Three REP performers finally set foot onstage together By Aubrey Ainsworth
The REP Theatre has been creating memories with the people of 30A through the arts for 19 years. This intimate, professional theater has consistently entertained audiences while pushing boundaries yet staying true to its roots.
Inspiration comes in many forms for the staff and company of The REP. For three performers about to tackle the unimaginable, inspiration lies in the friendship that was born out of their deep love for The REP and the community. Kevin Boyle, Brook Stetler and Kyle Walter are three performers who have been longtime friends, each playing a pivotal role in The REP’s history. Yet until now, all three have never stepped foot onstage at the same time.
For three weeks in May, this comedic trio will put on their tights, rock their Elizabethan costumes, and share all of Shakespeare’s plays with REP audiences like never before. “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” brings together these three extraordinarily talented actors giving REP patrons a remarkable night at the theater. Performing all of Shakespeare’s 37 plays within a 90-minute show may sound next to impossible, but this trio embraces that challenge and is having the time of their lives while doing so. Their unbreakable bond transcends this fast-paced comedy into a one-of-a-kind production setting itself apart from anything like it.
Uniting these three men for this incredible production makes for an exceptional time at The REP. All three of these performers have deep ties with the theater that brings such high-quality arts and culture to the area. To be such great friends and to get the opportunity to do a show like this is something truly unforgettable. Kevin Boyle agrees. “It’s great to be performing on The REP stage again,” he says. “It’s especially great this time around because I have the chance to work alongside Brook and Kyle. We’ve known each other for years. But this is the first time the three of us are in a play together. I think our energy offstage will translate to an awesome show; we might have more fun than the audience.”
Jumping from one of Shakespeare’s plays to the next requires rigorous rehearsal, incredible focus, and trust between all involved. If you were to peek through the REP doors during a rehearsal for this high-energy production, you would see props flying, sword fights, and side-splitting laughs had by all. With these three, infectious laughter, endless puns, and outlandish silliness fills the theater creating energy especially fitting for this play. Each actor brings his own style and comedy to the show, but it is their friendship on and off the stage that makes this production extraordinary.
The REP Theatre’s production of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” opens May 2 and runs through May 18 with performances at 7:30 pm. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased at lovetherep.com.