SHOWS

swashbuckling novel by Catherine Bush, had its run at Orlando Shakes cut short this spring when the coronavirus pandemic led to the closure of theaters. The romance-comedy-adventure stars New York actor Benjamin Bonenfant as heroic D’Artagnan, with wellknown and acclaimed local actors including Philip Nolen, Timothy Williams, Brandon Roberts and Anne Hering in supporting roles.

“Gertrude and Claudius,” a prequel to Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” was commissioned by the theater and written by Mark St. Germain. The drama, which stars Gene Gillette and Paige Lindsey White as the power couple who become the villains of “Hamlet,” premiered in Orlando in 2019.

The videos won’t be full of flashy filmmaking techniques, something that briefly gave Orlando Shakes managing director Douglas Love-Ramos pause.

“As a society we’ve become very sophisticated in our expectations” of recorded shows, he said in a recent interview. “This is a different kind of visual experience.”

The plays were recorded using an uninterrupted steady shot from a fixed camera — without closeups or varying angles — in the manner a person seated at the Lowndes Shakespeare Center would experience a production.

But Love-Ramos sensed a hunger for theater.

“We were so overwhelmed by the community’s support for the United Arts Campaign for the Arts,” Love-Ramos said. “It sent a clear message that our community won’t let the arts go silent.”

Orlando Shakes far exceeded its fundraising goal during the spring campaign — but did not want to use that money for this project.

“We are over the moon with the numbers we did,” LoveRamos said. “But that money is for next season. We want to be well-situated to do a successful season next fall and be responsible stewards of the money raised through United Arts.”

Instead, money from the Payroll Protection Program will pay the performers who appear in the recordings.

“We love the idea of taking some of that PPP money and giving it back to artists,” LoveRamos said.

Tickets will be available for viewing the shows at OrlandoShakes.org.

“Streaming these two productions offers local patrons a chance to see shows they may have missed, and provides an exciting new opportunity for patrons anywhere in the world to enjoy them,” Helsinger said.

Pricing starts at $10, with $5 student tickets offered.

“This is not about making money for us,” Love-Ramos said. “This is to employ artists and keep our porch light on.”