The South Puget Sound Community College (SPSCC) Theatre Collective and Centralia College present a co-production of The Book of Will. Written by acclaimed playwright Lauren Gunderson and directed by Olympia icon Brian Tyrrell, the play will run from November 7 to 10, 2024 at SPSCC’s Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts and November 21 to 24, 2024 at Centralia College’s Corbet Theatre.
The Book of Will tells the little-known, true story of how William Shakespeare’s friends, Henry Condell and John Hemings, rescued half of his plays from being lost forever. After the Bard’s death, these two actors embark on a quest to compile the First Folio, preserving the words that shaped their lives and changed the course of literature. Their journey to honor Shakespeare’s legacy takes them through the bustling streets of Elizabethan London, weaving together a narrative of love, loss, and laughter.
The cast includes Drew Doyle, Andy Gordon, Russ Holm, Paige Doyle, Kim Holm, Kate Anders, Dan Overton, Joseph Medina, Seth MacNeely, Ed Thorpe, Kimberlee Wolfson, Sophie Bustetter, Derek Blankenship, Stephani Hemness, Kathy Dorgan, as well as SPSCC students Skylar Augustine and Kai Sale. Former SPSCC theater students Brennan Tucker (Assistant Director) and Owen Yates (Lighting Designer) play key roles in bringing this production to life with the support of current students Kit Pries, Marisol Steltzner, and Carrie Thompson behind the scenes.
“We are delighted to be co-producing the show with Centralia College, where the performances will move for a second weekend of performances. I'm so excited to welcome these incredible artists to the stage, to allow our students to work with them, and to invite audiences to playwright Lauren Gunderson's delightful and moving play,” said Dr. Lauren Love, Drama Professor at SPSCC. “In theatricalizing the love between Shakespeare's friends and among them for his beautiful plays, Gunderson delivers the gift of his legacy to all of us.”
At the Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts, admission is a suggested $12 donation and is free for SPSCC students, staff, and faculty. To purchase tickets for the Corbet Theatre performances, please visit Centralia College’s Drama page. More information, including performance dates and times, is available on SPSCC’s Arts & Entertainment Calendar.
- Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts | Nov. 7, 8, and 9 at 7 p.m.
- Kenneth J. Minnaert Center for the Arts | Nov. 9 and 10 at 2 p.m.
- Corbet Theatre | Nov. 21, 22 and 23 at 7 p.m.
- Corbet Theatre | Nov. 23 and 24 at 2 p.m.