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UPDATED: May 21, 2021 at 9:57 a.m.

Syracuse Shakespeare-In-The-Park plans on proving this summer that theater — especially Shakespeare — will survive post-pandemic, even with a socially distanced audience.

From June 4-13, SSITP is set to showcase its rendition of the Shakespeare play “Troilus and Cressida” in Thornden Park. Two months later, the company plans on performing “The Comedy of Errors” from Aug. 6-15. Ronnie Bell, the executive director and co-founder of SSITP, said that the show in June is meant for a mature audience while August’s show is family-friendly.

Founded in 2002, the company performed its first take on a Shakespeare play a year later with “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Now celebrating its 19th anniversary, the company hopes to perform more difficult and lesser-known Shakespeare plays, Bell said.

“These are shows that very few people do, but we try to stick to the harder shows and the problem comedies,” he said.

Bell, who earned a Master of Science from Syracuse University in 1992, has remained close with the university. SU has sponsored many SSITP plays, including this year’s “Troilus and Cressida,” and the university has allowed the theater company to use the Nancy Cantor Warehouse as a space for rehearsals and shows in the past. Due to current COVID-19 protocols, the company hasn’t been able to use the space.

Along with SU, businesses such as CNY Arts, Colonial Laundromats and Beer Belly Deli & Pub sponsor the upcoming plays. As part of the Beer Belly sponsorship, premium SSITP ticket holders get a $15 food voucher from the restaurant. It’s through these sponsorships, as well as donations and fundraisers, that the company is able to produce high-quality shows, Bell said.

“Troilus and Cressida” is set during the Trojan War. Even though the play does include some battle scenes, it is primarily a romantic comedy that displays the love story of the title characters.

Aaron Alexander (left) and Derek Powell are two of the actors starring in Syracuse Shakespeare-In-The-Park’s production of “Troilus and Cressida.” The show is planned to run in Thornden Park in June.
Courtesy of Ronnie Bell

“The Comedy of Errors” follows two sets of twins who were split up at birth as they struggle to find their identities. SU English professor Dympna Callaghan, who has been a fan of Shakespeare’s work for years, said the play addresses the important theme of self-discovery. It also uses class status to differentiate the characters, she said.

“It’s a very hierarchical society,” Callaghan said. “It’s obsessed with distinctions, and what Shakespeare does is give these distinctions a comical effect.”

Last summer, the company produced six shows of “Much Ado About Nothing” at the Thornden Park Amphitheater. Due to COVID-19 guidelines, audience members had their temperatures checked prior to the show and wore masks to their seats.

Like last summer, audiences for this summer’s performances will be limited to 200 people. While Bell said he hopes that guidelines can change soon so the theater can host more people, he said he was adamant about following the current safety protocols.

“I can’t tell you what’s gonna happen tomorrow because I don’t know what Governor Cuomo is gonna do,” Bell said. “But as of right now, we’re only allowed 200.”

As SSITP works under pandemic restrictions, Bell sees similarities to Shakespeare, who found ways to produce plays during the Bubonic plague.

“It’s ironic in a way because Shakespeare had to do the same thing,” Bell joked. “We’re looking to survive and thrive once the pandemic is over. We’re going to survive it and we’re going to make sure we’ll do even more.”

CORRECTION: In a previous version of this post, the location of the “Much Ado About Nothing” performance was misstated. The Daily Orange regrets this error.

Published on May 20, 2021 at 12:45 am

Contact Siron: sthoma10@syr.edu | @sironthomas