Archive: Arts & Entertainment

Theatre Incognita, Ithaca's own ‘theater without walls’ is celebrating 5 years! So why not throw a party! At the Hangar! A two-play party with local actors whose ages range from 10 to 82!

As one-half of the party, Incognita is presenting a brand new, youth-driven production of Romeo and Juliet. Eleven teens (and kids) provide the fire of a younger generation, along with nine area stage veterans playing the older generation still in power.

The beloved Shakespeare tragedy opens on Sunday, May 4 at 1:30 pm, and will play in repertory with Thornton Wilder’s Our Town that day and the following Saturday and Sunday (May 10 & 11.)

The star-crossed lovers are portrayed by Erin Hilgartner as Juliet and Eric Hambury as Romeo.

Hilgartner, a freshman at Ithaca High School, played the role of Mercutio three years ago for Running To Places, where she has also played the lead in Annie, the Cat in the Hat in Seussical and several supporting roles. Most recently she played Brooke in the IHS production of Legally Blonde. Hambury is an alum of IHS and Hobart-William Smith, where he played several mainstage roles. He has also appeared locally with the Ithaca Shakespeare Company.

Other youth in the show include Kai Haskins (New Roots) as Mercutio, Charlotte Senders (Trumansburg High) as Tybalt, and Caitlin Mallory (Lehman Alternative Community School) as Benvolio, Emily Scarpulla (IHS) as Paris, Sirena Carpenter (LACS) as Sampson, Claire Saloff-Coste (IHS) as Peter, Kurt van der Veur (Cortland Jr. High) as Balthasar, Aidan Setlock (Boynton) as Citizen/Guard and Isabella deCombray-Gold as a party guest.

In this version we imagine the Chorus to be the god Cupid himself; Lucian Mead-Van Cort (Belle Sherman) will wing his wicked, delighted way through the show in this role.

Returning to the stage after a prolonged absence is Karen Veaner as the Nurse. Veaner serves as the drama director for the Lansing High School and was often seen at the Hangar when Robert Moss was Artistic Director. Dave Dietrich, an Incognita regular and long-time member of Ithaca Shakespeare Company, will play the Friar. Joining them are Scott Witham (Lord Capulet), Payal Bowker (Lady Capulet), Junito Cubero (the Prince), Lloyd Harris (Lord Montague), Brenda Aulbach (Lady Montague), Peter Shuman (Apothecary), and Alek Osinski (Abraham)

IHS Senior Molly Westbrook serves as Production Stage Manager. Nick Shuhan choreographs the fight sequences. Maxwell T. Robin, a senior BFA major in design at Ithaca College, designs lights with Sam Peters providing live original and period accompaniment.

Incognita’s Artistic Director, Ross Haarstad, directs.

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