity, gets the schoolmaster to exorcise him and Dromio (both of Ephesus). While they are under restraint, their Syracusian brothers cause panic in the town. The people think that the Ephesian brothers have somehow escaped. The Syracusian brothers, also frightened, take refuge in a priory or abbey.

The sunset hour of Egeon's sentence is soon approaching. The Duke returns, but is stopped by Adriana, who appeals for aid for her husband. The Ephesian twins escape their bonds and arrive to claim justice. Egeon recognises them, or so he thinks, as the boys he brought up in Syracuse. Solinus, the Duke, sends for the Abbess, who appears with the second pair of twins. She further amazes everyone by recognising Egeon and revealing herself as Emilia, his long-lost wife. She had entered a religious order after surviving the storm and fearing that all her family had died.

When all have told their stories, Antipholus of Syracuse renews his attempts to woo his sister-in-law, Luciana. The Duke pardons Egeon, and everyone goes to celebrate with Emilia at the temple. The two Dromios joyfully leave the stage hand in hand.