ActorsNET finishes its 26th season with a 1960s sitcom reboot of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” by William Shakespeare, a bright and breezy comedy of sexual jealousy and overbearing egos set against a landscape of summer resort leisure and the “dirty dancing” music trend.
The play follows Shakespeare’s well-known old scoundrel, John “Sinjin” Falstaff (played by Rupert Hinton), who has become a nightclub entertainer, headlining at the Garter Restaurant in the Windsor Resort.
Down on his luck, Falstaff schemes to seduce the titular merry wives, Mrs. Alice Ford (Cat Miller) and Mrs. Margaret Page (Shelli Pentimall Bookler), in an attempt to restore his fortunes. He sends them identical love letters, but his double-dealing ruse is discovered, and the two ladies are determined to teach him a lesson … or two … or three.
Meanwhile, the irrationally jealous Frank Ford (Joseph Torsella) has heard of Falstaff’s plan and decides to test his wife’s fidelity with some help from George Page (Greg Davis) and other Windsor Resort guests. In a subplot of young love, the Pages’ daughter, Anne “Goodbody” Page (Sarah Jane Zawodniak), is pursued by three suitors – Abraham Slender (Tyler Eisenacher), Doctor Caius (George Agalias), and young Fenton (Thomas Wick) – each of whom is paying the doctor’s receptionist, Nell Quickly (Lorie Baldwin), to push their cause.
There is much mayhem, dodgy disguises, misdirected letters, a “duel” and a midnight denouement, before the tangle is unraveled, the men-behaving-badly get their comeuppance, and the good prevails.
“Our cast and crew really brought this 1602 comedy into the 1960s,” said the producer, Karolina Matyka.
The Merry Wives of Windsor is directed by George Hartpence with Carol Thompson as assistant director. Theresa Vassallo stage manages with assistance of Barry Leonard.
The Merry Wives of Windsor runs from June 9 to 25 at the Heritage Center Theatre, 635 N. Delmorr Ave., Morrisville – near the Calhoun Street Bridge. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m.
For tickets and information, visit www.actorsnetbucks.org.
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