About Us
The Bare Bodkins History
The Bare Bodkins Theatre Company was founded in
1997 by Dr. Ivan Fuller of Augustana College. In the
summer of 1995, Dr. Fuller attended a National
Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute on
staging Shakespeare. When he returned to Sioux
Falls and Augustana College, he was determined to
apply what he had learned for the Sioux Falls area
actors and audiences. He applied to the South
Dakota Arts Council for funding and was granted the
start-up money needed to launch the company. The
city of Sioux Falls gave permission to use the ruins of
the Queen Bee Mill at Falls Park as a performance
space and in July 1997, they presented Macbeth. For
the first two years, the company relied on audience
donations to cover their expenses, but in 1999 the
Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department
decided to fund the company in order to assure that
audiences would continue to have free Shakespeare
in the parks.
1997 by Dr. Ivan Fuller of Augustana College. In the
summer of 1995, Dr. Fuller attended a National
Endowment for the Humanities Summer Institute on
staging Shakespeare. When he returned to Sioux
Falls and Augustana College, he was determined to
apply what he had learned for the Sioux Falls area
actors and audiences. He applied to the South
Dakota Arts Council for funding and was granted the
start-up money needed to launch the company. The
city of Sioux Falls gave permission to use the ruins of
the Queen Bee Mill at Falls Park as a performance
space and in July 1997, they presented Macbeth. For
the first two years, the company relied on audience
donations to cover their expenses, but in 1999 the
Sioux Falls Parks and Recreation Department
decided to fund the company in order to assure that
audiences would continue to have free Shakespeare
in the parks.
Our Mission
The Bare Bodkins Theatre Company was created in
order to bring a unique type of theatre to the Sioux
Falls area. The focus of Bare Bodkins productions is
on the performer, the text and the relationship
between these two and the audience. While not
solely restricting itself to Elizabethan scripts, the
works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries are
the primary sources for shows produced. Bare
Bodkins’ production approach is to capture the
dynamics of Elizabethan staging conventions for
today’s audience. These conventions include:
universal lighting, thrust staging, small casts with
much doubling of roles, genderless casting, live
music, contemporary costumes, minimal sets, and a
very fast pace. The company employs community
performers and strives to produce outstanding,
inexpensive theatre using the motto: “less is more.”
order to bring a unique type of theatre to the Sioux
Falls area. The focus of Bare Bodkins productions is
on the performer, the text and the relationship
between these two and the audience. While not
solely restricting itself to Elizabethan scripts, the
works of Shakespeare and his contemporaries are
the primary sources for shows produced. Bare
Bodkins’ production approach is to capture the
dynamics of Elizabethan staging conventions for
today’s audience. These conventions include:
universal lighting, thrust staging, small casts with
much doubling of roles, genderless casting, live
music, contemporary costumes, minimal sets, and a
very fast pace. The company employs community
performers and strives to produce outstanding,
inexpensive theatre using the motto: “less is more.”
ABOUT US!
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Our Past Seasons
1997 -- Macbeth
1998 -- The Comedy of Errors
The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged)
1999 -- Romeo & Juliet
The Cotton Patch Gospel
2000 -- Twelfth Night
2001 -- Midsummer Nights (the Musical)
2002 -- Hamlet
2003 -- The Winter's Tale
2004 -- Richard II
2005 -- A Midsummer Night's Dream
2006 -- Measure for Measure
2007 -- Macbeth
2008 -- Bare Bodkins Shakespearience!
Rabbit Hole
1998 -- The Comedy of Errors
The Complete Works of Shakespeare (abridged)
1999 -- Romeo & Juliet
The Cotton Patch Gospel
2000 -- Twelfth Night
2001 -- Midsummer Nights (the Musical)
2002 -- Hamlet
2003 -- The Winter's Tale
2004 -- Richard II
2005 -- A Midsummer Night's Dream
2006 -- Measure for Measure
2007 -- Macbeth
2008 -- Bare Bodkins Shakespearience!
Rabbit Hole