Written by Lauren Gunderson
Directed by Richard Atha-Nicholls
Produced by Herb Elkin
Performance Dates:
February 24 – March 19, 2023
Run time: 2h 30m
(including intermission)

You may or may not know that William Shakespeare wrote his plays in pieces, never putting all the parts together until the actors were on stage, for fear of someone stealing his work. But who’s to stop people from stealing it after his death? When a sub-par Hamlet rip-off hits a stage near the Globe Theatre, members of Shakespeare’s acting troupe, the King’s Men, are incensed. To try to put an end to the plagiarism and preserve the words that shaped their lives, they hatch a plan to put it all down on paper, setting them off on a mad chase across Elizabethan London to find all the bits and pieces to create the First Folio. An evocative love letter to one of theatre's greats, and a heartfelt and hilarious true story of the artists and friends who undertook the herculean effort to publish the Bard's plays in the wake of his death. The Book of Will is a rapid fire and buoyant play that tells an unforgettable true story of love, loss, and laughter, and sheds new light on a man you may think you know.

About the Director

Richard Atha-Nicholls has been working with The Colonial Players since emigrating to the US in 2001. He started as a sound tech, graduated to sound design and is currently CP’s sound consultant. He is usually found in the tech booth designing sound/projections or designing and programming the stream camera cuts. His sound design has garnered multiple WATCH nominations. He has also served on the board and many committees for the Players. In addition to sound design Richard has acted, directed, and produced at numerous theatres in the DMV area. Love to C, A, P, K & I. Always in my heart, O.

 

 

 

Director's Notes

“Do you not know that a man is not dead while his name is still spoken?”
– Going Postal by Sir Terry Pratchett

The Book of Will has been called a love letter to Shakespeare, which I do not question, but I also believe it’s about honoring those that have passed. In the show we witness the death of three characters and they all played an important part in preserving Shakepeare’s legacy. To honor those that have passed I asked my cast and crew to name those who had had an influence on their own theatre lives but are no longer with us. You may see those names throughout this playbill or the lobby. Even during the rehearsal process I lost two good friends who had a significant impact on my theatre and Discworld®¹ family. And just over a year ago one of the first actors I ever directed on the Colonial stage passed away. This show is dedicated to them and all the others who have passed that influenced my theatre career. GNU Sean, Kevin, and Elizabeth.

- RICHARD ATHA-NICHOLLS

1. Discworld® is a fantasy world created by the author Sir Terry Pratchett. He wrote 41 novels based on the world and there have been multiple conventions dedicated to the work across the globe. Ask me about it.

 

The Cast

Lory Cosner (Rebecca Heminges / Wig Mistress) - Lory (she/her) may look like a new face, but she’s not - she was last seen onstage at The Colonial Players 21 years ago as Chloe Coverly in Tom Stoppard’s Arcadia. Since that time, she has moved seven times, including three countries in Europe, where she continued performing, stage managing, and directing, winning Best Actress for her performance of Sister James in Doubt: A Parable and Best Stage Manager for Noises Off with KMC Onstage in Germany. She also garnered praise for an English accent good enough to fool the locals as Marian Halcombe in The Woman in White and Miss Temple/Blanche/Diana Rivers in Jane Eyre with NOMADS in England but got to use her native accent in NOMADS’ pantomime versions of Sleeping Beauty and Puss in Boots. Other favorite roles include Frosine in The Miser at Towson University and Clarice in Rudolph the Red-Hosed Reindeer (no that’s not a typo) at Spotlighters in Baltimore. And Lory’s not just an actor - she has previously held backstage and administrative roles with Everyman Theatre, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company, Spotlighters, and Cockpit-in-Court. Those of you with keen eyesight may also have caught her in her assistant stage manager role as she swapped out the paintings during the recent CP production of Art. Lory has a BA in Theatre from Towson University.

Bill Fellows (Ed Knight / Crier) - Bill is excited to return to The Colonial Players stage, having previously appeared as Dr. Caius in our production of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor. You may have also seen him on stage in 2nd Star Production’s Amelie (Raphael/Colignon’s father), Mary Poppins (Von Hussler), or Annie Get Your Gun (Pawnee Bill), or in BCT’s One Slight Hitch (Doc Coleman), Absolutely Dead (Ben Martin) or Frankenstein (Herr Meuller). Bill is also skilled behind the curtain, having several production staff credits with both 2nd Star and CP in set design, set construction, and lighting design.

Brian Gilbert (Henry Condell) - Brian is excited to be making his CP debut and to have the opportunity to tell a great story with his castmates. A recent addition to the DMV theater area but no stranger to the stage, his favorite recent performances include Hal and Henry V in Henry IV-V (Orangemite Shakespeare), Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (Belmont Theatre), Barry in Polyester: the Musical (Little Theater of Hanover), and a literary ensemble Roles with the Baltimore Shakespeare Factory and Maryland Renaissance Festival. An unabashed lover of Pericles, he extends the deepest love and gratitude toward his family and friends for their constant support and patience with his rehearsal schedules!

Rebecca Ellis (Elizabeth Condell / Emilia Bassano Lanier) - Rebecca is originally from Chicago, where she received her BFA in Acting from NIU. Since moving to Maryland, Rebecca has appeared on area stages with Peter's Alley (Sally Talley, Talley’s Folly; Becca, Rabbit Hole; Callie, Stop Kiss), LiveArtDC (Yelena, Drunkle Vanya; Clara Bow, Becoming IT), Cohesion Theatre Company (Deb, The Pillow Book), Pinky Swear (Joan, Benched), Rep Stage (Hanna, A Shayna Maidel), Quotidian (Chris, Dancing at Lughnasa; Maggie, Hobson’s Choice), Chesapeake Shakespeare (Ophelia, Hamlet; Margery Pinchwife, The Country Wife; Celia, As You Like It), and BCT (Catherine Sloper, The Heiress; Becky, Becky’s New Car), among others. At CP, Rebecca has appeared in: Hay Fever, The Trip to Bountiful, A Shayna Maidel, Rebecca, and The Liar. Rebecca is excited to be back on the boards at CP where she did her first show in Maryland! Much love to friends and family for all their love and support!!!

Brianna Goode (Alice Heminges) - Brianna is thrilled to be a part of her first production with The Colonial Players! Favorite credits include: Lil' Bit in How I Learned to Drive (Dominion Stage), Rita in Prelude to a Kiss (Little Theatre of Alexandria), Peto/Montjoy in Henry V (Brave Spirits Theatre), Ray in Fiveplay (The Coil Project), Casey Mulgraw in Anton in Show Business (Silver Spring Stage), Horatio in Hamlet (Port City Playhouse), and Tamora in Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare on the Lawn). She is a board member at Dominion Stage and is working towards her actor combatant certification with the Society of American Fight Directors. Brianna would like to thank her partner, Jesús, for all of his support during this process.

Christopher Hanson (Compositor / Barman / Marcellus) - Chris has been making his way to the stage and gaining experience along the way. He made his debut in A Midsummer Night’s Dream with TAP and is excited to have joined The Colonial Players.

Duncan Hood (William Jaggard) - Great to be back, and that's a fact. Duncan is a repeat offender here at The Colonial Players, having performed in various roles over the last 38, can you believe it, years. Duncan is a winner of a Washington Area Theater Community Honors (WATCH) award for Best Supporting performance in Mornings at Seven, and over the past 20 years, he has performed roles as: George in Moon over Buffalo; Scrooge in A Christmas Carol; Emcee in Cabaret; Flint in Something’s Afoot; The Man in 52 Pickup; The Playwright in Enter the Guardsman; VanSweiten in Amadeus; Jethro Crouch in Sly Fox; Michael in Dancing at Lughnasa; The Narrator in Blood Brothers; Inspector Rough in Angel Street; Hysterium twice and Psuedolus once in 3 productions of A Funny Thing Happened on the way to the Forum; Major General in two productions of Pirates of Penzance; Pap in Big River; Porter and Ross in Macbeth; and “Dr Kalmar in Studio Theater’s production of A New Brain. Duncan also appeared in the 2011 Clint Eastwood film J Edgar as the radio announcer, and his voiceover credits include national and regional commercial, book & industrial projects. Video game credits include three characters in Star Trek, Next Generation; and 5 characters in Fallout 3; by Bethesda Softworks. Duncan has been an international sailing instructor trainer for the American Sailing Assn. for 38 years and holds a 100 ton USCG Master’s license.

Christina Hudson (Susannah Shakespeare / Francisco / Fruit Seller) - Christina is thrilled to make her debut under the lights after running them for the last several Colonial Players productions. When not in the dark of the tech booth or the lights of the stage, Christina enjoys spending time with her children and volunteering at the SPCA of Anne Arundel County.

Fred Fletcher-Jackson (Isaac Jaggard) - Fred is honored to be back in the CP rounds after an 8 year absence! Past credits with CP include Dorante in The Liar (WATCH Award nominee, Lead Actor in a Play) and PFC Downey in A Few Good Men. Other local credits include Sammy in The Wedding Singer and Sir Robin in Spamalot (ASGT), Marc Antony in Julius Caesar and Lysander in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Baltimore Shakespeare Factory), and Adam in The Complete History of America (abridged) (Vagabond Players). Fred has a BA in Acting from UMBC, and an MFA in Devised Performance from the University of the Arts/Pig Iron School in Philadelphia. By day, Fred is a Drama teacher in PG County at the Benjamin Foulois Creative and Performing Arts Academy. When not on stage or in the classroom, Fred hosts weekly trivia at Silver Spring's Four Corners Pub, and he's also a professional wrestler currently training with the Renaissance Rumble troupe. Ask Fred how much he loves game shows. Thank you for being here, and enjoy this wonderful play!

Matt Leyendecker (Richard Burbage) - Matt has performed The Bard in many places, and is proudly returning to The Colonial Players, to once again pay homage to Shakespeare. He began his acting career in 1993 at the MD RenFest performing Shakespeare's work, and 30 years later is still strutting and fretting his hour upon the stage, to be heard no more. Favorite roles include Falstaff in CP's The Merry Wives of Windsor, Security in MD RenFest's Eastward Ho!, and Joe in BCT's Becky's New Car (WATCH Nomination, Best Featured Actor, 2018). Thanks go to friends and family, and these people know who they are, and most importantly to William Shakespeare, without whom he would likely have never taken the stage. Exit Leyendecker, pursued by a bear.

Nick Martinez (Sir Edward Dering) - Nick is a 25-year old actor from Chino Hills, California. He has been in one previous production at The Colonial Players (The White Rose), and various others throughout college and high school. He wants to send a special thanks to his family and friends for watching (both in person and from elsewhere in the U.S. via live-stream), and he hopes you enjoy the show. 

Edd Miller (Ralph Crane / Co-set designer) - Edd is excited to be working with such giants (some in size, all in talent). Edd is probably a familiar face as he has been part of CP for over 50 years. In that time he has ushered, acted, designed and built sets, and directed among other things, winning a Ruby Griffith and a WATCH award along the way. He was last seen on stage as the Old Crow and Cpt. Hook in The Lost Boy. He was also the set designer for The Lost Boy and was part of the set design team for The Book of Will.

Jeffrey Miller (Ben Jonson) - Jeffrey is no stranger to community and dinner theater and is glad to be back on stage following a four-year absence. He last appeared in The Colonial Players’ 2019 production of Towards Zero, as Inspector Battle. Other appearances with CP include 4 productions of A Christmas Carol as both the Ghost of Christmas Present and Scrooge, the 2000 production of Hogan’s Goat, and the 1978 production of Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris. Favorite roles have included the King in The King and I, Petruchio, in both The Taming of the Shrew and Kiss me, Kate, and Miles Gloriosus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Jeffrey is the Airport Security Program Manager in the Office of Airport Security at BWI Marshall Airport. He would like to thank his children, Brian, Grant, Holly, and Emma, for the joy they bring to his life.

Dan Monteith (Barman 2 / Bernardo) - Dan is honored to be a part of this incredibly accomplished cast and crew for his first production with The Colonial Players of Annapolis. Dan recently concluded his run as Herr Zeller in The Sound of Music with 2nd Star Productions and as a policeman in Wait Until Dark with Bowie Community Theater. High school productions include Guys and Dolls, Oklahoma, Annie Get your Gun, The Canterbury Tales and many more great memories. Dan would like to express his fondness for his castmates and how in love he is with this story of the original King’s Men. He and his wife Karen both work at the United States Naval Academy and live in Gambrills with their two stage-loving daughters, Bridget and Sabrina.

Sue Ann Staake (Anne Hathaway Shakespeare / Video Stream designer) - Sue Ann is thrilled to make her first appearance on a Maryland stage since high school. After a 40-year career in broadcasting, she has returned to her first love as an actor. Since retiring seven years ago Sue Ann has appeared in numerous productions both on stage and zoom performances. Her favorite roles include Mrs. Higgins in My Fair Lady, M'Lynn in Steel Magnolias, Sylvia in Stepping Out, Lorena "Hick" Hickok in Tea with Mrs. Roosevelt and as a 90-year-old Florence Nightingale. She has also taken her Emmy® Award winning directing skills to the theater, directing Women Warriors for LifeHouse Theater in Redlands, CA in 2020. Sue Ann re-located back to Maryland from Evergreen, CO last May and hopes to continue her new career here on the east coast. Sue Ann is thankful to her family and friends for their continued love and support.

Steve Tobin (John Heminges) - While Steve has mostly been directing at The Colonial Players, The Book of Will marks his third appearance on the CP stage. The last time audiences saw Steve he was schticking it up as Dr. Einstein in Season 71’s Arsenic and Old Lace. Before that he was a yellow-eyed Jacob Marley in 2016's A Christmas Carol. As a director, Steve most recently helmed CP's 1980’s Shakespeare extravaganza, The Merry Wives of Windsor and he is thrilled to be working with Will once more. Other CP directing credits include the Ruby Griffith Award-winning production of David Ives’ The Liar, and Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike. At Compass Rose theater, Steve directed the Helen Hayes Recommended production of Richard Wilbur’s The Liar, The Diary of Anne Frank, and was Assistant Director of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. Steve has an BS degree in Theater Studies from Yale, and did his professional acting apprenticeship at The NJ Shakespeare Festival. Favorite roles include Ken Harrison in Whose Life is it Anyway?, John Merrick in The Elephant Man, and Florizel in The Winter's Tale. In his spare time he is President of The Colonial Players, so he doesn’t really have that much spare time - but he does enjoy writing about himself in the Third Person. ”As always, gratitude and love to Jo, Diana, Mary Frances, Jeannie, and Dad. Thank you for putting up with me.” 

Peri Walker (Boy Hamlet / Horatio / Marcus) - After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh in 2019, Peri thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail, then moved to Baltimore in 2020. She most recently appeared as Persephone in the world premiere production of Her, Across the River (Rapid Lemon Productions). Previous favorite roles have included Agnes in She Kills Monsters (UP Stages) and Romeo in Romeo and Juliet (Fluidity Theatre). Local stage management credits: Voices of Carmen 2021 and 2022 (Dance & Bmore), King Lear (Baltimore Shakespeare Factory), Variations on Holidays and Dead and Breathing (Rapid Lemon), Stop Kiss (Vagabond Players). Peri will carry on the Shakespeare theme this spring in Baltimore Shakespeare Factory’s Henry VIII.

 

The Production Staff

Alex Brady (Lighting Designer) Alex is a critically acclaimed lighting designer with more than 20 years of experience working with professional, academic, and community theaters across Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington D.C. He holds a Master of Arts in Liberal Arts from the Graduate Institute at St. John's College (’10). He has been nominated for multiple awards for his inventive and subtle approach to lighting. In 2016, he was nominated for the WATCH Award for Best Lighting Design for two shows at The Colonial Players of Annapolis in the same year: Venus in Fur and Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? He has served as the resident lighting designer for the AACC Dance Company for over a decade, where he worked with nationally renowned choreographer and dance director Lynda Fitzgerald. He currently mentors students in technical theater at Saint Mary’s High School in Annapolis in addition to designing lighting for Saint Mary's High School drama club productions. Alex teaches courses in film studies and art history for the Visual Arts department at Anne Arundel Community College in addition to his day-to-day work as a project manager and audio-visual systems engineer.

Nell Codner (Stage Manager) Nell Codner is thrilled to be back at The Colonial Players, this time contemplating the legacy of her favorite playwright. Nell has previously stage managed with CP (The Unexpected Guest, and pinch-hitting as needed), Annapolis Summer Garden Theatre (Xanadu) and The Rude Mechanicals of Laurel. She would like to thank the Annapolis Mothers of Multiples for keeping her sane the past 9 years, Richard and Amy for tugging her along on yet another wonderful journey, and her partner Ben for all his at-home support so she could get back into theatre for the first time since motherhood. Thanks to him, Mommy can show our twins how much fun theatre really can be! Hannah and Amelia: I love you more than Shakespeare! Happy 9th birthday to you both on our closing day!

Herb Elkin (Producer) Herb has been an active member of The Colonial Players and volunteer for over 25 years. Having appeared onstage in several CP and other area productions, he has served extensively behind the scenes in manycapacities, most recently stage-managing Agnes of God (2022)…which received a regional WATCH award nomination for Outstanding Play. He thanks CP’s many volunteers and supporters who make everything possible, worthwhile…and enjoyable!

Anthony Scimonelli (Sound Designer) Anthony is thrilled to be doing sound design for this production of The Book of Will at The Colonial Players. Previous sound design favorites include: The Corner Creepies at Fells Point Corner Theater, Vagina Monologues at University of Baltimore and Howard Community College, Julius Caesar and Macbeth at Baltimore Shakespeare Festival. He would like to thank Rebecca for the creativity encouragement and love, and his family for their support and love. Cheers!

Carrie Shade (Properties Designer) Carrie is a relative newcomer to The Colonial Players who previously served on the Play Selection Committee for the upcoming season and is thrilled to be part of the production team for The Book of Will! She designed props for many college productions at the University of Pennsylvania; favorites include Heathers, Fun Home, Sylvia, and Tuck Everlasting. She believes strongly in the critical importance of the written (or printed!) word and has plans to name her future pets after Shakespearean characters, so this show is right up her alley. Many thanks to Connie for her props expertise, Amy for assistance with prop construction, and everyone at CP for being so welcoming!

Linda Swann (Costume Coordinator) Linda is happy to be back playing with live Barbie dolls. Her work was last seen here as co-costumer on the show By The Way, Meet Vera Stark. She appreciates the vote of confidence from the director and the cooperation of the cast and crew as "old fashions please me best;" and "the soul of man is his clothes."