Measure for Measure was written in early 1604 and performed at court on December 26th of that year. The last of Shakespeare’s comedies, it is darker and more complex than his earlier comedic oeuvre, with the black humor and intricate characters that foreshadow tragedies such as Othello and Macbeth. Set in 16th century Vienna, Duke Vincentio feigns absence and leaves Angelo (a subordinate) in charge with orders to enforce city laws which have been long unenforced. When Angelo sentences the young Claudio to death for impregnating his fiancee, his sister Isabella pleads for his life to Angelo and is given a crushing ultimatum. Measure for Measure is dense with meaning and offers many possible interpretations. It is a play about justice, about the consequences of a corrupt government, and has even been read as an illustration of the battle between Christian virtue and vice.

I have chosen this play because its plot both intrigues and troubles me. The characters are rich, their complexity illustrated in the difficult decisions they are forced to make and which ultimately challenge their respective concepts of morality. Through use of costume and some cross-gender casting, this production of Measure for Measure explores in addition the theme of gender barriers and miscommunication, and attempts to illustrate that much of this behavior is learned far before it is ever put into practice.

Donna Baker, Richard Baker & Cynthia St. Martin, BCAT, Bloomington Hospital Teen Options, the BPP Board of Directors, Elizabeth Cady, City of Bloomington Parks & Recreation, Nikolous Cox, the Friends of Art Bookshop staff, Tom Hargis, Kurt Hartwig, Jim Hettmer, Jessica Higgs, the IU School of Music, IUSOM Department of Bands, Howard Jensen, Kira Zoe & Rod at the Crazy Horse, the MCCT Board of Directors, Monroe County Public Library, Chris Ramsey, Bob & Pam Service, Court Singrey, Tom Wieligman, Christine Weiss, my Old Friend, and everyone who has made Bloomington Theatre unique and memorable for me for the past three years.