Double the Drama: New Swan's Shakespeare Season Embraces Romance, Wit and Reinvention

REVIEW: From a Romantic-era “All’s Well” to a Wild West “Much Ado,” this season’s festival proves why its intimate, open-air productions remain one of Southern California’s most inventive and engaging takes on the Bard.

Adam Koda as Bertram, center, in “All’s Well That Ends Well,” celebrating a successful win after the war in Italy on the shoulders of Wyn Moreno (King & Escalus), left, and Samuel Schneider (Lord Dumaine). Photo courtesy of New Swan Shakespeare Festival/Jesús Enrique López Vargas

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For more than a decade, the New Swan Shakespeare Festival has wowed Southern California audiences with its classic and contemporary renditions of beloved and lesser-known Shakespearean plays, both honoring the original content of the stories while also encouraging a wider range of theatergoers to embrace the timeless relevance of The Bard’s repertoire.

Every year, two (or more) shows are held in tandem on the UC Irvine, campus, stunningly displayed in a miniature, portable Elizabethan-style theater that is erected in the Gateway Commons each summer. With 130 seats, these shows – which have become a cherished artistic staple in the community for more than a decade – almost always sell out, with Shakespeare enthusiasts and art lovers alike coming together to celebrate the renowned poet’s works.

This year, visitors can enjoy “All’s Well That Ends Well,” set in the Romantic period, and an Old Western-style version of “Much Ado About Nothing.”

The elaborate productions combine classic scripts with live music, an intricate set, realistic props and a beautiful setting under the stars. Founded by Eli Simon, a UCI acting professor who serves as both co-director and artistic director for New Swan, the festival got its start in 2012, featuring a mix of acting professionals, UCI students and alumni. In addition to showcasing some of Shakespeare’s finest writing, New Swan invites those unfamiliar with his works to experience his masterpieces through a fresh lens, helping spark appreciation and draw new fans to the plays more than 400 years after they were first penned.

Beyond captivating audiences, the festival challenges its performers, pairing emerging student actors with seasoned professionals who have already broken into the industry for invaluable opportunities to learn and expand their craft. With two productions running at the same time, some cast members take on an even greater feat: performing multiple roles across different plays in a single season – at the same time.

“As an actor, to be able to inhabit both sides, both worlds, at once is really fun,” says Rachael VanWormer, who plays Lady Dumaine in “All’s Well” and stars as Beatrice in “Much Ado.” “I would encourage anybody who does come to one show to come to the other, because one of the things that's so unique and interesting for the audience is to see how the two plays are in conversation with each other.”

“All’s Well That Ends Well” | PHOTO 1: Parolles, played by Abel Garcia, right, offers comic relief throughout the show. PHOTO 2: Helena (Mikayla Conley) pursues Bertram as he goes to fight in Italy. PHOTO 3: From left, Alejandra Villanueva, Zane Caputo and Marilyn Alonzo spar in a scene from “All’s Well.” In the background, the audience can be seen in the floor seats and upper tiers, called “the groundlings” and “the galleries” in Shakespeare’s day. PHOTO 4: The King (Wyn Moreno) and Helena (Mikayla Conley). Photos courtesy of New Swan Shakespeare Festival/Jesús Enrique López Vargas

‘All’s Well That Ends Well’

Described by director Rob Salas as “a vibrant world that can hold deep grief, sweeping romance and sudden bursts of joy,” this so-called problem play, included in Shakespeare’s 1623 First Folio, is set in the 19th century in France and Italy. Deciding to place the show in the Romantic era, rather than in the medieval or Renaissance period, has given it a chance to delight in new ways, in a more passionate and emotional atmosphere.

At the helm are Mikayla Conley, starring as Helena, and Adam Koda as Bertram. After their fathers pass away, they don their fathers’ rings, which hold an unknown power. The king of France summons the two and Helena helps save the king’s life using medical skills she learned from her father, a doctor. In return, he promises her the husband of her choosing – and she selects Bertram. He initially agrees, but then steals away with his friend Parolles in the middle of the night to fight a war in Italy, leaving her a letter of rejection.

Helena visits Florence, hoping to find him and win his heart. She befriends a woman named Diana who has caught the eye of Bertram while singing a melodic aria and the two come up with a plan for Diana to coax Bertram into meeting her, only for Helena to appear. Once Bertram removes his father’s ring from his finger, he sees Helena in a new light and the two return to France to unite under the king.

Filled with emotive instrumental music by Monteverdi, Puccini and Verdi, and operatic arias performed by Ella Serrano, who plays Diana, the music enhances the grand world that New Swan has created. Between Conley’s passionate delivery and Koda’s easy confidence, the pair shines even with the moral complexities of their characters. Themes of honor and duty mingle throughout, though these social cues seem to have less of an impact than the characters’ own morals – especially true for Bertram, who showcases pride, arrogance, dishonesty, infidelity and more throughout the play.

Another highlight is Parolles, portrayed by Abel Garcia. Though not a comedy by any means, he provides comedic relief while also serving as a symbol of the desperate pursuit of validation. After being duped by his own friends, he reevaluates his role in the world, where appearances often deceive. His hero complex showcases an inauthentic persona paired with feelings of embarrassment while playing with who he really is underneath the mask of people pleasing.

The Elizabethan setup of the New Swan productions puts the audience right in the middle of things, allowing viewers to really immerse themselves in the stories – there are even seats right on the floor of the stage, removing the divide between the audience and the actors. With bursts of laughter, scattered applause and distinct no’s resounding when Bertram escapes to Italy, the audience can’t help but feel a part of the show. Pair the unique setting with dramatic lighting, simple yet crucial props and an intricate set that allows the cast to emerge from above, below and even the sides of the stage and you’ll find this a unique experience unlike any other in Southern California.

“Much Ado About Nothing” | PHOTO 1: Beatrice (Rachael VanWormer) and Benedick (Abel Garcia) at the masquerade ball. PHOTO 2: From left, the bandits Borachio (Armando Acosta), Don John (Adam Koda) and Connie (Zoe Rose Davidson). PHOTO 3: Musicians performing during a poker scene that had audiences laughing out loud as Benedick overhears an orchestrated conversation about Beatrice’s feelings for him. PHOTO 4: Claudio (Zach Trent) prepares to marry his mystery bride, Hero (Megan January). Photos courtesy of New Swan Shakespeare Festival/Jesús Enrique López Vargas

‘Much Ado About Nothing’

Watching New Swan’s second production this year, “Much Ado About Nothing,” is a completely different experience. Taking place in the same theater, it feels like a whole other world, set in the Wild West. Directed by Simon, this “small-town play,” as he deems it, combines romance with the gossip that fuels misunderstandings, stirs up conflict and ultimately brings chaos to the forefront.

This show is led by strong women, from VanWormer’s Beatrice to her musical cousin Hero and Hero’s mother, Leonata, the mayor of the town of Messina. Originally Leonato in Shakespeare’s version, this switch to make the mayor a woman – along with two other characters in the play who were originally male – has created a modern interpretation that showcases the strength and intelligence of the bold women within. The story follows the romantic notions of both Beatrice and Hero, but is packed with action, conflict and bluegrass tunes.

Beatrice and her old flame, Benedick, a gambler who has sworn off women, have sharp tongues and strong opinions of one another, battling with their words rather than weapons in the small-town setting. VanWormer and Garcia are delightful together, captivating with their wit, chemistry and the playful contention that makes Beatrice and Benedick’s love story so enduringly entertaining. And as they each have roles in both shows, their talent appears even more impressive.

Hero falls for Claudio, a soldier who pursues her and eventually proposes marriage. She accepts, but when a local bandit creates a deceptive scene, tricking Claudio into thinking Hero is unfaithful, he rejects her at the altar, publicly shaming her and ruining not only her reputation, but Leonata’s as well. Hero fakes her death and Claudio is distraught when he realizes that he was deceived. He agrees to marry Leonata’s niece without knowing her identity and the notion of second chances and forgiveness are explored when it turns out to be Hero.

It isn’t New Swan’s first time staging "Much Ado": back in 2015, the company staged a version set in Italy in 1945, just after World War II as the soldiers returned to daily life. As one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies, this is one of his most entertaining shows on its own, but its versatile script makes it both popular and enduring.

As a comedy, there is a freedom to ad-lib moments that incorporate the audience, making it an even more immersive experience than “All’s Well That Ends Well.” The casting is absolutely perfect while the live bluegrass band, complete with guitar, fiddle, stand-up bass and mandolin, adds an exciting ambiance to the show. Filled with fast-paced dialogue and short asides to the audience, the interplay between characters – as well as the audience – creates a memorable evening that is sure to connect even the most hesitant viewer of Shakespeare.

Two Tales, One Thread

With both of these performances taking place in repertory, there is much to explore as far as parallels and contrasts. Gender dynamics play a major part in both shows, as the stories explore the spectrum of female strength. Helena and Beatrice in "Much Ado," specifically, are strong, fierce and proactive, going after what they want and not stopping until they get it.

Themes of love and marriage abound in both productions as well, though they portray two different sides of the same coin. In “All’s Well That Ends Well,” Helena is in relentless pursuit of Bertram, trying to win over a man who doesn’t want her while still following social standards of the time. But, in “Much Ado,” Beatrice and Benedick are resistant lovers who are thrown together almost against their will, offering a more reluctant yet playful look at romance, driven by wit and emotional evolution.

Though different in tone, format and content, these two shows both have moments that make audiences laugh despite their dark undertones. Viewers can explore how love is pursued and resisted as well as the tension between appearance and the truth. Together, these productions offer a compelling look at Shakespeare’s range, showcasing how comedy can flirt with tragedy, and how love, in all its messiness, remains central to the human experience. Pair that with a night under the stars and you’ve got a timeless theatrical experience that allows Shakespeare’s words to collide with modern worlds for an experience that offers moments of sadness, laughter, reflection and so much more. 

New Swan Shakespeare Festival

When: “All’s Well That Ends Well” | 8 p.m. July 2-Aug. 29. “Much Ado About Nothing” | July 9-Aug. 30. See website for specific days and times for each show.

Where: UC Irvine, Gateway Commons, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine

Cost: $28-$99

Contact: newswanshakespeare.com