For over 30 years, Arts Umbrella’s Pre-Professional Theatre students have been performing for young audiences across the Lower Mainland, both on tour in the schools, and in professional theatres where performers and students alike can share in the experience of live theatre. In March of 2020, all that changed with the onset of the pandemic. Our productions could no longer go live, shows were cancelled, and theatres around the world went dark, but the need to explore the work and connect with each other lived on. We decided to share our work in a different way and the idea behind Shakespeare Redux was born.

Written by Arts Umbrella alumnus and instructor, Seamus Fera, Shakespeare Redux examines the works of William Shakespeare through today’s lens.  It is not a narrative with an evident beginning, middle and end. Instead, it is a patchwork of scenes, thoughts and moments centralized around the works of William Shakespeare. Throughout the piece we hear the inner thoughts and opinions of a group of students as they navigate the sometimes difficult, yet always beautiful text of Shakespeare. It is a meant to give students a look at the plays from an actor’s point of view as well as a chance to get better understanding of the work itself, from iambic pentameter to discussions of its relevance today.

The film itself can be viewed in its entirety or as individual scenes, each with their own purpose from an educational perspective. To help support your use of the film, we have created the Shakespeare Redux Resource Guide. We hope that this will help you understand the point of view of this piece as well as the original source material. Most importantly, we are able to portray our excitement and love of Shakespeare to you all. Enjoy!

Download Resource Guide

*This play was commissioned by the Arts Umbrella Theatre, Music, & Film department, performed by the Junior and Senior Theatre Troupes with Dramaturgy by Paul Moniz de Sá, Artistic Director of Theatre, Music, & Film.

Credits

Playwrights – William Shakespeare and Seamus Fera
Directors – Paul Moniz de Sá, Susanne Moniz de Sá, Seamus Fera, Laura McLean
Lighting/Projection Design – Zac Labrie
Costume Design – Danica West
Cinematography – Eric Gow and Nico Dicecco
Editor – Eric Gow and Nico Dicecco
Consultant – Britney Buren

Cast

Elliot Chandler – Voice, Mentor, Q, Host
Katie Evans – Voice, Helena, Contestant
Jemma Felts – Voice, Juliet 1, Maria, Contestant, Performer
Aidan Floyd – Voice, Lysander, Contestant
Sewit Haile – Voice, Student, Lady Anne, Contestant
Lucy Jeffrey – Voice, Singer, Juliet 2, Viola, Contestant
Chinen Kaneko – Voice, Puck, Contestant
Ruby Klein – Voice, Trestle, Student-Director
Molly Makepeace – Voice, Director, Host, Olivia
Gemma Martin – Voice, Hermia, Contestant
Ava Nikolakis – Voice, Berkeley, Contestant, Troilus
Sahba Sabour – Voice, Muse, Contestant
Gus Setala-Gay – Voice, Demtrius, Contestant
Oliver Stevenson – Voice, Mentee, Contestant, Fabian
Kamil Whaley-Kalaora – Voice, Gloucester, Contestant, Student- Actor
Anna Wodzicki – Voice, Contestant, Cressida, Student-Actress

Special Thanks

Arts Umbrella, The Theatre, Music & Film department, Paul Moniz de Sá, Susanne Moniz de Sá, Britney Buren, Laura McLean, Alexandra Eaton, Laura Reynolds, Bonnie Duff, Zach Wolfman, Marc Gelmon, Francesca Vivanti, Charlotte Wright, Christopher David Gauthier, Kevin Bennet, Niamh Elizabeth, Avery Burrows, Andrew Wheeler, Sarah Kelen, Camille Mohn, Katey Wright, Jenn Griffin, Hannah Scott, Cynthia Potvin, Hermione Tankard, Jessi Simmons