Interludes

VIEWPOINTS – Ensconced in its stunning new permanent home, HUDSON VALEY SHAKESPEARE most satisfyingly continues to make the play the thing

• By drediman
• September 10, 2026
• No Comments

This summer, I was also able to make the trek upstate to picturesque Garrison, NY to take in the theatrical offerings of Hudson Valley Shakespeare, which is in the process of concluding its smashing first season at the stunning semi-open-air Samuel H. Scripps Theater, the company’s superbly designed new permanent home overlooking the majestic Hudson Valley (up until this season, HVS has been performing in a makeshift tent). Instead of going off in elaborate new directions, the repertory company has smartly opted to lean in on its established strengths, satisfyingly continuing to make the play very much the thing in a new venue that’s more inviting than it is flashy. Here are my assessments of the season’s two Shakespeare entries, both of which benefited from the cooperation of terrific weather (the third production of the summer is a new production of the ever-popular musical adaptation of Les Misérables).

KING LEAR
Hudson Valley Shakespeare
Through September 17

On my first night on the gorgeous new grounds, I attended a performance of King Lear (RECOMMENDED), Shakespeare’s timely tale about the demise of society into anarchy. In the tragedy, the Bard also contemplates humanity’s place in nature and the larger world order, which makes the work an ideal candidate for Hudson Valley Shakespeare’s inaugural summer at the Scripps Theater Center. As staged by the company’s artistic director Davis McCallum, this Lear is lucid and intelligently interpreted, using only a handful of props to convey the story — instead focusing keenly on the text, while still maintaining a compelling overall dramatic shape. If anything, McCallum’s vision suggests the universality and timelessness of the cautionary tale (as implied by the eclectic costumes, which make generous references to various time periods and cultures). Festival veteran Kurt Rhoads makes for a robust Lear, whose downfall is made all the more potent given his authoritativeness at the top of the play. Just as strong in the play’s parallel narrative as the Earl of Gloucester is Howard W. Overshown, who gives a performance of great empathy and clarity. Although the production’s other performances don’t quite rise to their level, each of the play’s plethora of characters was rendered with pointed intent, and there was not a weak link in the company. Lear and Gloucester’s nomadic scenes together take on added resonance as you witness their travails against the vast openness of nature. Indeed, HVS is well known for creating one-of-a-kind tableaus that extend to the far horizons of the grounds. Especially powerful is the staging of work’s conclusion, which acknowledges the significant mortal casualties in Shakespeare’s woeful fever dream — and smartly putting the play in conversation with Les Misérables (the review of that production is forthcoming).

AS YOU LIKE IT
Hudson Valley Shakespeare
Through September 18

Just as appropriate a choice for the repertory’s first season at the Scripps is As You Like It (RECOMMENDED) — which I attended on the subsequent evening — a play that basks in its pastoral and woodsy setting (particularly the famous Forest of Arden). As celebratory and frolicsome as it is full of insights into the human condition, the play is arguably the most perfect comedy that Shakespeare penned, making it one of the most oft performed works in the Bard’s vast theatrical canon. The staging by Miriam Laube makes a concerted effort to embrace the audience, both directly and in its knowing winks in our direction that accompany many of the line readings. Also crowd-pleasing and making good use of the cast’s considerable musical talents is the ample inclusion of songs — courtesy of Amanda Dehnert — essentially in the form of productions numbers weaved into the proceedings, making the whole thing register almost like a musical. Visually, Laube’s overarching theme is that of transience, as indicated by the witty incorporation of travel trunks throughout the staging. Although not quite as cohesive as HVS’s Lear, the production is nothing less than breezy and altogether delightful, a refreshing contrast to the grim happenings of McCallum’s production. The company of actors — who overlap heavily with the aforementioned repertory production of Lear — work beautifully as an ensemble and have the comedy down pat. In the central roles of Rosalind and Orlando, Helen Cespedes and Jose Gamo are a playful and handsome pairing, even if their romantic relationship could do with a tad more longing and poignancy. Also wonderful is Safiya Harris’s delightful Celia, as well as Melissa Mahoney and Zack Fine, whose Phoebe and Silvius strike comic gold.