SHAKESPEARE BASH'd

  • About Us
    • Mission Statement
    • Company Members >
      • 'Tis Pity She's a Whore - Cast & Crew
      • Cymbeline - Cast & Crew
      • A Midsummer Night's Dream - Cast & Crew
      • As You Like It - Cast & Crew
      • Othello - Cast & Crew
      • The Duchess of Malfi - Cast & Crew
      • Measure for Measure - Cast & Crew
      • Richard III - Cast & Crew
      • Volpone - Cast & Crew
      • Gorboduc - Cast & Crew
      • Twelfth Night - Cast & Crew
      • The Changeling - Cast & Crew
      • The Comedy of Errors - Cast & Crew
      • Hamlet - Cast & Crew
      • King John - Cast & Crew
      • The Merry Wives of Windsor - Cast & Crew
      • The Taming of the Shrew (Remount) - Cast & Crew
      • Macbeth - Cast & Crew
      • Love's Labour's Lost - Cast & Crew
      • Romeo & Juliet - Cast & Crew
    • History
  • Productions
    • Cymbeline >
      • Mairi Babb - QUEEN
      • Emilio Vieira - CLOTEN
      • Bailey Green - PISANIO
      • Déjah Dixon-Green - ARVIRAGUS
      • Jesse Nerenberg - POSTHUMUS
      • Kiana Woo - PHILARIO
      • Daniel Briere - IACHIMO
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - DIRECTOR
      • David Mackett - CYMBELINE
      • Melanie Leon - GUIDERIUS
      • James Wallis - BELARIUS
      • Catherine Rainville - INNOGEN
      • Christopher Brackett - STAGE MANAGER
    • A Midsummer Night's Dream >
      • Eliza Martin - HERMIA
      • Nicholas Nahwegahbow - THESEUS/SNOUT
      • Zara Jestadt - TITANIA
      • Megan Miles - QUINCE
      • Michelle Mohammed - PUCK
      • Christopher Brackett - STAGE MANAGER
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - BOTTOM
      • Kate McArthur - OBERON
      • Mussié Solomon - DEMETRIUS
      • John Wamsley - FLUTE
      • Catherine Rainville - DIRECTOR
      • Nyiri Karakas - HELENA
      • Hilary Adams - SNUG
      • Justin Mullen - LYSANDER
      • James Wallis - DIRECTOR
    • As You Like It >
      • Brittany Kay - PHOEBE
      • Aubree Erickson - OLIVER
      • Jonny Thompson - AUDREY
      • Olivia Croft - JACQUES
      • Daniel Briere - DUKE
      • Hilary Adams - WILMA
      • Justin Mullen - ORLANDO
      • Lesley Robertson - TOUCHSTONE
      • Bailey Green - ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
      • Michael Chiem - SILVIUS
      • Cara Pantalone - ADAM
      • Jade Douris - CELIA
      • Kaleb Horn - AMIENS
      • Hallie Seline - ROSALIND
      • Drew O'Hara - DIRECTOR
    • Othello >
      • Jennifer Dzialoszynski - EMILIA
      • Dylan Evans - CASSIO
      • Melanie Leon - MONTANA
      • Jeff Dingle - RODERIGO
      • David Mackett - BRABANTIO
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - CLOWN
      • Olivia Croft - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
      • Catherine Rainville - DESDEMONA
      • Natasha Ramondino - BIANCA
      • Christopher Brackett - STAGE MANAGER
      • James Graham - IAGO
      • Wilex Ly - LODOVICO
      • James Wallis - DIRECTOR
      • E.B. Smith - OTHELLO
    • Measure for Measure >
      • Olivia Croft - ESCALUS
      • Tim MacLean - ELBOW/BARNARDINE
      • Megan Miles - JULIET/FRANCISCA
      • Michael Man - LUCIO
      • Lesley Robertson - POMPEY
      • Drew O'Hara - PROVOST
      • Geoffrey Armour - Angelo
      • Melanie Leon - MARIANA
      • Cara Pantalone - OVERDONE
      • David Ross - Duke
      • Jeff Yung - Claudio
      • Sochi Fried - ISABELLA
      • Catherine Rainville - DIRECTOR
    • Richard III >
      • Jennifer Dzialoszynski - ANNE / LORD MAYOR
      • Shalyn McFaul - DUCHESS / GREY
      • Trevor Pease - CLARENCE/EDWARD/RATCLIFFE
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - DIRECTOR
      • Cosette Derome - BUCKINGHAM / NORFOLK
      • Jade Douris - BRACKENBURY/RIVERS/YORK
      • Catherine Rainville - ELIZABETH/CATESBY
      • Joseph Zita - STANLEY/MURDERER
      • Suzette McCanny - MARGARET/EDWARD
      • Drew O'Hara - MURDERER/SCRIVENER/RICHMOND
      • Kelly Wong - HASTINGS/TYRREL
      • James Wallis - RICHARD
    • Volpone
    • Gorboduc
    • Twelfth Night >
      • James Wallis - DIRECTOR
      • Catherine Rainville - DESIGNER
      • Jeff Yung - SEBASTIAN
      • Jesse Griffiths - MALVOLIO
      • Shawn Ahmed - ORSINO
      • Hallie Seline - OLIVIA
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - MARIA
      • Augusto Bitter - FABIAN
      • Daniel Briere - SIR TOBY
      • Jesse Nerenberg - SIR ANDREW
      • Lesley Robertson - FESTE
      • Nate Bitton - ANTONIO
      • Franziska Beeler - CURIO
      • Jade Douris - VIOLA
    • The Changeling
    • The Comedy of Errors
    • Hamlet >
      • Daniel Briere as POLONIUS
      • Jade Douris as GUILDENSTERN
      • Jennifer Dzialoszynski as LAERTES
      • Darcy Haywood Stoop, STAGE MANAGER
      • Tim MacLean as PLAYER KING / GRAVEDIGGER / BARNARDO
      • Megan Miles as ROSENCRANTZ
      • Jesse Nerenberg as HORATIO
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus as OPHELIA
      • Drew O'Hara as MARCELLUS/THIRD PLAYER/OSRIC
      • David Ross as CLAUDIUS
      • Jane Spence as GERTRUDE
      • James Wallis as HAMLET
    • King John >
      • King John - Family Tree
    • Edward II - Staged Reading
    • The Merry Wives of Windsor
    • The Taming of the Shrew - Remount 2015
    • Macbeth
    • Love's Labour's Lost
    • Romeo & Juliet
    • Much Ado About Nothing
    • The Taming of the Shrew
    • A Midsummer Night's Dream - Staged Reading
    • Romeo & Juliet - Staged Reading
  • Support Us
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
    • Mission Statement
    • Company Members >
      • 'Tis Pity She's a Whore - Cast & Crew
      • Cymbeline - Cast & Crew
      • A Midsummer Night's Dream - Cast & Crew
      • As You Like It - Cast & Crew
      • Othello - Cast & Crew
      • The Duchess of Malfi - Cast & Crew
      • Measure for Measure - Cast & Crew
      • Richard III - Cast & Crew
      • Volpone - Cast & Crew
      • Gorboduc - Cast & Crew
      • Twelfth Night - Cast & Crew
      • The Changeling - Cast & Crew
      • The Comedy of Errors - Cast & Crew
      • Hamlet - Cast & Crew
      • King John - Cast & Crew
      • The Merry Wives of Windsor - Cast & Crew
      • The Taming of the Shrew (Remount) - Cast & Crew
      • Macbeth - Cast & Crew
      • Love's Labour's Lost - Cast & Crew
      • Romeo & Juliet - Cast & Crew
    • History
  • Productions
    • Cymbeline >
      • Mairi Babb - QUEEN
      • Emilio Vieira - CLOTEN
      • Bailey Green - PISANIO
      • Déjah Dixon-Green - ARVIRAGUS
      • Jesse Nerenberg - POSTHUMUS
      • Kiana Woo - PHILARIO
      • Daniel Briere - IACHIMO
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - DIRECTOR
      • David Mackett - CYMBELINE
      • Melanie Leon - GUIDERIUS
      • James Wallis - BELARIUS
      • Catherine Rainville - INNOGEN
      • Christopher Brackett - STAGE MANAGER
    • A Midsummer Night's Dream >
      • Eliza Martin - HERMIA
      • Nicholas Nahwegahbow - THESEUS/SNOUT
      • Zara Jestadt - TITANIA
      • Megan Miles - QUINCE
      • Michelle Mohammed - PUCK
      • Christopher Brackett - STAGE MANAGER
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - BOTTOM
      • Kate McArthur - OBERON
      • Mussié Solomon - DEMETRIUS
      • John Wamsley - FLUTE
      • Catherine Rainville - DIRECTOR
      • Nyiri Karakas - HELENA
      • Hilary Adams - SNUG
      • Justin Mullen - LYSANDER
      • James Wallis - DIRECTOR
    • As You Like It >
      • Brittany Kay - PHOEBE
      • Aubree Erickson - OLIVER
      • Jonny Thompson - AUDREY
      • Olivia Croft - JACQUES
      • Daniel Briere - DUKE
      • Hilary Adams - WILMA
      • Justin Mullen - ORLANDO
      • Lesley Robertson - TOUCHSTONE
      • Bailey Green - ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR
      • Michael Chiem - SILVIUS
      • Cara Pantalone - ADAM
      • Jade Douris - CELIA
      • Kaleb Horn - AMIENS
      • Hallie Seline - ROSALIND
      • Drew O'Hara - DIRECTOR
    • Othello >
      • Jennifer Dzialoszynski - EMILIA
      • Dylan Evans - CASSIO
      • Melanie Leon - MONTANA
      • Jeff Dingle - RODERIGO
      • David Mackett - BRABANTIO
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - CLOWN
      • Olivia Croft - ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
      • Catherine Rainville - DESDEMONA
      • Natasha Ramondino - BIANCA
      • Christopher Brackett - STAGE MANAGER
      • James Graham - IAGO
      • Wilex Ly - LODOVICO
      • James Wallis - DIRECTOR
      • E.B. Smith - OTHELLO
    • Measure for Measure >
      • Olivia Croft - ESCALUS
      • Tim MacLean - ELBOW/BARNARDINE
      • Megan Miles - JULIET/FRANCISCA
      • Michael Man - LUCIO
      • Lesley Robertson - POMPEY
      • Drew O'Hara - PROVOST
      • Geoffrey Armour - Angelo
      • Melanie Leon - MARIANA
      • Cara Pantalone - OVERDONE
      • David Ross - Duke
      • Jeff Yung - Claudio
      • Sochi Fried - ISABELLA
      • Catherine Rainville - DIRECTOR
    • Richard III >
      • Jennifer Dzialoszynski - ANNE / LORD MAYOR
      • Shalyn McFaul - DUCHESS / GREY
      • Trevor Pease - CLARENCE/EDWARD/RATCLIFFE
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - DIRECTOR
      • Cosette Derome - BUCKINGHAM / NORFOLK
      • Jade Douris - BRACKENBURY/RIVERS/YORK
      • Catherine Rainville - ELIZABETH/CATESBY
      • Joseph Zita - STANLEY/MURDERER
      • Suzette McCanny - MARGARET/EDWARD
      • Drew O'Hara - MURDERER/SCRIVENER/RICHMOND
      • Kelly Wong - HASTINGS/TYRREL
      • James Wallis - RICHARD
    • Volpone
    • Gorboduc
    • Twelfth Night >
      • James Wallis - DIRECTOR
      • Catherine Rainville - DESIGNER
      • Jeff Yung - SEBASTIAN
      • Jesse Griffiths - MALVOLIO
      • Shawn Ahmed - ORSINO
      • Hallie Seline - OLIVIA
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus - MARIA
      • Augusto Bitter - FABIAN
      • Daniel Briere - SIR TOBY
      • Jesse Nerenberg - SIR ANDREW
      • Lesley Robertson - FESTE
      • Nate Bitton - ANTONIO
      • Franziska Beeler - CURIO
      • Jade Douris - VIOLA
    • The Changeling
    • The Comedy of Errors
    • Hamlet >
      • Daniel Briere as POLONIUS
      • Jade Douris as GUILDENSTERN
      • Jennifer Dzialoszynski as LAERTES
      • Darcy Haywood Stoop, STAGE MANAGER
      • Tim MacLean as PLAYER KING / GRAVEDIGGER / BARNARDO
      • Megan Miles as ROSENCRANTZ
      • Jesse Nerenberg as HORATIO
      • Julia Nish-Lapidus as OPHELIA
      • Drew O'Hara as MARCELLUS/THIRD PLAYER/OSRIC
      • David Ross as CLAUDIUS
      • Jane Spence as GERTRUDE
      • James Wallis as HAMLET
    • King John >
      • King John - Family Tree
    • Edward II - Staged Reading
    • The Merry Wives of Windsor
    • The Taming of the Shrew - Remount 2015
    • Macbeth
    • Love's Labour's Lost
    • Romeo & Juliet
    • Much Ado About Nothing
    • The Taming of the Shrew
    • A Midsummer Night's Dream - Staged Reading
    • Romeo & Juliet - Staged Reading
  • Support Us
  • Contact Us

Company Interviews: Melanie Leon as Guiderius

Click here to buy your tickets to Cymbeline
We asked Melanie Leon, who plays Guiderius and a Gentlewoman in our production of Cymbeline, a few questions about herself, the production, and romance...
PictureMelanie Leon as Guiderius. Photo by Kyle Purcell.
Shakespeare BASH'd sets its productions in bars. What is the weirdest place you've performed?
It's a tie. I was in a devised physical theatre piece called Flooded that took place on a boat. It sailed every night before sunset for the duration of the show. The other wild, site specific show I was in took place in one of the most haunted buildings in all of Canada, The Maritime Museum in Victoria, BC. While that venue was totally stunning, I was mildly disappointed with the lack of paranormal activity that I experienced...

What might people be interested to know about your take on your character?
Once again, I'm playing a character that was originally written for a man, so exploring Guiderius, not only as a woman, but as the individual that I am has been quite rewarding. Guiderius is immediately othered by Cloten. He calls her "base," "rustic," and "slavish," simply for living a lifestyle contrary to his. Because of this prejudice (and his colossal arrogance) he seriously underestimates her strength, which as a woman (and stage combatant) is all too familiar to me. It's just so satisfying  having all the heroes of this story played by uniquely strong women. Even the villainous Queen, as ruthless as she is, still remains a true and utter badass.

What is your history with Shakespeare BASH'd?
This is my third show with Shakespeare BASH'd, but it's unique in that it's my first time working with Julia as my director! She's so knowledgeable with the text, and I love that she's leaning into the fairytale concept. I feel like it really gives me permission to play during this process.

If you were running away into the woods, who would you take with you and why?
My god, if I'm going into the woods, no doubt about it, I'm bringing my sister. The name of the game is survival, because Lord knows I'm useless when it comes to the outdoors and she is a total woodswoman. She's a camp guide in Temagami and takes youths into the woods every summer for something crazy like 30 days at time! Honestly, I've thought about her a lot during this process and as an inspiration for Guiderius. I love you, Maggie XO

Cymbeline is often classified as a romance. Are you a romantic?
Of course I love a grand romantic gesture, but honestly, it's the little love gestures that bring me the most sustainable joy. My sweetheart and I are really into leaving each other hidden post it notes around our homes. Makes my heart leap every time I find one. If you make the other laugh, you get extra points.

If your character were at Junction City Music Hall, what drink would they order?
Wellington Brewery Brown Ale

What is your post-show drink of choice?
A double shot of rye, neat.

What are you most excited for people to see in this production?
All these talented humans. This is one of the more difficult Shakespeare plays to stage and I think everyone is doing a fantastic job at telling this bonkers story. I cant wait for you folks to see it!

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