Theatre Everywhere with Shades of Orange

By Cynthia Connell Davis

South Bend, IN

Shades of Orange is a local theatre company that does theatre where theatre isn't typically done. Their mission is "to create theatre where theatrical artists can thrive, building access for every audience member to experience and engage with Shakespeare, new works, and under-performed writers." They often hear, "We want you to bring theatre to our space!"

They got to know each other.

Miranda Manier, one of the founding members, says they were born out of the intense experience of several actors who performed two plays alternating nights with the South Bend Civic. "We got to know each other through theatre," she says. In the fall of 2022, these actors decided that continuing their experience would benefit the community and themselves. "South Bend Civic is great; in addition, we wanted to make theatre available in a new way." Furthermore, "Young people today are missing out on the benefits of storytelling. Storytelling can be an integral part of our lives. Unfortunately, few young people these days are familiar with theatre, the art of acting, and the life lessons that are taught."

Theatre gives us alternative worlds that represent and teach the depths and heights of human experience. When the true art of drama prevails in a culture, false "acting out" or putting on an act (meaning performative public actions and cosplay) loses its power.

19 Chairs: Reading Shakespeare

In this persona, Shades of Orange hosts an evening, each month, of sitting and reading a Shakespeare play, selected in advance.

People who wish to participate show up, and parts are randomly selected. In May, they met at the Rocki Button – "a beautiful, inspirational place" – and read Shakespeare's Measure for Measure. In June, the play will be Macbeth. These get-togethers are the backbone of the group. To maintain connectedness with great theatre, they enter into Shakespeare's work, recreating it in spaces where they can explore and enjoy the play and the venue.

Nontraditional space is part of the strategy for engaging with the work. They have been spotted at cat cafes, neighborhood festivals, metaphysical supply stores, community centers, bowling alleys -- even car washes.

The Sonnet Slam

Another persona is a special open mic, The Sonnet Slam, a 90-minute event of serious fun. It has been held in St. Joseph County libraries. People read sonnets – your own or those of other poets. Bring a sonnet or two (or more); sonnets are provided; a "mad lib" sonnet is invented during the event; and sonnets that have caused songs or movies to be invented are read.

On May 18, at the Virginia Tutt Branch Library, there was a daring competition between the mad lib sonnet created by the audience and a sonnet generated by AI. (The mad lib won!)

HAUNTED:

A Macbeth Experience

In another of its personae, Shades of Orange does full-rehearsed productions. In contrast to audience-free 19 Chairs, the thoroughly rehearsed production creates immersive theatre.

The idea is to provide a welcoming gateway into the world of the theatre. This makes the audience part of the play. In the Summer 2023 Shades of Orange produced As You Like It: as you like it. Says Manier, "It was a choose-your-own-adventure. . . audience members could opt to follow the story through Rosalind's or Orlando's perspective while journeying through our 'forest of Arden' in the Clay Township Park."

Why comedy? Because when we laugh together, we are together. Comedy enrolls us in a common frame of reference. We sign up to laugh.

Macbeth will be performed during the 2024 Halloween season in a haunted house. But the real haunting is Macbeth's inner turmoil. His tyranny, rage, and paranoia become the lesson of the season of human beings overtaken and haunted.

Why tragedy? Our souls expand through the management of our feelings and the understanding it provides. According to William Butler Yeats, true acting is "to assume the second self." There is much false drama today and not enough true drama – theatre.

True drama, i.e., storytelling, leads us to empathy, acceptance, and unity. It shows consequences and choices. To fulfill our life purpose, we must imagine greatly because daily life does not offer such a variety of experiences

Our life purpose includes understanding. And understanding includes the fact that we are not a single self; we contain multitudes. We sign up to learn.