Lake Park High School students stage Shakespeare comedy

When director Kathy Weber’s cast began memorizing the script for Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor,” she explained each line to the students at Lake Park High School.

“One student said to me, ‘Shakespeare is kicking my butt,’” Weber said.

So she also explained the physical representation of each line, and the result is a slapstick approach to many of the comedic scenes in the production, which debuts at 7 p.m. today in the east campus auditorium.

“Shakespeare isn’t as academic or stuffy as some adults and students believe,” Weber said. “We don’t have to be highbrow.”

Physical comedy is no more evident than in the scene when Sir John Falstaff, scheming to seduce Mistress Ford for financial gain, hides from her jealous husband in a laundry basket.

Disguising himself in the small space isn’t so easy for Chris Necka, the actor portraying Falstaff. The junior towers over his peers onstage and, in a matter of seconds, has to squeeze into the basket — while wearing a fat suit. But Necka pokes fun at his character’s frame, whether he’s rubbing his belly or nervously shaking his knees.

“It looks so chaotic,” said Assistant Director Kelcie Mortell, a senior.

During a recent rehearsal, Weber pushed the scene a step further.

“Put the purple panties on his head,” Weber instructed cast members onstage.

Now, Falstaff’s bearded face peeks out of the basket beneath a halo of purple panties.

Details like that help highlight each cast member.

“We have a lot of colorful characters with quirks and idiosyncrasies,” Weber said. “I have given kids distinctive bits, regardless of how many lines they have.”

When all those details come together on opening night, Weber said she’ll watch her students with pride while sitting in the audience.

“I give up control,” Weber said. “It stops from being my show to their show.”

Performances also are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4 and 5. Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for non-Lake Park students and free for senior citizens, children younger than 13 and Lake Park students.

If you go

If you go

What: Lake Park High School production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor”

When: 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3; 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4 and 5

Where: Lake Park High School East Campus Auditorium, 600 S. Medinah Road, Roselle

Cost: $5 for adults, $3 for non-Lake Park students and free for senior citizens, children younger than 13 and Lake Park students

Info: lptheatreboxoffice@lphs.org