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Performances
2024 Season
Wacky drunken hijinks and tense political machinations trade off in this new conflated adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Henry IV Parts 1 and 2. King Henry IV of England is at his wit’s end with his firstborn son, Prince Henry (aka Hal). Instead of, ya know, learning how to rule a country, Hal instead spends his days hanging out with the notoriously witty drunkard and all-around scoundrel Sir John Falstaff and his merry band of borderline criminals. Meanwhile, rebellion is brewing—Harry Percy (nicknamed Hotspur because she has no chill) and her family are mustering an army to move against the King. Can Hal leave behind his wastrel ways in time to reclaim his country, his father’s respect, and his birthright? Or will Sir John Falstaff drag him down into a life of infamy, folly, and hilariously biting insults?
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RATING:
PG: Crude Shakespearean humor, depictions of alcohol use, sword fighting, bloodless onstage deaths
Performers
Millie Galasso
Guest Star
Millie (they/them), a Chicago native, fell in love with Shakespeare while poring over King Lear for dramaturgy class as a playwriting major at Columbia College Chicago and never looked back. Millie has been involved with theater since age five in various iterations - as an actor, vocalist, playwright, dancer, science educator, and member of the faerie court (as one does). When not performing, Millie is still at the theater coordinating volunteers for The Majestic. Favorite past roles include Miss Hannigan (Annie), The Cat in the Hat (Seussical), Narrator (Joseph), Fraulein Kost (Cabaret), and Mollie Ralston (The Mousetrap). Much love and thanks to Nora, for everything.
Jeff Miller
Guest Star
Jeff Miller (he/him) has previously appeared as Commadeira in The Concealed Fancies, as Flip Benham in Roe, and as King Alonso in The Tempest, all at the Majestic Theater in Corvallis. He has also appeared as Longaville in Merely Players’ 2023 production of Love’s Labors Lost. In his day job, he writes and oversees media strategy for technology companies. Jeff enjoys baking bread, bicycling, hiking and driving to Seattle where his daughter is a student at the University of Washington.
Angeliki de Morgan
Guest Star
Angie (she/her) moved to Corvallis in 2012 and got back into acting when her sons joined the theater program at CHS, where she appeared in ‘Oliver the Musical’ and ‘Fiddler on the Roof’. After originally going to WOU to obtain a degree in Psychology, she realized that theater is what she loves to do and got a Theatre degree in acting instead. This is also where she discovered her love of Shakespeare and she is happy to join her fellow thespians in Shakespearean shenanigans. Past productions she has appeared in, among others, are ‘The Tempest’ (Prospero), ‘Hamlet’ (Polonia), ‘Daddy’s Girl’ (Big Earl Ella), ‘An Ideal Husband’ (Lady Markby), ‘Shakespeare in Hollywood’ (Max Reinhardt), ‘Cymbeline’ (Queen), ‘Mother Courage and her Children’ (Mother Courage), and ‘Measure for Measure’ (Duke). Angie is super excited about joining Merely Players and hopes you enjoy this production as much as she and her fellow cast members do.
Harriet Owen Nixon
Current Shareholder
Harriet (she/her) is incredibly honored to be working with the fine and distinguished people you see before you. These performers have worked very hard on this show, and they are so very gracious and talented. She would like to thank our very patient fight choreographer and all of the amazing people who support us silly theater-types in our theatrical endeavors (yes, that includes you, dear husband). Harriet has been around the Willamette Valley theater scene for a few years; on, off, around, behind, and before the stage. Her directing credits include The Wolves, I am my own Wife, and Fawlty Towers. Some of her on-stage romps include Vonda in Venus in Fur, Dolly in Hello Dolly, and Claire in Boston Marriage. Slainte, our beloved patrons, enjoy a tasty beverage.
Sarika Rao
Current Shareholder
Sarika (she/her) seems to have found her niche in Shakespeare courtesy of all the talented folks here in the Corvallis area. She was last seen dancing as a fire spirit in the Majestic’s “Tempest”, and playing Cleopatra (and four other roles!) in Rachel Kohler’s adaptation of “Antony and Cleopatra” for the Majestic’s Readers Theatre. When not acting, you can find her spending way too much time on her phone.
The King of Navarre and his two best friends are huge nerds, and they make a pact to spend three years studying together while ignoring worldly pursuits. Unfortunately, the King is so excited to launch his own little academy that he forgets that the Princess of France and her ladies are about to arrive on an important visit of state. Scrambling to balance providing appropriate hospitality while keeping to their scholarly vows, the King and his friends rapidly find themselves falling in love. With the dubious help of the rest of the King's household (including an overly dramatic Spaniard, a sassy swain, and a galaxy-brained schoolmaster), the lords attempt to woo the ladies before some unexpected news brings everything tumbling down. You won’t want to miss this new adaptation of the silliest, frothiest, and punniest of Shakespeare’s comedies.
Performers
Nancy Homan
Guest Star
Nancy Homan (she/her) has been involved with local theater for quite a few years. She's been on stage, back stage, in zoom, and even one time in the orchestra pit! Shakespeare has been a long time favorite. She's carried a spear in Bard in the Quad's Romeo & Juliet; worn a donkey's head in Shakespeare's Long Lost First Play, and swept the lobster in Comedy of Errors. Her first foray into directing was the Majesticpiece Theater's Zoom production of Romeo & Juliet in Nov, 2020. She served as the AD for the incredible War of the Roses at the Majestic last year and now gets to be a part of this hilarious show. What's not to love?
Laurie Mason
Laurie Mason (she/her) lived most of her 60+ years under the misapprehension that Shakespeare is tedious. Her wake-up came in 2022, when she was offered the role of Richard, Duke of York, in Rachel Kohler's Wars of the Roses, a director-penned adaptation of the Henry VI plays. Mason looks forward to bringing Kohler's adaptation of Love's Labour's Lost to stages and grassy fields around the mid-Willamette Valley this summer, and awaits with pleasurable anticipation what Merely Players, LLC, will produce next season.
Founding Company Member
2023 Season
Jeff Miller
Guest Star
Jeff Miller (he/him) has previously appeared as Commadeira in The Concealed Fancies and as Flip Benham in Roe, both at the Majestic Theater in Corvallis. In his day job, he writes and oversees media strategy for technology companies. Jeff enjoys baking bread, bicycling, hiking and driving to Seattle where his daughter is a student at the University of Washington.
Arlee Olson
Founding Company Member
Arlee Olson (she/her) moved to Corvallis after teaching drama, English, and social studies at international schools in Hong Kong, Manila, Saudi Arabia, and Morocco (with an odd but rewarding detour into fifth grade math in Germany.) While on a four-year break in Reedsport Oregon, she discovered a beautiful theater being used only for school assemblies and fly-fishing conventions, and helped found the community theatre, Rising Tide Live, where she both directed and performed. After joining Merely Players, Arlee realizes she has been looking all her life for a group of friends who are passionate about exploring Shakespeare’s scripts and bringing them to life in the most fun possible way.
Sarika Rao
Guest Star
Sarika (she/her) finds herself entangled, willingly of course, with another Corvallis Shakespeare production. She was previously seen in The Blaming of the Shrew at the Unitarian Universalist Church, and The Wars of the Roses at the Majestic Theater. When not acting onstage, Sarika does makeup and costume work for local productions and has recently taken up fencing for fun. Our humble company of players hope you thoroughly enjoy this season’s show!
