Pittsburgh Playhouse's 'The Winter's Tale' enchants with both drama and laughs

Nobody does tragedy or comedy like William Shakespeare did, and his play “The Winter’s Tale” has a little bit of both. Fortunately for audiences, Pittsburgh Playhouse’s Conservatory Theatre Company brought both the drama and the laughs at Wednesday’s opening night performance of the Bard’s classic.

“The Winter’s Tale” is a bit of a genre-bender for Shakespeare. In this production, the intermission falls between the more dramatic first three acts and the comedic and romantic fourth and fifth acts. It’s a difficult play to summarize succinctly, but that’s not to say it’s difficult to follow. Betrayal, heartbreak, birth, death, singing and dancing, kings in disguise, long lost princesses, statues coming to life and even a bear are all packed into a highly entertaining two and a half hours.

Shakespeare has been adapted to a variety of different settings and time periods. In this case, the first three acts take place in Sicily in 1930, and the last two are set in Bohemia 16 years later. This is evident in the costuming and music that were chosen, though the dialogue is as originally written in the 17th century.

The Conservatory Theatre Company, made up of Point Park University students, really shone in this show. Every actor did an exceptional job in their roles, from the chorus to the leads, and each were uniquely talented. As Paulina, MC Carder was an absolute force of nature. Luca Seara Pacheco had an emotional role in Leontes, the king of Sicily who accuses his wife of adultery and loses her and both of his children as a result, but his anger and grief were devastatingly convincing. Esther Lee embodied Hermione, Leontes’ virtuous and falsely accused wife, with warmth and humanity (and was able to stay still as a statue for an impressive length of time).

Nai’Ron Arnett and Kassidy Kramer played Florizel and Perdita, the young lovers around whom the fourth and fifth acts revolve, and they made an enchanting pair onstage. Audrey Klein, as Camillo, and Braden Andrew, as Polixenes, nailed both comedic and emotional moments. And Elijah Corbin, who played both Antigonus and Autolycus, was multi-talented, charismatic, and dead-on with the demanding physical parts of his roles, especially when following Shakespeare’s most famous stage direction, “exit, pursued by a bear.”

Speaking of Corbin, who got to perform some folksy tunes in the fourth act, the use of music in “The Winter’s Tale” enhanced the experience, thanks to musical director and composer Yan Pang, mixing traditional folk songs with period-appropriate jazzy selections. Lulu James, as “Time,” did a standout job singing Shakespeare’s words to life to bring the audience back into the world of the play after the intermission break.

Scenic designer Hayden Bingham worked some magic in the theater space, as well. The set made good use of its simplicity, with a central staircase that led up to a balcony. The staging gave the actors room to dance, argue, put on trials and betrothals and even carry out funerals while still allowing the experience to feel immersive and intimate in the black box Highmark Theatre’s setup. Director Sheila McKenna made every moment dynamic and every monologue memorable, and choreographers Rozana Sweeney and Iliana Tomasa Sharp pulled a variety of dance styles together to add something special to Shakespeare. From the moment the play started, it was a struggle not to get up and dance along with the actors.

The lighting design by Madelyn Miessmer and sound design by Ian Stoll also added to the reality of seaside storms and pastoral days alike. And at the play’s end, a shimmering shower of sparkles fell over the dancing company, bringing the enchanting evening to a close.

“The Winter’s Tale” is not one of William Shakespeare’s most often-performed plays, but after seeing Pittsburgh Playhouse’s production, it’s sure to be a new favorite for many. With such enthralling performances and imaginative production design, it may even convert a few newcomers to Shakespeare’s work. It’s got something for everyone — and a bear to boot.

“The Winter’s Tale” will run through Sunday at Point Park University’s Pittsburgh Playhouse downtown. For more information and tickets, visit playhouse.pointpark.edu.