In the last 18 months, I’ve played Elbow (Measure for Measure), Hortensio (Taming of the Shrew), Launcelot Gobbo (Merchant of Venice) and am currently appearing as Malvolio in perhaps my favorite Shakespeare comedy of all-time, “Twelfth Night.” I get to do this under the stars on top of a mountain overlooking the San Gabriel valley, in a Greek amphitheater on the grounds of a Catholic Girls’ School. And I’m being paid Equity wages. It doesn’t get much sweeter than this. I know there are plenty of Hollywood types that don’t think Shakespeare applies to our little industry, but when you are killing them with laughter, it doesn’t matter if the words are 400 years old. Here’s a review:

There’s also an oddball gentleman named Malvolio (Michael Faulkner) who inspires laughs aplenty, particularly when tricked by the aforementioned trio into wearing “yellow stockings and purple cross-garters” (or their semi-contemporary equivalent)… there’s Faulkner’s brilliant comic work as Malvolio, whether practicing what appears to be the gent’s first smile ever, or romping about in skin-tight yellow-and-black checked pants, or doing frequent face-first pratfalls into the sand. – Stage Scene LA

The La Cañada Flintridge Shakespeare Festival is in its third season and is growing by leaps and bounds. It’s an all-professional (all-union) cast that is a joy to work with. Half-price tickets are available here.

Yeah, that’s me in the pic. OH YEAH.