Brian Benedict
Marco Baptista works on measuring articles of clothing for his costume

Drama Guild actors and technicians don’t usually sew their own costumes, but for this spring’s production of “Equivocation” by Bill Cain, they will be making their own Shakespearean-era outfits from scratch.

“In a period play, I usually rent costumes and dry clean them, which is very expensive,” said St. Benedict’s Drama Guild Director Patricia Flynn. “I think making costumes would be a good trade to have and it is more economical to own our own Shakespearean pieces.”

With help of Dennis Lansang M.D. the science department chairman, students are creating Shakespearean-era coats, gowns, jackets, common wear, and even armor, which will be made of chicken wire and papier maché. The easily interchangeable costume pieces are for the various role switches that take place during the play.

“Equivocation” is a witty but dark story about how William Shakespeare came to write “Macbeth.” William “Shag” Shagspeare, played by UD11 Carlos Almeida, and his acting cooperative of the Globe Theatre are commissioned by King James to write a play about the Gunpowder Plot – when Catholics and Jesuit priests attempted to blow-up Parliament.

“Shag” is forced to follow a script written by the King.  However, the script lacks truth, realism and artistic drama and his fellow actors know the King’s script is awful as well. But they need the work and pressure Shag to do what the King wants. The conflict begins as Shag tries to find the truth behind the plot but is thwarted by the King’s Prime Minister Robert Cecil, played by UD1 Faseeh Bhatti. After many revised scripts, fights and a few deaths, the play Shagspeare ultimately creates is none other than “MacBeth.”

There are six main roles and each of those actors also play multiple smaller roles. The scenes jump from rehearsals of the main characters acting to historical reality and back without warning.

“It’s a play within a with a play, but what makes it complicated is it is  more than one play within a play,” Ms.Flynn said. “We are not always certain if we are looking at reality or looking at a play.”

“Equivocation’s” multiple role changes is one of the most challenging obstacles for the actors.

“I play three characters: Cecil, Nate, and Thomas Percy,” Faseeh said. “I have one minute to change into Cecil than back to role I was playing without leaving the stage.”

Following the Shakespearean theme, the Conlin Auditorium’s stage will be transformed into a two-story set with “scenery that contains elements of the Globe Theatre replica in London,” Ms. Flynn said.

“Equivocation” opens 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19 and continues at the same time on March 20 and 21 before concluding at 2 p.m. on March 22.

Earlier, The Benedict News Online wrongly published this story with photos captured by Mike Scanlan. We have changed the photos. We apologize for the mishap.