Continued from Page 4
will be Hammitt-McDonald’s third. “It’s
really cool to have the contrast between a
couple of traditional Elizabethan-dressed
characters and some more otherworldly
characters,” Hammitt-McDonald said.
Hammitt-McDonald and her husband,
Seth Goldstein, will also present a demon-
stration of Japanese sword fi ghting to
accompany “The Keeper,” a song from the
Elizabethan era. For the couple, Shake-
speare’s appeal has persisted over decades
because of how well his characters and sit-
uations were constructed.
“It’s so clear what people’s emotions
are and what they’re dealing with,” Gold-
stein said. Hammitt-McDonald echoed this
sentiment. “You could tell (Shakespeare)
loved human beings, even at their most
obnoxious and annoying, and that is uni-
versal and timeless,” she said, “you can see
characters in his plays who are like people
today.”
No f ear Shakespeare
One of the fi rst steps in presenting
Shakespeare’s work to a modern audi-
ence is to help them get comfortable with
its unfamiliar language. That’s what the
Coaster Theatre seeks to accomplish with
the casual nature of the summer Shake-
speare program.
“One of the gifts this play brings to the
community is helping (audiences) with
the fear factor, ” Hammitt-McDonald said.
“You realize, ‘oh, wow, if I can kind of
penetrate past these unfamiliar words, I can
see these are feelings and situations human
beings have always dealt with,’” she added.
Leonard Hoge, 14, agreed. “It’s really
enjoyable,” Hoge added. He also appre-
ciates being part of an opportunity for the
public to gather for entertainment. “It’s
always a fun time to see the community
come out and come together in the park to
see a live production,” Hoge said.
Katherine Lacaze
Director Patrick Lathrop, center, samples costume ideas on the cast of Coaster Theatre Playhouse’s ‘Shakesperience: Ghosts, Fairies and Spirits.’
The
Illahee
Apartments
‘Shakesperience:
Ghosts, Fairies & Spirits’
Why Live
Anywhere
Else?
Cannon Beach City Park,
2nd and Spruce streets
6 p.m. on Friday
Additional performances at 6 p.m. on June
24 in Cannon Beach City Park, 3 p.m. on
June 29 at the Coaster Theatre Courtyard
and 7:30 p.m. on July 8 at the Coaster
Theatre Playhouse
1046 Grand Avenue
Astoria, OR 97103
This event is free and open to the public,
with donations welcome
www.coastertheatre.com
Cast members at the Coaster Theatre Playhouse.
503-325-2280
THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2022 // 5