We sat down with the amazing production team of King Lear to get their thoughts on the rehearsal process and help us preview what’s to come. Read on to meet the director, assistant director, stage manager, and set designer and hear their wonderful insights. Stay tuned for more tech week content on our website and social media in the coming days!
Leslie Patient, Director
Q: What are you most excited for the audience to experience with this production?
A: I'm excited for the audience to feel the profound message that true wealth comes through love of family, self, and nature.
This is Leslie’s fourth outdoor Shakespeare performance with SCP. She performed as Polonius in Hamlet and then directed the witches in “The Scottish Play” and co-directed and costumed Twelfth Night last year. Previous directing credits include fifteen years as the theatre director for Purnell School where her acting troupe "Adlibbers" won "best ensemble" for three consecutive years and for which Leslie won "best director" in 2010 at Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Shakespearience Festival. She would like to thank Jesse, John, Darren, and the entire cast for their amazing and magical collaboration.
Jesse Luciani, Assistant Director
Q: What is a favorite moment from the rehearsal process?
A: My favorite moment from rehearsal has to be getting the chance to work with the cast one-on-one on their scenes, incorporating the set, and letting them get to play and have fun with it!
Jesse R. Luciani is happy to be back behind the scenes with SCP. You may remember him from directing The Last Five Years and Mary, Mary. On stage he has participated in two other "Shakespeare in the Sheds" productions, portraying Macbeth in Macbeth and Laertes in Hamlet. Jesse would like to thank his family, his loving wife Elizabeth, and the cast and crew for being so supportive.
John Leslie, Stage Manager
Q: How is this production different from others you have stage managed at SCP?
A: This is my fourth show with Stone Church Players as stage manager, and it's the largest production by far! We have a cast of 14 wonderful actors, a giant playground set courtesy of Darren DeAngelo, and great sound design created by Steve Patient. It all seems fitting for one of Shakespeare's most impactful tragedies. Truth be told. I was never familiar with King Lear and often struggled with the text. Being part of this production has helped me understand why this story has weathered the storms of time. I am so grateful to work with Leslie, Jesse, and the rest of this fantastic group.
This is John Leslie's fourth production as stage manager with Stone Church Players. John was awarded a 2024 NJACT Perry Award for Outstanding Stage Management of a Play (Stone Church Players - The Crucible) in 2024. He most recently performed in the staged reading of "Mary, Mary" by Felicia Russell. Beyond the stage, John is an educator, teaching English and Drama.
Darren DeAngelo, Set Designer & Technical Director
Q: What is your favorite set piece you created for this show?
A: I think my favorite piece of this set is the see-saw which my twin grandson and granddaughter will get to enjoy for many years.
Q: Is it challenging to create for outdoors vs indoors?
A: Unlike a more controlled environment on an inside set, each outside production is unique based on each background setting (Sheds vs Facing Cemetery space, how wide will the set need to be, natural sounds (trees and leave rustling) birds, the wind itself, and natural lighting for daytime shows and even the dusk lighting before lighting can take full effect for night productions.
This is Darren’s 4th outside “Shakespear in the Sheds” set construction production with SCP. Another fun challenge bringing to life this unique set design concept by the production team for this amazing cast to “play on” !!! Prior production sets include Hamlet, MacBeth, and The Crucible (Outside) and Bridges of Madison County and She Loves Me (Inside) When not building sets Darren has performed at SCP in the productions of Little Women (Mr. Lawrence), Hamlet (Player), She Loves Me (Sipos), and Christmas radio shows Miracle on 34 th Street and Meet Me in St. Louis.