The Indiana Players — Renaissance Dinner

The fourth annual Indiana Players’ Renaissance Dinner took place on February 8 at the Rustic Lodge in Indiana. This year's Shakespeare Team prepared for the 2008 Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest. Team members are Indiana High School seniors Emily Fisher and Katie Patrick and junior Clare Welsh.

The 2007 Renaissance Dinner

Even with all the snow, the 2007 Renaissance Dinner was a great success! This favorite community event took place on February 2 at the beautiful Rustic Lodge Restaurant in Indiana. Diners feasted on delicious medieval fare and drink while being entertained by minstrels, jugglers, and swordfighters.

Highlights were the Indiana Players’ award-winning Shakespeare Team performing scenes and monologues from their presentations at the Pittsburgh Public Theater’s 2007 Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest.

The Indiana Players' Shakespeare Team Shakespeare Team
The 2007 Shakespeare Team members came from Indiana Area High School and Junior High School and Marion Center High School. Although they didn't make it to the competition finals, the team knew that besides hard work, luck has a lot to do with success.

As coach Peggy Buckley noted, "Your mantra needs to be 'Life is not fair—deal with it!' You are all still tops in my book."

Although there were many honorable mentions and finalists in the past, including several competition winners, the real objective of the competition is to instill in the students a love and understanding of Shakespeare, as well as give them an opportunity to work together in a cooperative atmosphere.

From the left, the 2007 team consisted of:
(standing) Tyler Mumau, junior; Chris Anthony, senior; (kneeling) Amber Engelmann, 9th grade; Claire Welsh, sophomore; and Kate Patrick, junior; plus Burkely Twiest, sophomore, and Josie Tidwell (not pictured).

The 2006 Renaissance Dinner

photo: Tyler Mumau Congratulations to Tyler Mumau (left) and Kaitlyn Patrick on their performances in the 2006 Pittsburgh Public Theater’s Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest.

Kaitlyn Patrick, the 2005 Honorable Mention winner, portrayed Launce from The Two Gentlemen of Verona. Talented newcomer Tyler Mumau took on the role of Launcelot Gobbo from The Merchant of Venice. Both actors also performed a scene from Richard III, with Tyler as Richard III and Kate as Lady Anne. Out of 950 entrants, Tyler was one of the 25 finalists.

The Shakespeare Team is coached by Walter “Skip” Gray, Peggy Buckley, and Walter Gray IV.

Our teams have had a history of success in the contest. In 2004, Walt Gray and Megan Klingensmith received honorable mentions for their scene from Hamlet and Walt received an honorable mention for his monologue. In 2005, Megan Klingensmith and two other contestants tied for first place. Megan's portrayal of Lady Percy from Henry IV, Part II earned her a copy of the Complete Arden Shakespeare and a season's subscription to the Pittsburgh Public Theater. In addition, Kaitlyn Patrick received an honorable mention for her portrayal of Juliet from Romeo and Juliet.

Photo: Megan Klingensmith (center) and friends The 2006 Renaissance Dinner was a great success! Over eighty people attended, ranging in age from 4 to 90. Besides the minstrels, jugglers, unicyclist, and a fire-eater, students skilled in stage combat thrilled everyone with a swordfight in the middle of dinner. Kaitlyn Patrick and Tyler Mumau did a great job with their monologues. Many guests dressed for the dinner, and the prize for best costumes went to Gwen and John Mugliston.

Congratulations to Peggy Buckley for successfully coordinating the event! Plans are already underway for next year’s dinner. If you or someone you know would like to be on the committee, please call Peggy at 724-254-1207 or send her an e-mail.

The 2005 Renaissance Dinner
The guests, many dressed in period outfits, gathered in front of a large, U-shaped table in front of a fireplace at the Rustic Lodge Restaurant and were entertained while they dined. Jugglers, fire-eaters, minstrels, and musicians performed while the diners feasted on roasted chicken and potatoes, bread, cheese, fruit, and spiced cider. The meal was preceded by Megan Klingensmith and Kaitlyn Patrick performing their Shakespeare monologues in preparation for the preliminary round in the Pittsburgh Public Theater’s annual Shakespeare Monologue and Scene Contest.

Photo: Theresa and Kaitlyn Patrick Kaitlyn acted as Juliet from Romeo and Juliet (act IV, scene 1), and Megan portrayed Lady Percy from Henry IV, Part II (act I, scene 3).

In addition to Megan and Kaitlyn (who added her violin skills to the show), the Renaissance performers included singers Theresa Patrick and John Henry Steelman, jugglers Amy Provias and Sarah Bosse, and fire-eaters Corey Lunchuck and Penny Pollack. The Indiana Players extend their thanks to all of the performers for making this event the best yet.

Photo: Penny Pollack and Walter Gray IV Special thanks go out to Jeff Tobin of Henry Hall Office Products for donation of the Shakespeare team’s rehearsal space, to Ed Anderson of Anderson’s Chimney Service, to the Rustic Lodge management and staff for their patience and service, to Sara Steelman for her invaluable help and guidance in publicizing this event, and to the Indiana Arts Council for their support.