Players reading Shakespeare this weekend: Lambertville man, 77, to make stage debut

At 77, J. Douglas Sparer has found a new interest: Theater.

The Lambertville retiree recently wrote a play that the Monroe Community Players plan to produce next year. Earlier this fall he auditioned for the Players’ “Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits,” a new original show. It will be staged at 7 p.m. Nov. 18 and 19 and at 2 p.m. Nov. 20 at the Players’ space at the Mall of Monroe. Doors open a half-hour before each performance. Tickets are $15 each. For tickets, visit https://www.monroecommunityplayers.org/.

“Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits” is a reader’s theater show that includes soliloquys and scenes from some of Shakespeare’s best-known works. Props, sets and acting are minimal. When the Players announced auditions for the show in October, director David P. Wahr encouraged even those who’ve never performed on stage to audition.

Two theater newbies answered the call: Sparer and Charlotte Paisley. Paisley also will appear in the Players’ upcoming production of “A Christmas Carol.”

Sparer was cast to read as Puck, a fairy and the narrator of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“A 77-year-old Puck does give me pause,” Sparer said. “I read Puck's speech at the end of ‘A Midsummer's Night's Dream,’ one of Petruchio's from ‘The Taming of the Shrew’ and Sonnet 116.”

Sparer is an avid fan of Shakespeare.

“I auditioned because this endeavor entails only reading Shakespeare speeches. Any other subject would not have garnered my energies,” he said. “Since I’m devoted to Shakespeare, I thought, why not?”

So far, Sparer is coasting through rehearsals, but he isn’t planning a return to the stage.

“There is little or no acting involved, so I am finding it easy. For the sake of the Players and the future of live theater, I will probably not take part as an actor in a future show,” he said.

Twelve other area residents also were cast in “Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits”: Bill McCloskey, Mark Thornton, Norb Nowak, Brian Burchette-Ross, Jeff Brian, J. Edward Pasko, Carol Sliwka, Mary Barnas, Kathleen McBee, Caitlin Blanchard, Charlotte Paisley and Laura A. Tibai.

“Their experience ranges from some of our most experienced actors to people who have never been on stage before,” director Wahr said.

The show will run about two hours and have a brief intermission. “Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits” is new for the Players.

“This show is original and consists of excerpts from what we consider to be Shakespeare’s greatest plays. It includes scenes and soliloquies from ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ ‘Henry IV Part I,’ ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ ‘Julius Caesar,’ ‘The Taming of the Shrew,’ ‘Othello,’ ‘The Merchant of Venice,’ ‘Richard III,’ ‘Macbeth’ and, of course, ‘Hamlet.’ We will also read some sonnets selected by the audience,” Wahr said.

The performance is geared to all, even those new to Shakespeare.

“This show should be a great introduction to Shakespeare’s works. Since we are presenting the works in readers theater style, where costumes, props and even movement are kept to a bare minimum, members of the audience will have the opportunity to really focus on the words and the beauty of the language Shakespeare used. We will hopefully give just enough of a taste to whet the audiences’ appetite for more,” Wahr said.

This weekend’s performances also will include an encore reading of “Upon the Heath,” an original play Wahr wrote 13 years ago. “Upon the Heath” took Players to the Region III AACTFest in 2009.

“It was last presented at Boxfest Detroit in 2010. Boxfest is a festival of one-act plays all directed by women,” Wahr said.

“Upon the Heath” stars Shakespeare’s tragic heroines, including Lady Macbeth, Juliet, Desdemona and Ophelia. The women assemble on the heath and compare thoughts on love and relationships.

Players also is planning “A Christmas Carol” Dec. 9-11 and Sparer’s play, “Always,” early next year.

“Always” is a play in five acts that stars narrator Aaron.

“Aaron recounts the reality, his dreams and his speculations about the brief affair with Joan that changed his life 32 years earlier. ‘Always’ examines the bond between Aaron and Joan that stretches to death, and slightly beyond, even though they met only six times while in their 20s. ‘Always’ began as a short story, but it kept screaming ‘play,” Sparer said.

The new playwright considers “Always” his first script.

“My other scarce attempts at playwriting deservedly dwell in oblivion,” Sparer said.

For a sample of “Always,” email Sparer at jdsparer@bex.net.

This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Monroe Community Players present 'Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits'