'Henry IV'
Sir John Falstaff, played by Nicholas Brester, entertains the crowd at the Boar’s Head Tavern. Crowd includes, left to right, Prince Henry, played by Caitlyn Goeman, Bardolph, played by Nathan Mayhak, Mistress Quickly, played by Kenna Bemis, Sir Walter Blunt, played by Nathan Gironda, Peto, played by Ammon Hill and Waitress, played by Mayleen Hoover. (Courtesy photo)
King Henry IV, played by Aidan Fritz chastises Prince Henry, played by Caitlyn Goeman in Henry IV. (Courtesy photo)
The Wolfpack Theatre Co. at Glacier High School will present William Shakespeare’s historical work “Henry IV” at 6:33 p.m. on Nov. 16, 17 and 18 in the Wolfpack Theatre at Glacier High School.
Admission is $7 for adults and $5 for children, students and senior citizens. Tickets are available at the GHS Main Office, Photo Video Plus and, if still available, at the door.
Originally a two-part work, this staging of “Henry IV” combines Shakespeare’s original “Henry IV, Part One” and “Henry IV, Part Two” into a fast-paced, 90-minute production. “Henry IV” follows two main storylines. The first focuses on Henry IV and his strained relationship with his son, Prince Henry. The second follows a rebellion against King Henry by a disgruntled, yet powerful family, the Percys, over unpaid debts. The story continues as King Henry’s health fails and a second rebellion threatens the kingdom. Worrying about his legacy, Henry IV doubts that Prince Henry is a worthy heir as he sees the prince is more concerned with earthly pleasures than the responsibility of rule. As the king’s health continues to worsen, the prince must choose between his royal duty and the lure of loyalty to an old friend.
“‘Henry IV’ is about a young prince who is torn between the obligations he is destined to assume, and the disreputable friends with whom he has wasted his youth, one of whom is the fabulous Falstaff, one of Shakespeare’s best creations,” said director Marcy Maroney. “We were lucky enough to see a fabulous production of ‘Henry’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival this fall and it spurred us to do this very, very abbreviated version in our Wolfpack Theatre.”
In Shakespeare’s time, historical plays were extremely popular and were quite possibly the Elizabethan equivalent of the action-adventure film. The “Henry IV” plays are textbook examples full of crafty villains, havoc and mayhem. The complex characters not only tell the tale of the ebb and flow of history, but also offer an insight into the desires and schemes of the human psyche. With Prince Henry, Henry IV himself, the comic masterpiece of Falstaff and a host of unique characters, Shakespeare has generated a unique world that, once entered, cannot help but change the audience.
“I hope the audience enjoys this modernized production. In my version, I have tried to keep only the most important historical aspects while keeping plenty of the fun. This show contains some of Shakespeare’s most hilarious witty banter and clever insults,” said Maroney. “Casting this show was very interesting because all roles were open to every actor, male and female. In fact, Prince Henry and Hotspur are both played by talented young actresses.”
The acting company of “Henry IV” includes Aidan Fritz, Caitlyn Goeman, Nicholas Brester, Millie Espeseth, Dresden Allred, Kenna Bemis, Sierra Riley, Robert Hurly, Asher Robinson, Laney Wilson, Nathan Gironda, Ammon Hill, Nathan Mayhak, Isaac Schroeder, Emmett Van Allen, Joel Stewart, Jess Smith, Jaden Woeppel, Ashley Bruce, Mayleen Hoover and Avery Mele.
Behind the scenes Emma Trunkle, Jon Sorensen, Harrison Rennie, Jaden Woeppel, Kim Liles, Brooklyn Lamers, Drew Fitzgerald, Riker Foster and Lennox Niece make up the stage, lighting, music and sound crew.