John O’Connell, dean of Purdue Fort Wayne’s College of Visual and Performing Arts is “shaking up Shakespeare” before his retirement in June, with a clever farce opening Friday called The Taming of the Shrew: The March for the Vote.
The story all takes place on June 14, 1919, the day of the suffragist vote, in a social club in downtown Chicago, where the women actually rehearse the entire Taming of the Shrew as the city riots.
O’Connell admits that this, his final production, will be a dream come true, as he’s been obsessed with directing it since he saw the play in 2017 at the Chicago Shakespeare on the Pier.
Here WBOI’s Julia Meek discusses the intricacies of directing as well as acting in this all-female “play within a play” with John & Olivia Alberson, one of the student actors who is graduating this June, and what they’re hoping their futures have in store.
Event Information:
PFW Department of Theatre's
The Taming of the Shrew:
The March for the Vote
Williams Theatre
8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, Feb. 20-21
2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22
8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, Feb. 26-28
PFW Williams Theatre
Find ticket information at the PFW Theatre Department web page.
This is a transcript of our conversation:
Julia Meek: John O'Connell, Olivia Albertson, welcome.
Olivia Albertson: Hi, thank you.
John O'Connell: Hello, thanks for having us.
Julia Meek: So, PFW's upcoming theatrical production is a clever play within a play, a play on who's playing who and your own final act as dean, John. How is all this playing out for you about now?
John O'Connell: Well, Julia, it's a dream come true for me. I saw this play in 2017 at the Chicago Shakespeare on the Pier, and I have wanted to do it, I've begged the department to do it ever since, and I said I'm leaving, y'all better step up. [all laugh]
Julia Meek: And they did.
John O'Connell: And they did.
Julia Meek: And the play itself is clever on so many levels. Would you give us a one-sentence setup?
John O'Connell: A Shakespeare farce placed in 1919, with 13 incredible women that play multiple parts, including mostly men.
Julia Meek: As any good Shakespeare...
John O'Connell: As any good Shakespeare farce will do, yeah. [all laugh]
Julia Meek: Now, June 14, 1919, that's the day of the suffragist vote, so it was a big day. All women playing all-male Shakespeare in that production, how much fun can you have here?
John O'Connell: Well, we can have a lot of fun. It's challenging though because of course they're playing men, but some of the actresses play three characters.
So they play a character of 1919, some of them play two characters from Shakespeare. Kate Black for example, plays Baptista the dad and she comes back in act two as one of the lowly servants in Padua, Petruchio. So she plays three characters.
Julia Meek: Very, very good. Okay, Olivia, how does this resonate with your theatrical experience under the dean?
Olivia Albertson: This is my last production with him and also my last production at Purdue Fort Wayne before I graduate, so it is sort of a last hurrah for me too. I've never been in a Shakespeare production where I've had lines so, it's a wonderful, new, bittersweet an exciting experience for me.
Julia Meek: And you're really staying true to the essence and the crazy silliness of a Shakespeare farce with all the twists and turns...
John O'Connell: Absolutely. Taming of the Shrew is all about people taking on, you know, fake identities in order to trick the other people in the story, like any good farce will do.
So, yeah, these women in 1919, in a social club in downtown Chicago, they actually rehearsed the entire Taming of the Shrew. So we see the entire Taming of the Shrew, plus we see the story, the evolution of these women towards their ideas about the suffragette vote.
Because half the women in 1919 don't want the vote, and the younger characters in 1919 are thinking, I want to vote. Yes. So there's a struggle between them in 1919 about that identity.
Julia Meek: And a whole lot going on, including fun.
John O'Connell: A lot of fun!
Julia Meek: Now your all-female cast includes some of the best talent from the school, of course, of which you are certainly a part, Olivia.
Olivia Albertson: Thank you.
Julia Meek: Thank you. And the community. What does that do for your experience as a student that traditional, student-only work can't?
Olivia Albertson: Yeah, it's wonderful being able to work with community members. I absolutely adore the women that are a part of this show. They've all been so kind and welcoming.
And I feel like us students have also done the same, welcoming them into our theater, especially with us all being women, there is that sense of community between us all.
One of the first rehearsals that we had together, we all talked about what we wanted to get out of this production and what we wanted from each other. And almost everybody said that they just wanted us to, like, be there for each other and build that sense of community. And it was a really like, emotional and beautiful moment.
Julia Meek: Also echoes the sentiment of the play within the play within the spirit of everything.
John O'Connell: Exactly, sure, it's in the spirit of what the play is. And I think one of the fortunate things for the young actresses is, you know, when you have a Nancy Kartholl and a Kate Black, who've done many Shakespeare plays, right from the beginning, you get a sense that the younger actresses are watching Nancy Kartholl.
The sides that she plays and the sort of silliness she's willing to go to is a good example to the younger students that they can have the courage to be as silly as Nancy and Kate are being.
Julia Meek: And those two among all the power hitters, because you have quite a cast, they love to share their passion, their knowledge, and learn from the young students all at the same time. You don't get that hardly ever. I would think.
Olivia Albertson: Yes, yes, watching them is amazing. I love seeing their abilities on stage. They just, I mean, when they're on stage, you notice them. They own the stage.
They make it all their own. But they also just have this humbleness about when you talk to them, they're so inviting and welcoming. It's really nice to have that.
Julia Meek: Good. Now I am curious. 13 power parts, all women. Was it difficult to cast either age of players, the students or the community?
John O'Connell: Well, I would say it was more difficult for me, actually, to cast the students, because I don't teach in the department any longer, so I don't necessarily know them as well as I did when I taught every day in the department.
Whereas the community members, I sought some of them out and said, please make sure your busy, that your schedule is available for me during this period. Because you know those actresses like to work in town, and now we have so many great theaters in town. There's so much options for local community theaters.
Julia Meek: Did you have plenty trying out of both ages?
John O'Connell: I did. Yes, yes, I had plenty of both categories trying out. I had to read the undergraduate students more than I did the community members, though, to see what I had.
Julia Meek: Well good for you, though, as your last piece, everybody's learning.
John O'Connell: Some of them have, of course, Olivia and I had worked together in Little Women.
Olivia Albertson: Right.
John O'Connell: And so, you know, don't tell her but she was cast before she ever walked in the door [all laugh] But that's just between you and me, Julia.
Julia Meek: So, logistics, how will this wild and wonderful production fit and present in your exact space?
John O'Connell: Well, you know, our exact space is a thrust stage, like many Shakespeare plays were, so it's perfect for that space.
Now we have to go back and forth between Padua and Verona and other places like that, but the play within the play, right at the beginning, there's a flood in the basement, so they announce, oh, girls, we're gonna have to rehearse in the parlor.
We don't have the scenery we need, we don't have the furniture we need. So, they already set up for the audience that we're not in a real rehearsal space, nor are we in a real theater. So, we tell them as we go along, this is Baptista's house. This is Padua. This is Verona.
So, where we are is not that important. So we'll be fairly neutral, which is terrific, but we have a pretty big set. I mean, it's a big set.
Olivia Albertson: Yes, and it's magnificent. It's beautiful. Our TD, Robert always has beautiful sets, and this one is no different.
Julia Meek: That is important, of course, the visuals and costume-wise, where are we there, 1919?
John O'Connell: Well, so there's the challenge, Julia. [all laugh] This is why the Department of Theater said no to me, year after year after year, because costuming 13 women in 1919 and then casting them in Italy in Verona, in a Shakespeare play requires Shakespeare costumes on top of 1919.
So, I won't give it away, but there's a wonderful moment at the top of the play with all the ladies decide that maybe they should strip down a little in order to get to...because their costumes were flooded in the basement in the flood. So, they have to make do. So, I won't give it away, but it's a really funny moment.
Julia Meek: Thank you for the teaser, and thank you for no spoilers. [all laugh] Meanwhile, once you did deep dive into all of this, and sounds like it's very clever and cleverly executed, were there any surprises along the way?
John O'Connell: You know what? There were surprises. The surprise is that, I told the actresses from day one that I work quickly. I have a reputation of blocking and working quickly.
But for some reason, this has stymied me, having these 13 women on stage. Wondering, okay, the staging was a little bit more difficult than I anticipated and took a little bit longer than I had hoped for. We're catching up.
But I would say the surprise was how challenged I was by that many people on stage, because they're on stage together a lot.
John O'Connell: Plus, we sing. There's some songs, Julia. That was surprising and challenging because I thought the music was easy, then we got into rehearsal, and...
Olivia Albertson: It's like barbershop quartet.
John O'Connell: It is! Four part harmony with 13 women--acapella, by the way.
Julia Meek: Well, you've got your students and your community people doing it. You are right there among them, Olivia. You caught on?
Olivia Albertson: Yes, yes. Musicals are my favorite. So when I learned that there was some music in this, I was actually kind of excited, because I do, I do love learning music.
Julia Meek: Well good. This ended up being the pleasant surprise that you're telling us about.
John O'Connell: Well, it was a pleasant surprise, yes! Yeah, doing a great job.
Julia Meek: Good. Good for you. Now, relevancy, the doubly devilish plot, political mayhem, stylized Shakespeare, exactly how does it speak to today's crazy, mixed-up turn of events I'll call it, would you say?
John O'Connell: Well, I would say one of the things that's happening outside their social club in downtown,` at Michigan Avenue is there's riots going on.
Every time they open the door, you hear the women protesting, wanting to vote, wanting the vote, and having the right to be on the street, to protest.
And at one point a riot broke out, and they come in all disheveled and like, oh my, the city's coming apart.
And so, the relevancy is the fact that we talk about democracy. We talk about democracy being messy. And when the women were trying to get their vote, they were angry women. They wanted the right to vote.
Julia Meek: And things were messy, yes.
John O'Connell: And things were messy, and that's the line that Nancy Kartholl has, democracy is messy, and it always has been. And you have to fight for what you want in democracy.
Olivia Albertson: Yeah, protesting is one of the, you know, oldest, most traditional ways to state your own case.
Julia Meek: Speak for one's self.
John O'Connell: Be heard, yeah.
Olivia Albertson: Yeah, it's still a strong point that people take.
Julia Meek: Indeed. Now this particular work for all those reasons, how does it speak to your own passions and contributions to your crafts and John, in your case, profession. Personally, what does it say to and through you?
Olivia Albertson: Yeah, for me, this...I've never played a character like the one that I play in the show, and I've also never played a man before.
So, this is something really new and exciting and challenging for me as an actor, and I'm always looking for something to continue to challenge me and help me to grow and expand my horizons.
So I'm, I'm really glad for the opportunity to do something that I haven't done before.
Julia Meek: What about you, John?
John O'Connell: Oh, you know, I have a long career in the theater and my passion has been comedy and Shakespeare for the longest time.Two of my most favorite things put together, comedy and Shakespeare.
And I don't get the opportunity to do Shakespeare. We don't really have that avenue in Fort Wayne as much as we used to. So, I'm just thrilled that I get to put two of my passions together.
I've done a lot of Shakespeare in my life professionally and I do a lot of comedy, and I get to do both of them and I'm so satisfied with that. Last night we had a wonderful rehearsal and we were doing some really, really silly things.
And one of the actresses said to me, wow, John-O', this can be really silly. And I said yeah, please, please find your silly. [all laugh] I need you to find your silly.
Olivia Albertson: Yeah, it's actually, it's amazing watching John O' direct, especially with a comedy, because it seems like out of nowhere, he just pulls this, oh, you know, you should do this.
And if you do that, you like, you'll get a laugh, that's funny. And it's amazing just how easy it is for him to just conjure up a bit for us to play on stage that just watching him direct it, you know, we're doubled over laughing.
Julia Meek: Yes, indeed. Now let's stay there and focus out for a moment. The challenges of being a theater major or professor in 2026 aren't easy. What have you seen in your lifetimes? The changes, the move to AI and changing things up, and more actors graduating and less parts? What's ahead, do you think?
John O'Connell: Well, I will say what's ahead is sort of similar to what's been happening the last 15 years, and that is, as I said earlier, it's an honor to do a Shakespeare because everybody wants a funny musical.
That's what an audience seems to want, and often that's what actresses like. As Olivia said, [chuckles] her favorite thing to do is a musical. And I have nothing against that. But I don't want to forget that there's great literature of the Western canon we can't forget about.
And I don't want people to hang their hat on musicals all the time to realize that to stretch as an actor, you have to be able to do a little bit of all of it. That's why I'm thrilled to be challenging these young women with the words of Shakespeare.
Julia Meek: Good for all concerned.
Olivia Albertson: Yeah, I think this is, I guess, more on the aspect of AI and the future of acting.
Julia Meek: Which you're on the beginning end of yours.
Olivia Albertson: Yeah, yeah, I'm new to the professional world of acting. I would hope that all of us creatives will come together, and you know, stick up for each other, and not let AI take over our creative field.
Because no matter how much the artificial intelligence has no one can recreate what are creative people are creating now. No artificial intelligence can do that.
Julia Meek: Great point. Now, John, you have always put your students first. You're well known for that. You've gone that extra mile or more to make the experiences special, how and in what directions has that helped you grow in your career.
John O'Connell: Oh, you know, every time I get to, as a dean, okay, outside of rehearsal, right? I sent students all over the world with money, with grants, because I've always believed that the classroom is important, but outside the classroom is more important.
What you learn in your classroom you have to apply to your life, and if it's through travel, or Olivia is going in two weeks or so...
Olivia Albertson: On Thursday! [all laugh]
John O'Connell: On Thursday. She's going down to Memphis for the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions which is one of the largest auditions in our country. And I'm paying for their hotel, because I want them to have that experience.
These young people can't afford some of these things. And Julia, I feel so fufilled when a student gets the opportunity to do something because I helped them just a little bit. You know, all I could help them with was the hotel, but that is huge for them.
Olivia Albertson: My roommate and I, Michaela Mooney, who is also in this production, are both going to the Unified Professional Theatre auditions together.
And we both work. We both have rent to pay, you know, we are adults, you know, making our way in the world.
John O'Connell: And I'm proud of the fact that they're going to an audition that was a competitive audition. They had to pre-audition via video and then be accepted to this.
Olivia Albertson: Yes.
Julia Meek: Congratulations on that.
Olivia Albertson: Thank you!
John O'Connell: It's terrific. And what do I get out of it? Julia, I get to sit in rehearsal for three hours with young people and be energized by them. It never fails, that if I go to rehearsal tired, I leave energized. That is always the case when I direct at my university.
Julia Meek: That's the magic. Now, statistically, northeast Indiana boasts an impressive and long-established history of community theater, so much of it generated by our own Fort Wayne, Youtheatre, when it goes around comes around. What kind of an advantage has that and will that provide going forward, do you think?
John O'Connell: Well, you know, the proof is in the puddin'! [all laugh] Look at me, I went after...we have 13 actresses and six of them are from the community, right? And to have that level of skill to pick from just demonstrates the kind of community effort we have in this town.
And the number of community theaters we have, which continues to grow. Like just recently I was commenting to someone about the number of young directors Fort Wayne has. Many of them came out of Fort Wayne Youtheatre. They're now actors but they're also directors.
And then I go to their shows and they're doing really great work with a bunch of young actors I don't know either. So we're recreating or rejuvenating the theatrical scene in Fort Wayne by a bunch of 30-year olds. And I couldn't be more pleased about that.
Julia Meek: Which is selffulfilling and self-sustaining and really exciting.
Olivia Albertson: We're still alive! Theater is still alive, people! [all laugh]
John O'Connell: Yes, yes!
Julia Meek: Good point there. So, now that each of you are nearing graduation in your own ways, what's next for you, and if you had free time that didn't involve theater, what are you going to be spending it on?
Olivia Albertson: For me, personally, I have the UPTAs, the Unified Professional Theatre Auditions coming up, hoping to find work there. If not then just continuing to audition.
I'd like to eventually move to Chicago to get work there, but for the time being, working and saving up money. And then in my free time that I don't have, that I wish I had, also I love writing music and singing and creating my own songs.
That is something that I don't get to do as much, that I miss. I'd definitely pick that back up.
Julia Meek: Good luck, and you will make it, and you will have that.
Olivia Albertson: [chuckles] Thank you!
Julia Meek: What about you, John?
John O'Connell: Well, once I retire, if I have free time, I will certainly drive my big boat at the lake longer than I have been, maybe even into October. [all chuckle] Yeah, no school.
And then we're doing traveling. We're going to Europe in the fall, Italy and Spain. And I have a great dream, Julia, to see the great parks of the West. I think they're so undiscovered and unappreciated.
And I really, while I can, I want to hike them and see them. So that is a big dream of mine.
Olivia Albertson: I think I've changed my mind for my free time, um, do you have an extra spot I could hop into? [all laugh]
John O'Connell: Only if you cook and do laundry and occasionally drive the car? [again all laugh]
Olivia Albertson: All right, perfect.
Julia Meek: Well, now we've got all that worked out, good deal. And last question, John, in your own long and successful run in this crazy business, what's the most important thing you've learned and will carry with you about this community as well as yourself?
John O'Connell: I guess I've learned that, especially in the theater community in Fort Wayne, I love the fact that people want to work on great plays, no matter who's doing them, no matter who's directing them, they want to be a part of something that's important to them and builds community for them.
And I think one of the strongest communities I've been a part of is our theater community in Fort Wayne, but also the community at Purdue Fort Wayne. I've had the best job the last 14 years, 15, Julia. It has been my favorite job of my life.
I have the best faculty and the best students, and no, Olivia won't get emotional, I promise. [all laugh] but it really has been the best job of my life. And Julia, I didn't make the decision to retire until the day before my Fall Convocation because it was such a difficult decision to make.
But I want to move on to the next stage.
Julia Meek: Are you glad you did then?
John O'Connell: I am glad I did, but it, it truly hasn't been easy to make that decision because of the incredible students and incredible faculty I've been able to share my life at PFW with.
Julia Meek: John O'Connell is Dean of Purdue Fort Wayne's College of Visual and Performing Arts and director of Taming of the Shrew; March for the vote which, Olivia Albertson is one of the student actors. Thanks for sharing your story of your story of your story, folks, good luck to both of you, and many blessings.
Olivia Albertson: Thank you.
John O'Connell: Thank you, Julia, for having us. I appreciate it.
Olivia Albertson
Yes. Thank you so much.
