The St. Louis Shakespeare Festival presented George Brant’s play Into the Breeches a couple of years ago. I found it delightful, so I was again delighted to see it appear on this year’s bill for the Kirkwood Theatre Guild. I again found it delightful.

Oberon Playhouse, a community theatre, has a long-standing tradition of including one of Shakespeare’s plays on their bill each year. But in the fall of 1942, the men in the company are off fighting the Nazis. Maggie Dalton, the wife of the director of the company, is determined to continue the tradition. Shakespeare’s casts are notoriously filled with men. But in Shakespeare’s day even the women were played by  men. Then why not reverse that? Have all the men played by women? The two men still available consider that blasphemy, traitorous, an insult to Shakespeare. But the women rather like the idea of finally  getting to play great Shakespearean roles.

Maggie will direct and play the Chorus. She chooses to do the Henriod, Shakespeare’s three plays about King Henry IV, Prince Hal who becomes Henry V, Falstaff, Hotspur, and that whole crowd. Celeste Fielding, clearly the best talent in the group and something of a diva, will of course play the lead, Prince Hal, though she is at least a little too old for that role. Winifred Snow, at least as old if much less talented, will play Falstaff. Her husband Ellsworth Snow, board president of the Playhouse, is the most strenuous in objecting to the whole thing. Stuart Lasker, the middle-aged stage manager, also objects but is willing to do the Shakespearean Thing and play Mistress Quickly. Ida Green is the brilliantly imaginative costume designer and plays Hotspur. June Bennett, the youngest of the group, initially plays the French princess who marries Henry V,  but disagreements and turmoil in rehearsals lead to some role switching for her by the director. That switching leaves some gaps in the double casting for the two kings; Grace Richards, a newcomer to town and to the group, fills the gaps.

The Kirkwood cast obviously relish the challenges this script presents, in gender and in other ways. They remind us that playing an amateur does not mean your acting is amateurish; I admired their skill. Kara Grossmann made director Maggie always determined, if sometimes a little shaky. Lisa Karpowicz’s Celeste was a gracious Queen Bee until she wasn’t. Jackie Goodall gave Winifred an enthusiasm that compensated for the character’s inexperience, and as her husband Ellsworth, Will Shaw stuck to the character’s convictions while making a very funny adjustment at the end. Ken Lopinot’s comic skills were splendidly displayed in Stage Manager Stuart. Atiera “Tarrah” Currie was completely convincing as both pressed costume designer and as Hotspur.  We saw during the “cast auditions” at the top of the show that Maddie Hawes’ character June was extremely talented and deserved her better role. Hannah “Henri” Sochowski also smoothly made the adjustments in her role as Grace Richards.

Director Sam Hayes made amusing order out of all this confusion. Alex Giordano assisted her. Betsy Gasoske is the Stage Manager, assisted by Annie Bayer. The team of Kent Coffell and Stephanie Merritt created the scenery to make the room where all the rehearsals take place. Kayla Dressman’s costume designs very cleverly and amusingly solved costume gender problems. Stu Strafinski designed lights, Steve Creamer the sound, Miriam Whatley the props and she also decorated the set and was the Production Manager.

Kirkwood Theatre Guild’s Into the Breeches is a lot of fun and offers some serious thought to chew on if you’d like.

—Bob Wilcox

Photo by Dan Donovan Photography
From left to right: Kara Grossmann as Maggie Dalton, Atiera “Tarrah” Currie as Ida Green, and Ken Lopinot as Stuart Lasker in Into the Breeches.