M.F.A. directing candidate Sanhawich Meateanuwat spoke with Artistic Director John C. Stark about the upcoming season of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival (ISF)
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Sanhawich Meateanuwat (SM): Give us some background on your history with ISF.
John Stark (JS): My first season working with ISF was in 1993 when I designed Pericles, Prince of Tyre. That production was directed by Doug Finlayson who is also directing The Comedy of Errors in 2023. This year will mark my 23rd season with the festival, and my 43rd scenic design. My designs include 23 of Shakespeare’s 38 plays. I have worked with every artistic director of the festival except for the founder, Cal Pritner. I became the artistic director in 2017 following Kevin Rich’s tenure. In the late 1990s I served as an associate dean of the College of Fine Arts where my duties included representing the college during the construction of the Ewing Theatre that was completed in 2000 just in time for that summer’s season.
(SM): How would you describe the current 2023 season? What unites it thematically?
(JS): Well, there is the fact that they all begin with the word “The” (smile). I find it interesting that we are performing one of his earliest plays, The Comedy of Errors (1593) and one of his last plays, The Tempest (1612). And the third offering, The Book of Will, is a play about the printing of the First Folio that was published 400 years ago in 1623. In producing this season, we are celebrating the full range of his works and paying homage to his legacy.
(SM): Looking forward to the upcoming season, what went into the selection of our slate of shows?
(JS): Shakespeare’s plays are our touchstone at the festival, so I begin my season planning by considering which of his plays have been produced recently. We have a loose policy of not repeating a play within a six-year span, therefore what plays have been performed recently is an early consideration. Another is presenting a mixture of genres in the season. However, this year’s offerings lean more toward plays that are popular and funny without a clear-cut tragedy among them. I also prefer to offer our patrons one play not written by Shakespeare but either linked to his work (The Book of Will) or one that is considered a classic (Pride and Prejudice).
(SM): What is the biggest challenge that you foresee for this season?
(JS): I would say that our biggest challenge is attracting our audience back to live theatre. Nationwide theatre is working hard to return to pre-pandemic percentages, and ISF is no different. I feel that we provide a unique entertainment experience for our patrons who will return once they experience the magic of Shakespeare performed under the stars.
(SM): Not only are you the artistic director, but this season you are also doing the scenic designs. What do you think is the most important aspect of a production’s set design? What do you think is the most important aspect of ISF seasons’ design?
(JS): The major challenge for a scene designer at the festival is the repertory aspect. The scenery is changed each night to present a different show of the festival; Thursday may be The Book of Will, Friday, The Tempest, and Saturday The Comedy of Errors. So, the scenic pieces must not only be distinctly suited for each of the plays but be able to transform to another environment in a matter of a few hours and work within time and labor constraints. And finally, the scenery must be appropriately interesting for an audience to witness. It’s pretty easy, actually … (smile).
(SM): What advice would you give to any new graduate beginning their career in theatre?
(JS): Say “yes” more than you say “no.” Be open to new ideas and new people to work with. Don’t be afraid of working hard on something that you enjoy and love. If you possess talent, passion, and aren’t arrogant you will work in the theatre.
(SM): The rumor is that you are retiring at the end of this academic year from Illinois State University School of Theatre and Dance. Congratulations! What are your plans for your next chapter? And what does this mean for ISF?
(JS): I am retiring from my faculty position at Illinois State University in August of this year. I’ve been teaching for 41 years. I’ve had an amazing experience as a professor of design and production at three universities, and it’s time for me to step aside. The current plan is to re-hire me as the artistic director after I take a short break in August and September. I expect to be the ISF artistic director for the 2024 season.
