Will Kempe’s Players (WKP) couples the much-beloved “Much Ado About Nothing” with the far less-produced “Measure for Measure” in their Summer 2026 offerings. Though “Measure” may be unfamiliar to audiences, it is a play rich with timeless moral questions, a master playwright’s tragicomic view of a society roiled by radical change, whose individuals are now now judged by law, stringently applied. In this play, events are often simultaneously life-threatening and hilarious. There are no heroes fighting villains or damsels awaiting rescue; instead this script is peopled by vibrant human beings seeking rewarding lives and their authentic selves in a now unfamiliar landscape. The play steers us away from the iconic clash of “good vs. evil” to a more finely nuanced one of revenge vs. mercy.
WKP’s founding Artistic Director and Director of “Measure” Sandra Boynton chuckles that “I can never pinpoint what this play is ‘about.’ Instead, as its concerns rhyme with our contemporary news, I am struck by the play’s observation: justice leads to tragedy; mercy leads to comedy. In ‘Hamlet,’ Shakespeare states that a ‘purpose of playing…is to hold… the mirror up to nature.’ In ‘Measure for Measure’ he multiplies that single reflection into a whirling mirror ball.”
The cast of “Measure for Measure” combines the performing talents of WKP company members Shae Fitzgerald, Andrew Vroman, R. Moore, Dan Smirlock, Phillip Beattie, Jack D. Ellis, Melissa Colasessano, Devin Trager, Joey Cappuccitti, and HG Warrender with those of returning favorites J. Scala and Cameron Richardson, and WKP newcomer Alexia Halsey. Company members Cameryn Coetzee and Catie Lasek serve as Assistant Director and Stage Manager, and Marshal Langlois serves as Assistant Stage Manager and understudy. Scenic design by Phillip Beattie, costume design and direction by Shae Fitzgerald, wardrobe supervision by Kim Martin, intimacy direction by Dr. Krysta Dennis, dramaturgy by Maeve Klersfeld.
As usual, Will Kempe’s Players summer productions travel throughout the Capital Region. “Measure for Measure” will first play at Shaker Heritage Society in Albany, NY , on July 12 at 3 PM, and will tour the area on several weekend days through September 20. Details for every performance and ticketing information can be found on the Will Kempe’s Players website: http://www.willkempesplayers.com/currently-performing.
“Measure for Measure” centers on law, mercy and sexuality. Performances will be engaging for teen and adult audiences, much less so for children. Founded in 2017, Will Kempe’s Players is a worker-owned cooperative in their 9th season producing Shakespearean works through Original Practices. In addition to their standard fare, WKP has also staged original works, contemporary works, and devised adaptations of classics. Their mission is to bring the practices and conditions of the Shakespearean stage into the 21st Century, through the works of Shakespeare himself and beyond. For more information, visit www.willkempesplayers.com or follow @WillKempesPlayers on social media.
