T H E AT E R
BY WILLIAM KENNEDY
Newcomer’s production — which he says will be “kind
of pared down” and “pretty simple” — employs a periak-
tos, a three-sided staging device used in ancient Greek the-
ater to rapidly change scenes. And popular classical pieces
will be performed on flute and piano for what Newcomer
describes as “segues, interludes” and “little pieces here and
there.”
And just in case a late-summer heat wave hits, Bard on
the Butte has made arrangements for shade.
“I was up there in March and thought this place is per-
BARD ON
THE BUTTE
Magic things happen when a Texan
hikes Skinner’s Butte
I
t’s such a good idea. Why didn’t someone think of it
sooner?
“I was out one day moseying around on Skinner’s
Butte,” Robert Newcomer says. “I thought, ‘Wow, this
is fairyland up here.’”
Newcomer, a native Texan and theater arts educa-
tor who relocated to Eugene four years ago, is directing
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the inaugu-
ral production of Bard on the Butte.
Bard on the Butte is a new theater troupe of sorts, work-
ing in collaboration with Fools Haven Acting Company, a
resident theater company at Springfield’s Wildish Theater.
“I moseyed down to the people at the Public Works,”
Newcomer says of the Eugene city department, “and asked
them what the deal is about getting a park for a play and
they said, ‘Oh, sure!’”
One of Shakespeare’s most popular and enduring
works, A Midsummer Night’s Dream tells the story of en-
chanted love in a fairytale kingdom. Newcomer says the
butte’s natural beauty is an ideal setting for his production,
which he describes as timeless.
“Eugene is one of the most beautiful natural wonders
I’ve ever seen,” Newcomer says. “Being outside and in
nature, especially for this play in particular, it’s very har-
monious for sure.”
fect,” Newcomer recalls, “and then I came back in June
and it’s scalding hot Texas-wedding weather. I thought,
‘Oh dear what are we going to do?’”
Well, Newcomer answers, “we’re going to have this big
huge shade tent area up on top of the butte for everyone.”
He suggests audiences bring blankets or camping chairs
and, rest assured, Newcomer says, there will also be a Port-
a-Potty.
Bard on the Butte Presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream on top of
Skinner’s Butte 6 pm Thursday through Saturday, Aug. 25-28 and Sept.
1-3, as well as 9 pm Sept. 4; FREE.
PHOTO BY CORRIDA WELDING
RICHARD LEEBRICK
AND PENTA SWANSON
IN A MIDSUMMER
NIGHT’S DREAM
Oregon
A Three Week Pop-up Laboratory
dedicated to creators of new theater,
Performance dance and music in the heart of Oregon
Lab
Rain and Zoe
August 27
Save the World
By Crystal Skillman
A darkly comedic coming of age fairy tale, RAIN AND ZOE
SAVE THE WORLD is a race to regain the possibility of
change in a world whose days are numbered without it.
BEER
By Nick Leavens
Directed by Wilson Milam
A Concert of Songs
from the musical
LUNA PARK
Music by Hyeyoung Kim
Lyrics by Michael Cooper
Book by Daniel F. Levin
Sept 2
Sept 11
matinee
Admission: $12
www.oregonperformancelab.com
www.brownpapertickets.com
Ragozzino Performance Hall Lane Community College
eugeneweekly.com • A ugust 25, 2016
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