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Take a look at the why behind the production of one of the first shows DreamWrights will be showing in 2019. DW’s Artistic Director Laurie Riffe is directing The Liar and shared this as part of her vision to her production team recently. Get caught up on audition information, and member audition sign-ups open Nov. 9. 

Being a true Shakespeare nerd, I love words: the intricacies of words, both the overt and the hidden meanings of words, witty wordplay and banter.

I also love the sound of the words themselves, searching for the really “juicy words,” and the rhythm of iambic pentameter. It is a true heartbeat, and when actors lean into that rhythm and the sounds of the alliteration (consonants) and the assonance (vowels), it’s fantastic to see what can happen. The actors truly discover what actions are possible with their words, how alive they feel, and what is at stake in each moment.

David Ives took a classic play by Pierre Corneille and spun it into a contemporary, wild comedy. Part of what is so wonderful about this is that the characters each push the boundary of what is acceptable and possible. There is an irreverence and a boldness to each one of these characters. And the irony is that they each speak a great deal of truth.

Ives also asks us to examine what the real meaning of life is, what people are afraid of, and why they lie and “masquerade” as they do. He asks us to look at private fears versus public persona. This interests me quite a bit. One of the main character’s monologues also comments on a world where priests and princes lie- suggesting that perhaps we cannot always trust those who hold positions of political power. This feels very relevant today. I really like that the characters ask the questions of us in the audience, and then we are provided with the opportunity to ponder both the truth and fiction in our own lives. I appreciate that this play asks a lot of questions, and doesn’t provide easy answers.

This play is just a ton of smart FUN! I intend for the company to work hard and play hard, and share a lot of laughter in the rehearsal room throughout the process. We look forward to sharing this piece with our audiences!

Laurie Riffe is DreamWrights’ Artistic Director who loves Shakespeare and words. She’s excited to be directing one of the first shows for the 2019 DW season.