Ten years ago, my wife came to me and said, “I signed our son up for a Shakespeare class.”

“Sounds fun.”

“They are looking for parent volunteers for things like set building and concessions and someone to video it.”

“That’s nice.”

A week later she said, “they are still looking for someone to do the video.”

And like a good involved father I said, “I hope they find someone.”

A few weeks later, she snapped at me, “Will you just do the video!”

“Fine,” I said, thinking that the quality of performance I expected from middle school and high school students would only warrant holding up a cell phone to record the event.  I went to one rehearsal and said, “Damn…It’s good. I can’t half-ass it.”  I produced videos of 10 plays, multiple graduation videos, blooper reels, and teasers in partnership with another parent volunteer, Sean Connor.

Lastly, I produced this short piece on Jen and Jesse, who run the program. I think it speaks to the value of teachers and why they do it. If nothing else, it’s my letter of appreciation for what they’ve done for my children.

Mike Palumbo

The legend is that when Queen Elizabeth I saw Shakespeare’ s Henry IV and Henry V, she loved the character of Falstaff so much that she asked Shakespeare to write a play with him as the main character. Hence, the spinoff was invented. Merry Wives of Windsor is all about the obnoxious and lovable knave, Sir John Falstaff, trying to woo two married ladies, who want nothing to do with him. So, they lay a series of tricks and traps for him.

This is my 12th and final play with Shakespeare Conquest. It has been a beautiful time working with these young adults,. We have gone through hurricanes, a pandemic, broken sets, and ripped pants. We have performed with masks on, holding corsets together, chicken pox, and once, a broken arm. We have learned to carry on and love ourselves in the process.

Jellyfish it and play on,

Jennifer