“The Winter’s Tale”, directed by Naomi Stephenson ’26, was a wonderful mix of drama and comedy, with the first half of the show taking place in the early 1950s, and the second half set in the ’60s. Stephenson did an incredible job of showing the differences in time and featured costume design by Elizabeth Retakh ’28 and set design by Dalya Lessem Elnecave ’28 and Tessa Srebnik ’29. The costume design also helped clarify the character changes, as most of the actors played multiple roles. 

The show opens with Bexie Lubitz ’29 and Elijah Operhall ’28, as Arcidamus and Camillo, respectively, speaking on the radio. They brought a wonderful energy to the first scene, setting the stage for the rest of the show. A particularly notable directing choice was when the following scene transition contained music that appeared to come from the radio playing in the next scene, where Leontes, played by Laurel Kane ’26, is silently singing along, and Polixenes, played by Zyley Bender ’27, turns the radio off at the start of the scene. Kane and Bender exhibit a strong dynamic, feeding off each other’s energy throughout the show. When Hannah Shapiro ’28 joins the scene as Hermione, the energy only grows. Shapiro played an incredible Hermione, exhibiting incredible displays of emotion. 

I can’t mention showcasing emotions without pointing out Kane’s incredible acting. Her dynamics were incredible, playing with volume, facial expressions and body language. During an intense monologue, her character was yelling and falling over on herself, demonstrating the true anger that Leontes felt while believing that his wife was having an affair. Kane continued her passionate portrayal of Leontes throughout the rest of the production, truly convincing the audience of Leontes’ emotions and reactions, immersing viewers into the plot of the play. Her stage presence made her impossible to miss, even when she was in the background of a scene. 

Bender also displayed a variety of incredible dynamics. Bender played Polixenes and Antigonus in such different ways, clearly showing which character she was playing, although the costume differences most definitely assisted with that. Her most comedic moment, the famous “exit pursued by a bear,” was done incredibly well, with clear facial expressions and body language, despite not having a bear on stage. Any audience member could tell what was occurring, especially those of us familiar with this famous stage direction. Overall, Bender did an exceptional job with both of her roles, and every time she was on stage, she showcased her chemistry with the other actors. Her chemistry with Operhall throughout their different roles and dynamics was also a treat to watch. Operhall's use of an English accent brought comedy to his role as Cleomenes, and I especially enjoyed his entrance as said character. 

Shapiro was another incredible actress in this production. She played a passionate Hermione that paired extremely well with Kane’s Leontes. Her insistence that she did not have an affair and her energy on the stage, truly let the audience see into Hermione’s thoughts and motivations. Her portrayal of the Old Shepherd was very well done, and her dynamic with Avi Rosen ’26 as Young Shepherd was such a joy to watch. It was truly wonderful to see her portrayal of these two characters. 

Rosen played a jailer and a steward in the first act, and played them very seriously — an incredibly sharp contrast to his beatnik portrayal of the Young Shepherd, first seen entering the audience from the side aisle, smoking a joint. His humor shone throughout his acting, and it was a truly enjoyable portrayal to watch. His dynamic with Dorcas, played by Maya Gonta '28, and Mopsa, played by Ellen Richards ’27, during the second act was hilarious to watch. 

Gonta played the roles of Paulina, Dorcas and Time and intently separated each role through physicality and tone. Her fiery Paulina was such a joy to watch, and I personally was drawn to her every time she was on the stage. Her interactions with Leontes were full of passion and intensity as she grew angry at his irrationality and did her best to defend Hermione. Her Dorcas, especially her dynamics with Young Shepherd and Mopsa, were comical, especially when Autolycus, played by Isabel Schumacher ’27, told a story of two women fighting for one man when attempting to sell records to the Young Shepherd, Dorcas and Mopsa. Gonta is a passionate and dynamic actress. 

Gabi Steagall ’29 played an absolutely incredible Mamillius and Perdita. She played Mamillius as an innocent and joyful young boy, excited to interact with those around him, hear stories and play with his toys. She had the audience laughing from her first entrance and truly brought joy into the first act. Mamillius’ crying out for his mother was truly heartbreaking and was done very well. In the second half, she played Perdita, Hermione’s other child. Although her parental figure in the second act was also played by Shapiro, Steagall incorporated a different energy. I must also mention how absolutely incredible her costume was. Her dynamic with Lubitz, who played Florizel in the second half, was sweet and brought so much energy into the second half of the show. Her interactions with her fellow actors throughout the show were wonderful to watch, especially as she moved through her various roles. 

The most energetic part of the second half, I must say, was the incorporation of the Hairy Men, played by John Henry Holcomb ’27, Lior Baker ’28, Phoenix Yuan ’26 and Yotam Ginsburg-Levin ’29. The choreography, designed by Stephenson, was hysterical and brought the audience to infectious laughter. Yuan’s lip-syncing and Holcomb, Baker, Yuan and Ginsburg-Levin’s interactions with the audience lead to a memorable moment that left the audience discussing it excitedly after the show. 

I’d also like to highlight the roles that Richards and Schumacher took on as both actors and assistant directors. They were both captivating to watch on stage, having chemistry with every single actor they interacted with and having such a wonderful stage presence. Richards’ facial expressions as Emilia in the first act were one of my favorite things to watch, and Schumacher’s role as Autolycus had me laughing in my seat. 

Finally, the technical aspects of the production may have been minimal in some ways, but they perfectly complemented the directing and acting within the production. The costumes, again, were wonderfully done, helping show the energy of each character. The minimalist set was stunning, and the reveal in the second act not only helped the audience understand the setting but was also beautiful. The lighting, designed by Lessem Elnecave and operated by Ian Chen ’27, and the sound, planned and operated by Eva “Ev” Levine ’28, were nicely integrated and did not take away from the performance. The props, done by Schumacher and Ceil Shandell ’26, who was also the stage manager for the show, enhanced every scene. Overall, the production was wonderfully directed, stage-managed, technically done and acted, and I truly had a wonderful time seeing this show.