Guild Hall Players’ ‘Book of Will’ shows scramble for Shakespeare

“The Book of Will” had been languishing unread in Jeremy Buoy’s script library for years, until Guild Hall Players artistic director Phil Speary asked if he’d be interested in directing the fact-based drama.

“When I read the script, I really connected with the scenes of friendship and honoring your friends or family, either whether they’ve passed away or still living, and how you can carry on their legacy for them,” said Buoy, a veteran actor and director with a lot of Shakespeare in his credits.

In “The Book of Will,” which Guild Hall stages next weekend, two actors in Shakespeare’s company, Henry Condell (played by Anthony Larkin-Valdez) and Jon Heminges (Jonny Kline), following the death of their fellow actor Richard Burbage, scramble to piece together the Bard’s plays.

“They realize Shakespeare’s plays are at risk of no longer being accessible,” Buoy said. “At the time period, Shakespeare would only give actors their cue script, so it would only have their cue line and their line and not the full script. The stage manager, as we call it now, or the prompter would be off stage with the full script.”

Shakespeare, Buoy said, started the practice to prevent stealing from his work.

“They decide they’re going to get together whatever works they can of Shakespeare’s, and they’re going to put them in a folio,” Buoy said.

Buoy said what happens in much of the script is historically accurate.

“Lauren Gunderson, who is the playwright, did a great job of filling in where she needed to with a little bit of historical fiction, but you can tell she did a lot of research on the people,” Buoy said.

There are 10 performers in the cast, and all but the leads play two or sometimes three roles, Buoy said.

The message of the show hits home even if someone isn’t a fan of the Bard, he said.

“If you have someone close to you, a friend or a family member, you should continue honoring their legacy by talking about them and sharing memories of them,” Buoy said.

‘THE BOOK OF WILL’ BY GUILD HALL PLAYERS

When: 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday, May 21-23; 7 p.m. Sunday, May 24

Where: St. James Episcopal Church, 3750 E. Douglas Ave.

Tickets: $12, with discounts for students through college, from 316-683-5686