BRANDEN SMITH
Producer / Director / Creator
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield
Director Branden Smith
Scenic Design: Kelsey Colwell
Lighting, Sound, Costumes, Props: Branden Smith
Featuring: Robert Jones, Kelsey Colwell, Branden Smith
I spent the winter of the pandemic teaching youth classes at the Breckenridge Backstage Theatre. In June of 2021 as restrictions were just being lifted around Colorado and the country, I proposed a small cast production to the board of the theatre. This production led to my full-time position at the theater!
In a sold-out run of The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged!), we got the theatre back up and running. In order to minimize risk in the uncertain time, we took on all design and production roles in-house, providing a financial jumpstart for the organization, maximizing revenue and fun.
THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) was born when three inspired, charismatic comics, having honed their pass-the-hat act at Renaissance fairs, premiered their preposterous masterwork at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1987. It quickly became a worldwide phenomenon, earning the title of London’s longest-running comedy after a decade at the Criterion Theatre. THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED) is one of the world’s most frequently produced plays and has been translated into several dozen languages. Featured are all 37 of Shakespeare’s plays, meant to be performed in 90 minutes, by three actors. Fast paced, witty, and physical, it’s full of laughter for Shakespeare lovers and haters alike.
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