The Scene staff
Forest Park has revived its theater program after a three-year hiatus, and William Shakespeare is starring in its first production.
Well, not the 17th century playwright himself, but one faculty member and two students, who are acting out scenes from his classic plays.
“They’re super excited to be doing something,” said Jeff David, the new theater manager.
“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again]” will be performed in the Mildred E. Bastian Center for the Performing Arts on campus April 9-11.
It’s open to Forest Park students, faculty and staff and the general public. Admission is free.
“This is something I’m genuinely grateful for,” said crew member Andres Giardina, 21, a general studies transfer student, speaking of the opportunity for him to help produce a play.
The cast members are Jason Martin, 47, a faculty member in African American history; Calvin Gilbert and William Schulte, both 18 and both general transfer studies students.
In 2023, the communications department didn’t have the funds to make needed repairs to the Bastian theater or hire a manager, according to communications department chair Sandra Arumugan-Osburn.
David came on board last fall and, following instructions from the dean, delayed staging a production until spring to make sure the theater was ready.
“My first semester, I spent a lot of time getting to know facilities and housekeeping and the engineers,” he said. “I’ve been through every room in this building, making lists … for risk management.”
David graduated with a master’s degree in fine arts from Lindenwood University in 1996. During graduate school, he worked in technical theater.
David helped establish a new theater program in a new theater at St. Charles Community College. He later taught theater to seventh- and eighth-graders in Texas, where his wife attended graduate school.
After the family moved back to St. Louis, David taught at Clayton High School and took a break from theater, then he returned to St. Charles Community College.
“My position … was eliminated for budget reasons,” he said.
David also has worked at the Jewish Community Center and New Jewish Theater, where he still helps out.
“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again]” is a comedy in which the three actors perform snippets from all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays.
The Forest Park cast is presenting the most up-to-date version, according to David.
“It’s been very popular, and it has a lot of pop-culture references,” he said.
The play will be performed at 11:15 a.m. Thursday, April 9; 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, April 9-11; and 2 p.m. Sunday, April 12.