Embark on a Shakespearean odyssey as Ashley Hall Performing Arts resurrects a cherished tradition: Performances of Shakespeare’s plays at the Bear Cave, an outdoor stage and landmark on the campus. The performing arts program invites the public to experience a captivating outdoor production by high school students of King Lear at 5:30 p.m. March 15 and 16.
Outdoor Shakespeare performances are summer staples in larger cities like New York and Chicago. Now, the Charleston community can claim its own outdoor Shakespeare experience with Ashley Hall’s Shakespeare at the Bear Cave series, which celebrated its first production in 1911.
King Lear is an exploration of the complexities of love and family. The play follows the King as he decides to split up the kingdom among his three daughters, examining how unchecked ambition can have dire consequences — and the vulnerability of relationships in the face of adversity.
Ashley Hall’s performing arts coordinator and director, Aimee Phelan-Deconinck, said the play will modernize King Lear and incorporate multimedia elements — a projector and a camera will provide close-up views of the actors.
Phelan-Deconinck said this element is not just an aesthetic decision but a conscious attempt to enhance the audience’s engagement with the play: She aims to create a seamless fusion where the worlds of the play and the audience intertwine.
“The use of multimedia in sporting events does this: The kiss cam, the close up of the pitcher’s wind-up, the player sitting on the bench. The camera brings moments into our view of the whole that we might otherwise miss, engaging us as audience members in the story through various points of view which is an interesting way to experience a live event,” she said. This multi-media approach not only makes the production more accessible but also allows the audience to examine the raw emotions of the actor’s onstage.
Phelan-Deconinck also explained that this production “brings the source material, seventeenth century England, to 1920’s New York, which is the time in which our interpretation is styled after.”
Reviving a tradition
The Bear Cave is an iconic landmark at Ashley Hall’s historical campus and holds a special place in the institution’s story. This site, once the Witte family property acquired by Ashley Hall in 1909, has hosted Shakespearean performances since 1911.
“I love imagining all the students who have brought the words of Shakespeare to life on this historic outdoor stage,” said Dr. Anne T. Weston, the head of school and an Ashley Hall alumna. “We encourage the Charleston community to join us for this special tradition.”
Rehearsing in this historic venue presents unique challenges and opportunities, Phelan-Deconinck said, highlighting the need to navigate the area carefully to avoid damaging the beautiful landscaping.
However, the Bear Cave’s emptiness becomes a metaphorical blank canvas, which only enhances the play’s themes, Phelan-Deconinck said.
“Its daunting emptiness is simultaneously terrifying and captivating, drawing parallels to the existential themes explored in the play,” she added. “Witnessing our youngest learners fearlessly embrace the cave with boundless enthusiasm and joy, as they often do when we are rehearsing, serves as a poignant reminder of the bravery and resilience inherent in the human spirit.”
Phelan-Deconincksays she takes pride in guiding students through King Lear’s intricate labyrinth of moral dilemmas. She emphasizes a hands-on approach to understanding Shakespeare’s depth.
“We have adapted the play to our unique set of circumstances, ensuring that the students are considered first and foremost,” she said. “Jonathon Bate wrote in his essay, King Lear in Performance: The RSC and Beyond, ‘The best way to understand a Shakespeare play is to participate in it.’
“This adaptation brings the timelessness of these moral dilemmas in King Lear into sharper focus, urging the students to grapple authentically with the challenges presented by the play.”
As the early spring air cuts through the low hanging trees, you will hear the soft Shakespearean voices echoing from the historic Bear Cave, creating a magical atmosphere that will transport you back to the era of Shakespeare.
Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for students at www.ashleyhall.org/kinglear.
Help keep the City Paper free.
No paywalls.
No subscription cost.
Free delivery at 800 locations.
Help support independent journalism by donating today.