Troupe travels far to perform the Bard
William Shakespeare, who once wrote that "misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows," knew a thing or two about unique friendships. And 400 years after the Bard put down his quill, a group of students is living out such camaraderie - with Shakespeare's plays at the center of their summers. Single Shot Theatre Company was founded by producer Jonah Garson, a UNC sophomore, and director Lucius Robinson, a Georgetown sophomore and National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts award-winner who has 11 Shakespeare productions under his belt. Although Garson and Robinson went to different high schools, both grew up with a strong appreciation for Shakespearean theater. They met for the first time when Garson produced and scored a high-school play Robinson was directing. From there they invited various friends to form a young, minimalist theater company - Single Shot. When high school ended, the company was faced with the problem of college applications. Everyone went their own way, some going as far as Oregon and Michigan. But a dedication to the company leads to the group reuniting every summer to further an impressive tradition. "I spend my whole year at college dreaming about working with Single Shot during the summer," Robinson said. "I love the people I work with and the Shakespearean works we do." "Cymbeline," which premiered Wednesday, is the group's latest production. One of Shakespeare's romantic masterpieces, it is also one of his most difficult to execute, requiring diverse scenery and a large cast. The Single Shot production has 23 cast and crew members. Eight are UNC students, including junior Ryan Millager, who plays the male lead, Posthumus. In order to compensate for the performance's lofty requirements, Single Shot rented out Chatham Mills, an old textile factory in Pittsboro that is being redeveloped for commercial retail use. "We are in a really interesting place in the way that we are using community resources," Garson said. "Chatham Marketplace is even donating food for a production - it would never be possible without the community helping us." The company has turned the space into five separate rooms, each one set up as a stage for the performance. "We physically move the audience from room to room with us," Robinson said. "Some places they'll be sitting, some places they'll be standing." "Cymbeline" will run through Saturday. Performances of "Julius Caesar" - the company's other summer production - will premiere at Forest Theatre on Aug. 3. Contact the A&E Editor at artsdesk@unc.edu.