LCC offers Shakespeare play outdoors

By Mallory Stiles
Editor in Chief

The LCC Performing Arts Department will present its rendition of “Love’s Labour’s Lost” in the LCC Outdoor Amphitheatre from June 21 to 25, with each nightly performance beginning at 7 p.m.

Each show will be free but donations to the theatre department are always accepted.

Stage Manager Rae Ocenasek has worked on several LCC productions over the years, and said the cast has been working very hard, giving them very high hopes for this show.

“I think the cast of every show really makes every show you work unique,” Ocenasek said, “and this cast is a majority of theatre program alumni who have decided to come back, audition and perform.

“It’s definitely a different energy than a show full of all current students or a show full of community members.”

LCC teacher and director Mary Job has a great deal of experience in the Shakespearean world, but is just now returning after a long break. She said she is very happy to be working on the show and looks forward to the performances. 

“I taught in the Shakespeare studio for, oh my gosh, a dozen years,” Job said, “so, getting back to it and doing this Shakespeare play is really exciting for me.”

Job said while the performers are excellent at illustrating the goings-on, anyone unfamiliar with Elizabethan English should skim a summary before attending to make it easier to follow along.

“This play is one of Shakespeare’s early plays,” Job said. “One of the first three that we know of, and it is very, very language oriented and very funny. The basic plot is these four guys, led by the King of Navarre, who have decided to turn his court into a temple of intellectual activity.

“They are going to do that by swearing off wine, women and song. Naturally of course, the first visitors that show up are four lively ladies.”

With each scene, viewers will see the situation become increasingly complicated without a hint of resolution, but Job said there are a lot of life lessons to be learned; one of which is to never take a woman at face value.

“There’s a lot going on underneath this rather simplistic plot and it’s a word feast,” she said. “To me, it makes it the perfect summer play.”

For more information including parking details, click here.