SAN MARCOS – Palomar’s Performing Arts gets ready to debut “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again]”, a well-loved, interactive play with new, creative twists.

Written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield, Palomar’s rendition of the play will take place from Oct. 4 to 13 in the Howard Brubeck Theatre. The opening show will begin at 7 p.m., as actors take to the stage in a lively, comedic performance.

Describing the play, Mufson said: “It’s reverence of Shakespeare, but it’s also making fun of Shakespeare…We can laugh at ourselves and just have a good time being ridiculous and silly and enjoying…the cabin of the greatest playwright in the history of western theater.”

According to Director Michael Mufson, this popular play began with 3 Shakespeare fanatics attempting to perform all 37 Shakespeare plays in one night. However, because the original play encourages storyline changes, Palomar’s Performing Arts devised a more specific premise.

Palomar’s version tells the story of a group of theater majors who have fallen behind in their Shakespeare English class. So, instead of completing their assignments, the group decides to perform all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays and sonnets to pass.

To convey this message, the actors will switch between scripted Shakespeare work and improvised dialogue as they rush to perform all the material in under 2 hours. Some of the plays, according to Mufson, are taken care of in just a few lines.

“Honestly, this is a play for everyone to enjoy. It’s a lot of improv, and we keep it hard to guess what happens next,” said Oakley Blues, an actor playing Romeo and other characters.

Along with Blues, actors Nicole Mitchell and Autumn Lowe shared that interpretive dancing, slapstick comedy, and flexibility with gender roles will be included in the show. Spotlights, LED lighting, and lots of audience interaction will also be involved.

According to the actors, while some of the dialogue may not be appropriate for children, it is sure to be a dynamic performance.

“This show is really fun to be a part of, and I love how interactive the cast is with one another…The show is a comedy with a lot of improv…” said Mitchell, who plays one of the narrators and other characters.

A simple set and carefully crafted costumes convey the play’s message while allowing the actors to be comedic and spontaneous. Costume designer, Kimberly Kocol, was inspired by modern circus. She shared that the actors will wear giant pants as a base costume and throw on other items that don’t always fit to act out the play’s 73 characters.

“We’re all here to have as much fun with it as we possibly can. And I think… it shows in the design work that all of us have put into it: props and sets and costumes and lighting and sound. I think it’s going to be an outrageously fun time,” Kocol said about the play.

The show has also built community. Lowe, an actor playing one of the narrators and other characters, said: “As a new student at Palomar, I genuinely feel so welcomed by everyone in this show, and I’ve never been surrounded by more welcoming and kind people in my life.”

Overall, the actors shared that, although the play pokes a little fun at Shakespeare, their motivation really comes from a love of his work. The main goal is to have a good time, and the silliness isn’t meant to be offensive to anyone. Mufson also hopes the production will be a fun and light-hearted moment in the midst of chaotic current events.

Audience members can find free parking in lots 1 and 15 on Palomar’s San Marcos Campus. For more information on purchasing tickets, click here.