Cell Phone Addicts, Drone Strikes, and…Shakespeare?

All’s Well That Ends Well Debuts Nov 14

Cell phones, fashion wars, military parades, drone strikes, graffiti, and modern medicine: Shakespeare has never looked quite like this. This Friday, November 14, the Children’s Shakespeare Theater (CST) in Palisades debuts their modern re-imagining of All’s Well That Ends Well, a timeless story told through the lens of 2025.

“Because these children are not being brought up in 1602 — they’re being brought up in 2025 — there are a lot of easy parallels that we can make,” said Managing Director Grey Johnson, who believes that Shakespeare will always be relevant.

The play follows the King of France (Alexander Josuweit), who is dying and hopelessly addicted to his cell phone. He refuses the medicines prescribed to him, until Helena (Myla Zimbler), the daughter of a famed but deceased physician, steps in. 

Helena believes so deeply in her late father’s cures that she vows to go to her death if they fail. When the King recovers, he grants Helena anything she desires. She asks for the hand of Bertram (Levon Goldberg), a young lord she loves. The King agrees, but Bertram has other plans. He flees the same day with his reckless friend Parolles (Richard Reimann Valdes) to fight in a faraway European war.

Children’s Shakespeare Theater (CST)  is a nonprofit organization celebrating 25 years of bringing all 37 Shakespeare plays to life with young performers. Artistic Director Brady Amoonclark shared that “[Audience members] have a great opportunity in Rockland County to come support a small local nonprofit.” The company encourages all children to try their hand at acting, no prior experience required.

CST functions as both a theater company and an educational program. Emilia Falkner, 17, is the Assistant Director of All’s Well That Ends Well and has played over 20 characters throughout her time in CST. Reminiscing on her years with the program, she said “You learn how to project, you learn how to be sure of yourself and also to adapt to circumstances.”

Amoonclark emphasized the importance of teaching patience and being present, especially in today’s era of instant gratification. “One of the things we teach kids how to do is wait. When you’re doing theater, you have to wait your turn, and wait your turn quietly. It’s a new skill to cultivate.” CST prioritizes confidence, creativity, and community, especially for many of their homeschooled actors. For CST’s young actors, learning Shakespeare is as much about understanding the human condition as it is about memorizing lines.

Falkner said, “Shakespeare is so relevant to this day. Every play shows how humanity sort of repeats itself… It gives you a certain perspective on human actions.” All’s Well That Ends Well works powerfully in a modern setting with its timeless lessons on pride, growth, and forgiveness.

This Friday, take a break from the own drama in your lives and come see it done professionally. If you are interested in getting involved, let them know! There are several one-day workshops that families can try to see if CST is a good fit for them “While this is a theater company, I’ve always seen it as more of an education program,” Amoonclark says. “It’s magical to see how much they learn — about theater, and about themselves.”