Author: mistressq

Welcome to Shakespeare Youth Festival LA  2026

We are delighted to present to you Comedy of Errors! Our cast of young performers, ages 10–13, has jumped wholeheartedly into Shakespeare’s tale of mistaken identity, mishaps and mayhem. For many of our young actors, this is their first time performing on our stage, and it’s been a joy to watch them grow into a true ensemble. We’re so proud of their creativity and teamwork, and we’re thrilled to share their hard work and fun with you tonight!
Our Players are taking on the challenge of bringing this story to life. What can you do to support them? As you might have guessed by the title, this is a comedy – and our Players love laughter! And, of course, while you’re in the performance space, please silence your phones and give our young artists your full attention.
Enjoy the show!!

Dramatis Personae (in order of appearance)

Duke Solinus of Ephesus … Charlie Casriel, 13

Ægeon of Syracuse … Maribelle M. Martin, 12

The Gaoler … Friar Lawrence, ageless

Merchant Antonio … Ela Horvitz, 10 

Antipholus of Syracus … Liam Risinger, 12

Dromio of Syracuse … Max Havlena Barr, 11

Dromio of Ephesus … Hero Havlena Barr, 11 

Adriana, wife to Antipholus Ephesus … Fiona Cimini-Cleary, 13

Luciana, her sister … Keziah Hunja, 11

Antipholus of Ephesus … Harrison Washburn, 12

Merchant Balthazar … Paul Henry Magaña, 12

Merchant Angelo, a Goldsmith … Isley Lehman, 11 

Merchant Cornelius Princess … Haizel Magaña, 13

The Courtesan … Ela Horvitz, 11

Doctor Pinch … Paul Henry Magaña, 12

The Pinchettes … Isley Lehman, 11 & Princess Haizel Magaña, 13

The Officer … Maribelle M. Martin, 12

Æmelia, an Abbess … Gloria Jade Ramirez, 13

The Servant … Paul Henry Magaña, 12

Synopsis

We open on the trial of Egeon of Syracuse. Duke Solinus decreed that Syracusians are banned from Ephesus, so Egeon has been detained. Egeon explains how he is searching for his lost twin sons and their twin servants. Twenty three years before, After losing his wife and one of their sons (along with the boy’s servant) in a storm at sea, Egeon had brought up the other boy and his servant. At eighteen, they had gone in search of their lost brothers. After no word from them, Egeon is seeking them. Solinus gives Egeon until sunset to try to raise 1,000 marks as a ransom or else he must die.

In a nearby marketplace, a merchant befriended two tourists: Antipholus of Syracuse (Egeon’s son) and his servant, Dromio. Unknown to them, their twin brothers (with identical names) have been living there after being saved from the storm by fishermen. 

Antipholus of Syracuse is surprised to be accosted by Dromio of Ephesus, who scolds him for not returning home to his wife, Adriana, for dinner. The likeness of the two sets of twins leads to a series of confusions. Antipholus of Syracuse dines with his sister-in-law and falls in love with her sister, Luciana. His servant, Dromio of Syracuse, refuses to open the door to anyone, even Antipholus of Ephesus and his merchant friends. This enrages Antipholus of Ephesus and leads him to dine with his friend, the courtesan.

Angelo, the Goldsmith, delivers a chain that Antipholus of Ephesus had ordered … to Antipholus of Syracuse. This leads to the arrest of the Ephesian twins, who refused to pay for a chain that they did not receive. Adriana, fearing for her husband’s sanity, hires Dr Pinch to exorcise him and Dromio. While they are under restraint, their Syracusian brothers cause panic when the people think that the Ephesian brothers have sescaped. The Syracusian brothers, also frightened, take refuge in an abbey. Adriana insists that the Abbess hand over her husband, but the Abbess is having none of it!

The Duke returns to execute Ægeon, but Adriana interrupts to appeals for aid for her husband. The Ephesian twins escape their bonds and arrive to claim justice. Ægeon recognises them, or so he thinks, as the boys he brought up. Solinus, the Duke, sends for the Abbess, who appears with the Syracusian twins. She further amazes everyone by recognising Ægeon and revealing herself as Æmilia, his long-lost wife. She had entered a religious order after surviving the storm and fearing that all her family had died. The Duke pardons Ægeon, everyone goes to celebrate with Æmilia, and the two Dromios joyfully leave the stage hand in hand.

Our Production Team

Director … Julia Walker Wyson

Assistant Director … Alessandra Mañon
Assistant Director … Anja Racić

Fight Consultant … Kila Packett 

Artistic Associate … Julia Eschenasy
Mentor … Hirshl Hickman
Mentor … Arrow Hudson
Mentor … Katya Pontell

Technical Director … Pastiche Queen

Special Thanks to

Our incredible parents for all of their support during this odyssey – driving, donating meals and snacks, running lines, and so much more.

Kirsten Hudson, for all the many ways you have supported SYF throughout the season, and over the years.

Zeke and the staff of the Hudson Theatres – we feel so welcome in this space, and we deeply appreciate all your generous support!

Welcome to Shakespeare Youth Festival LA  2026

This season, we took on an exciting challenge. Our company of sixteen actors became a mini-repertory ensemble, tackling two plays – Romeo & Juliet and Cymbeline. Each actor appears in both productions, taking a more substantial role in one and a supporting role in the other. By doing so, we not only gave all of our actors the challenge they crave, but also enhanced the stories we’re telling through their shared experiences across the Dramatis Personae.

The common themes between these two plays are numerous! In both, young lovers are torn apart by disapproving parents and mismatched social status or family feuds. In both, their separation is deepened by false reports (what we now might call “fake news.”) In both, our heroine faces the prospect of being married off to someone she doesn’t love. And, improbably enough, in both, she takes a potion that makes her appear dead for a time! Was that really a thing back in the Renaissance?!?

If you haven’t already, we hope you’ll consider seeing both shows! If this were an English class, we might assign a compare-and-contrast essay—but we’ll let you off the hook.

Our players are taking on the challenge of bringing these stories to life. What can you do to support them? One of the things we love most about Cymbeline is its blend of comedy and tragedy, so please feel free to laugh if you’re moved to do so! And, of course, while you’re in the performance space, please silence your phones and give our young artists your full attention.

Enjoy the show!

Dramatis Personae (in order of appearance)

The Gossips Veronica Sefrioui
Hannah Gumpert

The Queen Ondine Taylor

Posthumus, Alexander Gumpert

Imogen, daughter to the King Talula Worth

Cymbeline, the King Dash Kirkley

Pisania Pia inchaurregui

Cloten Atlas Taylor

His Lords Hannah Gumpert
Katya Pontell

Iachimo Kairo Pontell

Helen, a lady-in-waiting Arrow Hudson

Philario David Landaverde-Chavez

Frenchman Veronica Sefrioui

Cornelius, a doctor Hirshl Hickman

Lucius, envoy from Rome Patrick Magaña

Belarius Magnolia Hart Wallace

Guiderius Veronica Sefrioui

Arviragus Katya Pontell

The Gaolers Kairo Pontell
Hirshl Hickman

Synopsis

King Cymbeline of Britain rules under Rome’s protection. When he learns that his daughter, Imogen, has secretly married his low-born ward, Posthumus Leonatus, he banishes him in fury. Before parting, the couple exchange a bracelet and ring as pledges of love.

In Italy, Posthumus boasts of Imogen’s faithfulness. Scheming Iachimo wagers he can seduce her to prove otherwise. Visiting Britain, he gains Imogen’s trust, persuades her to guard his chest overnight, and hides inside. Emerging while she sleeps, he steals her bracelet and notes intimate details to convince Posthumus of her betrayal. Enraged, Posthumus orders his servant Pisania to kill Imogen.

Pisania, loyal to her mistress, helps Imogen flee disguised as a boy named Fidele. Meanwhile, her foolish stepbrother Cloten, rejected by Imogen, pursues her to Wales wearing Posthumus’s clothes. There, two young hunters—Polydore and Cadwal—live with their father, Morgan. They befriend Fidele, but when Cloten arrogantly challenges them, they kill and behead him. Imogen, having taken what she believes is medicine (a sleeping draught prepared by the Queen’s wary doctor), collapses. The hunters, mourning Fidele, place Cloten’s body beside her.

Awakening beside the headless corpse, Imogen believes Posthumus is dead. Roman general Caius Lucius arrives, and disguised Imogen serves him as his page. War erupts after Cymbeline refuses Rome’s tribute. Posthumus, remorseful, fights bravely for Britain, then disguises himself again to be captured with the defeated Romans.

In prison, Posthumus longs for death, while back at court, the Queen dies confessing her plots. When Cymbeline sentences the Romans, “Fidele” pleads for mercy. Iachimo’s confession about Imogen’s ring triggers a cascade of revelations: Posthumus and Imogen recognize each other, and the hunters are revealed as Cymbeline’s lost sons, stolen years before by Morgan—actually Belarius, a banished noble. Reunited with his children & reconciled with Rome, Cymbeline forgives his enemies and restores peace.

Would you like me to make the shortened version sound more formal and academic, or keep it in this clear narrative tone?

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Our Production Team

Director … Julia Walker Wyson

Assistant Directors
Alessandra Mañon
Kila Packett
Anja Racić
Esdras Touissaint

Fight Choreography … Kila Packett & Esdras Toussaint

Dramaturg … Margot Waldman

Artistic Associate … Julia Eschenasy

Technical Director … Pastiche Queen

Special Thanks to

Our incredible parents for all of their support during this odyssey – driving, donating meals and snacks, running lines, and so much more.  

Julie Gumpert for coordinating cast meals during our busy Tech schedule.

Zeke and the staff of the Hudson Theatres – we feel so welcome in this space, and we deeply appreciate all your generous support!

Our seniors, Talula Worth, Hirshl Hickman, and Magnolia Hart Wallace! Talula and Hirshl, we thank you for sharing your gifts with us over the years, and Magnolia, we are delighted that you joined our troupe this year! We wish you all the very best in your next act!

Welcome to Shakespeare Youth Festival LA  2026

This season, we took on an exciting challenge. Our company of sixteen actors became a mini-repertory ensemble, tackling two plays – Romeo & Juliet and Cymbeline. Each actor appears in both productions, taking a more substantial role in one and a supporting role in the other. By doing so, we not only gave all of our actors the challenge they crave, but also enhanced the stories we’re telling through their shared experiences across the Dramatis Personae.

The common themes between these two plays are numerous! In both, young lovers are torn apart by disapproving parents and mismatched social status or family feuds. In both, their separation is deepened by false reports (what we now might call “fake news.”) In both, our heroine faces the prospect of being married off to someone she doesn’t love. And, improbably enough, in both, she takes a potion that makes her appear dead for a time! Was that really a thing back in the Renaissance?!?

If you haven’t already, we hope you’ll consider seeing both shows! If this were an English class, we might assign a compare-and-contrast essay—but we’ll let you off the hook.

Our players are taking on the challenge of bringing these stories to life. What can you do to support them? They say that Romeo and Juliet is a comedy … until it’s not, so please feel free to laugh if you’re moved to do so! And, of course, while you’re in the performance space, please silence your phones and give our young artists your full attention.

Enjoy the show!

Dramatis Personae (in order of appearance)

Sampson, a Capulet supporter … Kairo Pontell

Gregory, his sidekick … Veronica Sefrioui

Abraham, a Montague supporter … Talula Worth

Benvolio, friend of Romeo … Katya Pontell

Tybalt, nephew of Lady Capulet … Patrick Magaña

Lord Capulet, Juliet’s father … Hannah Gumpert

Lady Capulet, Juliet’s mother … Zoe O’Brien

Montague, Romeo’s father … Ondine Taylor

Lady Montague, Romeo’s mother … Pia Inchaurregui

Escalus, ruler of Verona … Magnolia Hart Wallace

Romeo, a Montague … David Landaverde-Chavez

Paris, suitor of Juliet … Alexander Gumpert

Juliet, a Capulet … Arrow Hudson

Nurse, Juliet’s confidante … Ondine Taylor

Peter, a Capulet servant … Atlas Taylor

Servingmen … Magnolia Hart Wallace & Hirshl Hickman

Mercutio, friend to Romeo … Dash Kirkley

Friar Laurence, a priest … Hirshl Hickman

Apothecary, a druggist … Magnolia Hart Wallace

Friar John, another priest … Atlas Taylor

Synopsis

Our story opens with the Chorus introducing the feuding Capulet and Montague families of Verona, locked in bitter political conflict. A street brawl between their supporters ends when Escalus intervenes and warns that further violence will lead to banishment. Soon after, Lord Capulet plans a feast to introduce his daughter, Juliet, to Paris, a young nobleman who wishes to marry her. Romeo, a Montague, attends the feast in disguise with his friends Benvolio and Mercutio, hoping to see his former love, Rosaline. Instead, he meets Juliet, and the two fall in love, though they belong to rival families. Juliet’s fiery cousin Tybalt recognizes them, forcing the Montague boys to flee.

That night, Romeo secretly returns to the Capulet garden, where he and Juliet confess their love and vow to marry. With the help of Friar Laurence and Juliet’s Nurse, they secretly wed the next day in the Friar’s cell. Soon after, Tybalt challenges Romeo for intruding at the feast. Romeo refuses to fight, but Mercutio takes up the duel and is fatally wounded. Enraged, Romeo kills Tybalt and is banished.

Heartbroken, Juliet learns of Tybalt’s death and Romeo’s exile, but love overcomes her grief. The Nurse arranges for Romeo to spend one last night with her before he departs for Mantua. Meanwhile, Lord Capulet, believing Juliet still mourns Tybalt, hastens her marriage to Paris. Desperate, Juliet turns to Friar Laurence, who gives her a potion that makes her appear dead for 42 hours. The Friar plans to inform Romeo so he can rescue her when she wakes.

The message never reaches Romeo due to a quarantine. Hearing only that Juliet is dead, Romeo buys poison in Mantua and returns to Verona. At the Capulet tomb, he kills mourning Paris, drinks the poison, and dies beside Juliet. When she awakens and finds him dead, she stabs herself. The grieving families arrive with Escalus and the Friar, who reveals the truth. Capulet and Montague finally reconcile, and vow to honor their children with a memorial.

Our Production Team

Director … Julia Walker Wyson

Assistant Directors
Alessandra Mañon
Kila Packett
Anja Racić
Esdras Touissaint

Fight Choreography … Kila Packett & Esdras Toussaint

Dramaturg … Margot Waldman

Artistic Associate … Julia Eschenasy

Technical Director … Pastiche Queen

Special Thanks to

Our incredible parents for all of their support during this odyssey – driving, donating meals and snacks, running lines, and so much more.  

Julie Gumpert for coordinating cast meals during our busy Tech schedule.

Zeke and the staff of the Hudson Theatres – we feel so welcome in this space, and we deeply appreciate all your generous support!

Our seniors, Talula Worth, Hirshl Hickman, and Magnolia Hart Wallace! Talula and Hirshl, we thank you for sharing your gifts with us over the years, and Magnolia, we are delighted that you joined our troupe this year! We wish you all the very best in your next act!

As You Like It is one of Shakespeare’s most produced plays. Written circa 1599, it was one of the first plays performed at the original Globe Theater in London. As the introspective Jacques quotes, “All the world’s a stage,” Elizabethan audiences would have imagined the floor boards as a playground with the power to transport actors to any land or time. Our production has a bit of old world eloquence and contemporary nuance. Shakespeare was well versed in gender-bending characters, and this is one of the main plot devices.  As the head strong heroine, Rosalind, captures our attention with intelligent speeches (the most lines of any female role in Shakepeare’s canon), courageous wit, and sarcastic humor, it becomes clear that she invites us into a world where shape shifting is key to survival. She may not seem like someone who falls in love at first sight, but we are delighted to accompany her journey in order to get what she wants and on her own terms.  With a cast of motley players, As You Like It remains a favorite of Shakepeare’s pastoral comedies. Equipped with clever disguises, budding romances, and dramatic twists, there is no doubt current day sitcoms have been influenced by this entertaining literary gem. 

Thank you for supporting live theater and our young players. 

Kila Packett and Esdras Toussaint

Our Players are taking on the challenge of telling this story. What can you do to support them? While you are in the performance space, please keep your phone off and give them your full attention. But before you turn your phone off, we encourage you click here to read a synopsis of the story.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE (in order of appearance)

Orlando … Celeste Berzer, 12
Adam, his old servant … Cassia Dillard, 10
Oliver, Orlando’s brother … Teddy Lukas, 13
Charles the Wrestler … Anchor Dillard, 8
Celia … Maribelle Martin, 11
Rosalind, her cousin … LydiaJane Dillard, 12
Touchstone, the court clown … Cassia Dillard, 10
Le Beau, the court gossip … Ela Horvitz, 10 
Duke Frederick, Celia’s father … Harrison Washburn, 11
Duke Senior, banished … Ace Rosenthal
Corin, a shepherd … Teddy Lukas, 13
Silvius, his son … Anchor Dillard, 8
Amiens, a musician … Arrow Hudson, 13
Jaques, a melancholy lord … Harrison Washburn, 11
Audrey, a goatherd … Ela Horvitz, 10
Phebe, a shepherdess … Arrow Hudson, 13
William, in love with Audrey … Teddy Lukas, 13

As You Like It Production Team

Kila Pickett … Director

Esdras Toussaint … Director

Sasha Santa Cruz … Stage Manager/Technical Director

Zoë O’Brien … Artistic Associate

Julia Walker Wyson … Artistic Director

Special Thanks to

Our parents, for their invaluable support to our Players

Marisa Miller, Valerie Washburn & Christina Dillard for keeping our cast fed during Tech rehearsals

Zeke and the staff of the Hudson Theatres – we feel so welcome in this space, and we deeply appreciate all your generous support!

Shakespeare Youth Festival

Julia Walker Wyson, Artistic Director
J. Bailey Burcham, Executive Director