The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
Mar 9, 2012

Actors Theater of Minnesota brings three of the Twin Cities' wittiest improv artists to the stage in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield, and directed by comedy stalwart Shanan Custer. Tom Reed, Neil Schneider, and Nathan Tylutki star in this cheeky, energetic romp through each of Shakespreare's 37 plays. The Complete Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) plays at the Cabaret at Camp Bar in Saint Paul, April 5 - 28.

"All the world's a stage," as Tom, Neil, and Nathan take on the seemingly ridiculous task of performing every comedy, tragedy, and history play ever penned by the venerable Billy Shakes-and all in under two hours. To do so requires some clever interpretations, quick-witted improvisations, and more than a little cross-dressing. The trio works its way through all but one of Shakespeare's plays, leaving his "greatest play," Hamlet, for last. After calling upon the audience to help perform this famously difficult tragedy, the actors then play it out several more times, increasing the speed of their delivery until they set the record for the world's shortest performance of Hamlet. This madcap comedy revue has something for the expert Shakespearian scholar, the novice, and everyone in between.

The Complete Wrks of Wllm Shkspr (Abridged) was originally performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1987, and later at the Criterion Theatre in London where it ran for nine years.

About the Cast

Tom Reed is a Minneapolis actor, improviser and comedian who has performed regularly at Brave New Workshop, Comedy Sportz and Stevie Ray's and is a frequent host of Sample Night Live as the crooning sensation Lounge-asaurus Rex. Reed starred as "Princeton" in Mixed Blood Theatre's production of Avenue Q and wrote and starred in the Fringe Festival musical parody hits Disney Dethroned, Bite Me Twilight and Parry Hotter & the Half-Drunk Twins. His performance experience also includes films, choirs, competing with Minnesota Slam Poetry national teams and an unusually inclusive production of The Vagina Monologues. Reed grew up near the tiny town of Kent, MN, on a small organic farm and graduated from Concordia College, Moorhead, MN.

Nathan Tylutki has been performing in the Twin Cities metro area for over a decade. He has been featured in shows at Park Square Theater, Illusion Theater, Theatre Pro Rata, Shadowplay Theater, Table Salt Productions, Minnesota Shakespeare Company, and Flower Shop Project, among others. Nathan is also a guest host for the Kids' Clubhouse at Children's Hospital, a live and interactive closed circuit television show. In addition to acting, Nathan is the Assistant Director and Scenic Designer at theatre e3, a youth theater company dedicated to education, performance and ensemble building. Nathan is also the Co-Technical Director of South High School Theater in Minneapolis and a repeat guest artist and designer at Saint Paul Academy.

Neil Schneider relocated from eastern Wisconsin to Minneapolis in August 2007 to tour with CLIMB Theatre for two seasons and then coordinate their audition program, the Twin Cities Unified Theatre Auditions, for two more seasons. He has also performed in several shows with several companies-some of which including Naked I: World Premier with 20% Theatre Company; Dirty Girls Come Clean: The Return with Freshwater Theatre Company, which he also co-produced; Four Destinies with Theatre Mu; and Klingon Christmas Carol with Commedia Beauregard. Schneider has worked as a teaching-artist for Stages Theatre Company and was a guest artist at the Concordia Theatre and Dance Department in 2010 for their production of On the Verge.

Shanan Custer, in addition to directing, has recently been seen in Four Destinies with Mu Performing Arts, Smothers Brothers Grimm at the 2011 MN Fringe Festival, Employee of the Year with The Producing House (for which she was also the writer), Dudley: Rigged for Laughter at the History Theater and Dead Man's Cell Phone at Park Square Theatre. Custer has also written and produced 2 Sugars, Room for Cream with Carolyn Pool; From Here to Maternity with Joshua Scrimshaw; Mary Loves Joseph: A Wonderful Love Story with www.pickalineproductions.com; and At Christmas with Jim Robinson and Mick Sterling.

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