MONROE - Guests arriving Friday night at the Piazza on Center Road stepped into the 16th century and were greeted by Hamlet, the Dane and his fool.
Hamlet (Colin Vestin, 14), dressed in red and black, and the fool (Weston Roper, 19), with a colorful jester's hat, were among the Renaissance Gathering of Rogues and Ruffians, sponsored by Shakespeare on the Edge Inc.
The Electric Rouges, the core performance company of youth, entertained in costume and dialect as royalty and ruffians before the evening performance of Hamlet. Rarely did they break character.
Sarah Anderson, 16, who would later play the ghost of Hamlet's father, approached the young men, with a turkey drumstick in her hand.
"Agk, you eat like a peasant," Hamlet told her.
Rat catcher Rebekah Bak, 12, Monticello, revealed her "pet rats," kept up her sleeves and under her long black wrap. Rats Bob and Fred were quite fuzzy and very much realistic at first glance.
"I spread the plague," she said. Though her face was beautiful, her dark eyes made one shutter and step back at the thought that she might be telling the truth.
Bak went on to play three Shakespearean characters in Hamlet.
The Piazza and its historical barn foundation were transformed into a miniature 16th century village. The original atmosphere of the Piazza was created by owners Nancy Momsen and Terry Hollembaek, with an eclectic collection of plants and shabby chic objects - ceramic pots, rusty lanterns and wooden logs. It was a perfect basis for the Elizabethan county side of Shakespeare's time.
"Nancy said it reminded her of the ruins of Greece or Italy," Hollembaek said.
Throughout the little forest, guests could visit Callie's Pub for some lemonade or root beer, choose a ring of Ophelia's Flowers, watch a Punch and Judy Show, compete in the goblet toss, or see a display of Renaissance military attire from the re-enactment group Guild of Saint Michael. While walking the paths to the various activities, guests were apt to be "infected" with a case of the Bubonic plague.
Guests could also toss a rat to a rat catcher or buy an Elizabethan insult, and dine on a variety of Danish foods, all while listening to the charming Renaissance music by Sheri Novak.
As dusk came, guests were ushered down to the ruins of an old barn for the performance of Hamlet.
Lit with oil lamps and candles reflecting light off the mirrors that surrounded them, the paths through the "forest" to the stage offered theater-goers another change of scenery. Cold, craggy stones formed the backdrop of the stage, and surrounded by trees, the cool of the night and cicadas, the guests experienced the feeling of the murderous King's castle.
The Renaissance Gathering was part of the mission of the newly formed non-profit organization Shakespeare on the Edge, to bring youth, adolescence and adults together to work on self-respect and self-awareness while addressing abuse and violence in the culture through the works of William Shakespeare.
The core company is made up of about 10-12 teens, ages 12-18 years.
This is the second year for Katie Masson, 12, who also played three characters in Hamlet.
"I've been working on Hamlet since about May," she said. She also expanded her Shakespeare work this year to include a summer course Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth at Beloit College.
"This is their heart and passion. They put everything they have into doing Shakespeare," Executive Director Jennifer Bethel said.
"It's hard to explain what Shakespeare on the Edge is, even for me to explain," she said. "You just have to live it and experience it."
Hamlet (Colin Vestin, 14), dressed in red and black, and the fool (Weston Roper, 19), with a colorful jester's hat, were among the Renaissance Gathering of Rogues and Ruffians, sponsored by Shakespeare on the Edge Inc.
The Electric Rouges, the core performance company of youth, entertained in costume and dialect as royalty and ruffians before the evening performance of Hamlet. Rarely did they break character.
Sarah Anderson, 16, who would later play the ghost of Hamlet's father, approached the young men, with a turkey drumstick in her hand.
"Agk, you eat like a peasant," Hamlet told her.
Rat catcher Rebekah Bak, 12, Monticello, revealed her "pet rats," kept up her sleeves and under her long black wrap. Rats Bob and Fred were quite fuzzy and very much realistic at first glance.
"I spread the plague," she said. Though her face was beautiful, her dark eyes made one shutter and step back at the thought that she might be telling the truth.
Bak went on to play three Shakespearean characters in Hamlet.
The Piazza and its historical barn foundation were transformed into a miniature 16th century village. The original atmosphere of the Piazza was created by owners Nancy Momsen and Terry Hollembaek, with an eclectic collection of plants and shabby chic objects - ceramic pots, rusty lanterns and wooden logs. It was a perfect basis for the Elizabethan county side of Shakespeare's time.
"Nancy said it reminded her of the ruins of Greece or Italy," Hollembaek said.
Throughout the little forest, guests could visit Callie's Pub for some lemonade or root beer, choose a ring of Ophelia's Flowers, watch a Punch and Judy Show, compete in the goblet toss, or see a display of Renaissance military attire from the re-enactment group Guild of Saint Michael. While walking the paths to the various activities, guests were apt to be "infected" with a case of the Bubonic plague.
Guests could also toss a rat to a rat catcher or buy an Elizabethan insult, and dine on a variety of Danish foods, all while listening to the charming Renaissance music by Sheri Novak.
As dusk came, guests were ushered down to the ruins of an old barn for the performance of Hamlet.
Lit with oil lamps and candles reflecting light off the mirrors that surrounded them, the paths through the "forest" to the stage offered theater-goers another change of scenery. Cold, craggy stones formed the backdrop of the stage, and surrounded by trees, the cool of the night and cicadas, the guests experienced the feeling of the murderous King's castle.
The Renaissance Gathering was part of the mission of the newly formed non-profit organization Shakespeare on the Edge, to bring youth, adolescence and adults together to work on self-respect and self-awareness while addressing abuse and violence in the culture through the works of William Shakespeare.
The core company is made up of about 10-12 teens, ages 12-18 years.
This is the second year for Katie Masson, 12, who also played three characters in Hamlet.
"I've been working on Hamlet since about May," she said. She also expanded her Shakespeare work this year to include a summer course Wisconsin Center for Academically Talented Youth at Beloit College.
"This is their heart and passion. They put everything they have into doing Shakespeare," Executive Director Jennifer Bethel said.
"It's hard to explain what Shakespeare on the Edge is, even for me to explain," she said. "You just have to live it and experience it."