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The Comedy of Errors

Set in 1930’s Prohibition era Miami, populated with gangsters, politicians, keystone cops, a gaggle of nuns, a drunken big band, society guys and gals, surfers, bathing beauties, one greyhound and two sets of twins. Director Steve Maler envisioned 5 elaborately choreographed dumbshows to begin each act. Consisting mainly of invented characters, their stories are told with music and movement. Musical mofifs were composed for the various characters and groups, interweaved through each piece as dictated by the story.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company

Summer 2009

Directed by Steven Maler

Choreography by Yoel Casell

Scene Design by Jon Savage*

Lighting Design by Scott Pinkney*

Costume Design by David Israel Reynoso*

Music and Sound Design by David Wilson*

*Elliot Norton Award for Best Design, Large Company

Dumbshow 1

Top of Show

Dumbshow 1 Top of Show - Night to Morning

0 The band finishes up their last song for the night in the club, the band and patrons stumble home.

:44 The young lovers wake from their slumber on the beach and peek over their umbrella, timidly

perform the walk of shame, as the lifeguard enters to take his position on the chair, blows the sand

out of his whistle.

1:41 Luce enters to sweep the front steps (an obvious excuse to ogle the lifeguard).

1:56 The men stop to stare as The Greyhound Lady, an Elegantly dressed fashion plate who does her best

runway walk with dog in tow.

2:04 Egeon is captured by Solinus’ henchmen and the cops.

2:31 A procession of nuns ride bicycles across the stage as everyone stops to stare.

2:55 The Bronzing Nun peels off the line and proceeds to get down to some serious tanning.

3:10 Antipholus and Dromio arrive thru the audience riding surfboards down to the beach, chased off by

the greyhound.

4:00 Solinus and two henchmen enter to his morning cafe and newspaper.

4:34 Egeon is brought before Solinus for judgement.

Dumbshow 5 Top of Act 5 - Sunset to evening

0 The Lifeguard wraps up for the day, whistles in a few recalcitrant swimmers.

:24 The young lovers now reconciled from an earlier tiff, twirl their umbrellas and dance

a slow, languid pas de deux as Luce and the staff set up the outdoor cafe for the evening shift.

1:17 The Nuns arrive back home for the day in a bicycle procession.

1:37 Solinus directs his henchman to place his easel center stage, he proceeds to paint the sunset.

2:16 The Greyhound Lady parades in with her dog, flirts with Solinus, sits for her evening cocktail.

2:30 The band arrives, smuggling kegs and bottles of booze, followed by the cops, they hide on the

beach till the coast is clear.

Photo by Andrew Brilliant