Shakespeare Festival brings comedies to the stage

Riverside, Calif. (May 27, 2025) — The 2025 Courtyard Shakespeare Festival will welcome spectators to enjoy two entertaining performances on stage at California Baptist University.

This year, the repertory production features two comedies — “The Comedy of Errors” and “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged).” The festival begins on June 13.

Ethan Park, adjunct professor of theatre, is both the director of and actor in “Complete Works.”

“We have storylines from every single Shakespeare play,” he said. “Many of them have a spin on them for comedic purposes.”

While some parts of the story are brought to a contemporary setting, others are kept in Elizabethan times.

“Some scenes are completely wild: One play becomes a cooking show, a group of plays become a football game, some are completely mashed together to make an amalgamation of storylines and jokes,” Park said.

Park said that the biggest challenge has also been the biggest blessing.

“The whole show is just three actors, and I have the joy of directing and performing with my two best friends, Kiana and Taylor Bjur,” he said. “With only three actors, we play over 50 roles within the play, not to mention the 100+ costumes used throughout.”

Park hopes this play is one of the most joyful and hilarious experiences the audiences have at a Shakespeare performance.

“Whether you know all the plots and details of every Shakespeare play or are brand new to Shakespeare, you are going to absolutely love this show,” he said. “If you think, ‘I don't even like Shakespeare,’ give us a chance and let us change your mind!”

Alicia Kitamura, director of “Comedy of Errors,” said that the play deals with themes of commerce, appearance and identity. Originally, the play was set in the port city of Ephesus, which was a bustling hub of trade and commerce.

"When I thought of a place that brings those themes to my mind, Los Angeles was a perfect fit, so we created our Ephesus to make it feel like the Los Angeles Fashion District," she said.

Interpreting the material for the audience is the main task of the theatre team, and, when the actors have done their research, many avenues for creativity and humor open up, Kitamura said.

"Comedy is the most difficult genre to translate because it draws from common knowledge of the culture in which the script was written," she said. "This play is over 400 years old; some of the jokes have aged a bit, but it's amazing how much of the humor transcends time."

Kitamura wants her cast to have a lot of fun and have the freedom to fail.

“With that freedom, one can get really creative and make discoveries,” she said. “If you're too afraid to be wrong, you'll cling to the first thing that seems right.”

Kiana Bjur (’16), administrative assistant for the College of Engineering, plays 22 roles in "The Complete Works."

"We as actors need to memorize not only who says what but also what comes next," she said. "In this play, a lot of the times we are moving from one role to the next, and they flow instead of flipping back and forth, which makes it easier." 

Bjur said that she learned about her stamina while preparing for the show and putting it on feels like a big accomplishment. 

"Doing a three-person show involves a lot of trust in each other as it is physically and mentally exhausting," she said. "I am doing it with my husband and my best friend, and as we have already established this trust in each other, it makes it fun."

Kaleb Bravo, a film senior, plays Dromio of Ephesus in “Comedy of Errors.”

“What makes the Shakespeare Festival special is that you get to see some of the most famous writings by the most famous playwright ever being performed today, and it still connects," he said.

Bravo said that it was his first time playing a significant role in a Shakespeare show.

"I have never done a Shakespeare play where I had such a significant number of lines, much less as a lead," he said. "I have now been trained in Shakespeare, which makes me feel more confident, and it is just about applying my knowledge and training."

It is special to work with others who love Shakespeare and acting to present the show to the community, Bjur said.

“People can be going through hard times, and I hope that a show of this kind can make them sit and laugh for a couple of hours,” she said. “I hope that joy can bring healing.”

Courtyard Shakespeare Festival
“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” 
7 p.m. June 13, 15 and 22; 2 p.m. June 14 and 22
 “The Comedy of Errors” 
7 p.m. June 14, 20 and 21; 2 p.m. June 15 and 21
Where: Wallace Theatre, California Baptist University, 8432 Magnolia Ave., Riverside, CA, 92504
Tickets: $12-$15 
Order online at calbaptist.edu/theater/