Meet the Players for Sherwood!
Pier One Theatre is premiering "Ken Ludwig's Sherwood: The Adventures of Robin Hood" this Friday the 12th in the woods behind the Pratt Museum & Park with 9 additional shows on the 13th, 14th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 25th, 26th, & 27th of August, all shows at 7:30pm. This theatrical adaptation of the immortal tale of good versus evil is packed with thrills, action, romance, and plenty of laughter as well as a talented group of players that we would now like to take the opportunity to introduce you to, along with the playwright and the director of the show!
Ken Ludwig - Playwright
Ken Ludwig has had six shows on Broadway, seven in London's West End, and many of his works have become a standard part of the American repertoire. His 28 plays and musicals have been performed in over 30 countries in more than 20 languages and are produced throughout the United States every night of the year.
Lend Me a Tenor won two Tony Awards and was called “one of the classic comedies of the 20th century by The Washington Post. Crazy For You was on Broadway for 5 years and won the Tony and Olivier Awards for Best Musical.
In addition, he has won the Edgar Award for Best Mystery of the Year, two Laurence Olivier Awards, two Helen Hayes Awards, and the Edwin Forrest Award for Contributions to the American Theater. His plays have starred, among others, Alec Baldwin, Carol Burnett, Tony Shaloub, Joan Collins and Hal Holbrook.
His stage version of Murder on the Orient Express was written expressly at the request of the Agatha Christie Estate, and his latest play, Dear Jack, Dear Louise, won the 2020 Charles MacArthur Award for Best New Play of the Year and is optioned for Broadway.
His book How To Teach Your Children Shakespeare, published by Penguin Random House, won the Falstaff Award for Best Shakespeare Book of the Year, and his essays are published in the Yale Review.
He is a graduate of Harvard and Cambridge and is a frequent guest speaker for groups as varied as The Oxford-Cambridge Society, The Jane Austen Society of North America, The Folger Shakespeare Library, and The Baker Street Irregulars.
For more information, see his website at www.kenludwig.com
Val Sheppard - Director
Directing a show is hard work and while it’s been some time since my last effort (and I’ve been shaking off the ring rust with each day of the process) there’s still nowhere I’d rather be than working with this motley band of merry fellows who have helped bring this immortal tale of good triumphing over evil to life. I’m proud of them beyond words, and I hope you enjoy the show!
Liam James - Robin Hood
Hello! My name is Liam James AKA Robin of Locksley or the scoundrel Robin Hood, I'm 18 and I've lived in Homer my entire life. I've been immersed in the world of theatre for quite a while...I can almost still remember my first Pier One show "Little Orphan Annie" back in 2012!...my god was that 10 years ago? Since then I've continued to follow the performing arts in and out of school, through theatre, choir, and dance. I was so happy to find out about this show, as it will be my last performance to the community of Homer before I travel to Victoria, British Columbia for school. I would like to thank the golden icons of Homer's acting circle who've taught me The ways of the theatre kid (insert dramatic music) A very big thank you to Val Sheppard for this wonderful opportunity to say farewell! I'll see you all in a bit, Peace out!
Katia Holmes - Maid Marian
The deeply-dappled greenwood of the Pratt Museum forest has a very special place in Katia Holmes’ heart. She has treasured every rehearsal of Sherwood, especially the shared giggles of her cast members at the mention of a certain regent with an ill fate. She would like to thank Val, Liam, her parents, and her extended Sherwood family. She will return to NYC this fall to complete her BFA in Theatre at NYU Tisch.
Ken Landfield - Friar Tuck
This is the third Ken Ludwig play I’ve had the privilege of being associated with (the other two were Lend Me a Tenor and Moon Over Buffalo). It’s such a treat to hang out here in Sherwood Forest with this band of outlaws, friends, and outcasts; I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! Thanks for coming!
Drew Turner - Little John
Drew has returned to the theatre stage after a 12-year hiatus during which he read a lot of books, gratefully grew through a variety of catalytic heartbreaks, and learned some how he'd like to be. While he has idle material ambitions, his true goal is to be a healing force in the lives of those he encounters by removing all his inner blocks to love. He hopes you enjoy this classic story of righteous youth and to never forget that anyone can change the world.
Indigo Sonneborn - Deorwynn
Indigo is an artist, student at UAF, and aspiring political environmentalist. Her hobbies include but are not limited to: multifaceted artistic endeavors, auto mechanics, and pretending she knows how to act. Indigo’s acting experience has consisted almost exclusively of Pier One productions. She has little intention of branching out much into the world of theatre, though it is an entertaining way to spend one’s summer.
Jesse D. Bolt - Sir Guy of Gisbourne
I was born and raised in homer. In high school I had the privilege of attending the old high school technical theater class as well as working tech at Pier One Theater in the summer, and tried to make that a career. Now I am in change of the very theater where I learned so much; getting paid to do what I did for fun in high school, as I like to say. I have only had a few acting roles but it has been great so far.
Tom Custer - The Sheriff of Nottingham
There is a sense of returning, being here again in this magical stage tucked away in the woods. And a feeling of coming full circle. Last year working on Pride & Prejudice I was humbled by the community of my fellow players and the belonging I felt working together, attempting to make something fun and beautiful in a world that is not always fun or beautiful. I am grateful to all the wonderful people I’ve worked with this (at times challenging) theatrical season and to Pier One. Thank you.
Peter Norton - Prince John
There is no documentary evidence to indicate when Peter began playing in the woods, nor when he first performed in a play, but both occurred early in the second half of the twentieth century.” The twenty-first was more than 20% gone before he got the chance to combine the two. A common feature of some of the earlier of the former and the latest of the latter is Robin Hood. When asked which is more fun, he replies, “Yes, it certainly is!”
Carolyn Norton - Heloise, Alize, Much the Miller, Margery, Bajka, Jacques, Mateo, Forrester, Archer
Je m’appelle Carolyn. J’ai 40 ans. J’habite a Homer, Alaska, avec mon fils. Il s’appelle Gulliver. Il a 11 ans. Nous avons un chat. Elle s’appelle Frida Catlo. Elle a 2 ans. J’aime faire du théâtre avec ma famille, surtout mon père, Peter. J’aime aussi manger les framboises et faire des révolutions.
Brian Duffy - Midwife, Master Bladen, Simon, Father Goph, Etienne, Matthais, Forrester, Archer
Brian is pleased to be back in the woods! Previous go rounds include playing Malvolio in Twelfth Night. Performing Oberon of Midsummer Night's Dream and most recently Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice.
...in the woods, by the sea, in a theater, where e'er it may be, please enjoy live theater as often as you can...
...or at the very least sit back, stay warm, and enjoy our exuberant retelling of this classic heroic tale!
Michael Selle - Robert, Master Godwin, Roderick, Ansgot, Fawkes, Tankred, Gáspár, Diego, Maximillian, Forrester, Archer
Michael is excited to be a part of Pier One’s production of Sherwood. Growing up in the desolate expanse on the border of North Dakota and Minnesota, he started performing at a young age. The lead singer in a number of rock and roll bands, Michal moved to the “big city” of Minneapolis to pursue music. Combining his love of making music and art, he studied Film and Animation at Minneapolis College of Art and Design, and attended California College of the Arts in San Francisco, earning an MFA in Directing and Screenwriting. Now a working actor living in Los Angeles, recent credits include the lead in the feature film Skyman, and numerous television productions including Wild West Chronicles, Westworld, Homecoming, and Grey’s Anatomy. Michael continues to write and perform music and also studies improv at Upright Citizens Brigade in Los Angeles. He just finished a three week run as Karl in the play Escape From The Garden at Two Roads Theater in Studio City, CA. Michael wants to thank his fellow actors, and director Val Sheppard for helping him enter the theater scene in Homer.
Hope Stearns - Stage Manager/Deorwynn Understudy
This is the first time I’ve been on the stage in a while and it’s been a great experience. Everyone here have been incredibly fun to work with and I’m glad I got the opportunity to join in, even if it was late.
