Christie Coran and Jennifer Hardy (Photo by Grettel Cortes Photography)
Reviewed by Katy Kragel
Independent Shakespeare Co.
Through November 22, 2026
Christie Coran and Jennifer Hardy (Photo by Grettel Cortes Photography)
“To be or not to be…”
“Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo…”
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players…”
Theater fan or not, chances are these lines are familiar. Shakespeare’s words serve as cultural touchstones for most of the Western world. They are found everywhere — in high school English class, at a viewing of The Lion King (which shares similarities in plot and theme with Hamlet) or in the 2025 Oscar-winning hit movie Hamnet. The influence of the Bard’s words, themes and stories remain unmatched. Some Shakespearean scholars would argue that that is simply because there is more record of his works than any of his peers. Thanks to the passing down of the printed copies of his plays and sonnets, Shakespeare’s work gives us a unique and dramatic look into the past and the power that theater has had for centuries.
Ghost Songs, a new folk musical by David Melville, takes place during the time of Oliver Cromwell and the Puritans when theater was banned. Cat (Jennifer Hardy), a young girl, is looked after by her housemaid, Agnes (Christie Coran) while her Puritan father, a widower, is away. One day a mysterious chest arrives. Cat is warned about the devilish, unholy items inside, but curiosity gets the better of her; she opens it anyway, and finds a load of plays! Agnes, who remembers when theater was not forbidden, teaches her about them. As they read the classical works – primarily Shakespeare – they fall in love with theater.
The bright moments of this production lie in the reverence for the Bard and his writing. Cat and Agnes find pure joy through some of Shakespeare’s most beloved characters and plots. and watching them interact as they play out some of his most famous scenes, is almost a joyous experience.
These scenes work as well as they do because the connection between the two actresses feels genuine and serves as a beautiful reminder of the friendship between the Nurse and Juliet. David Melville also takes the stage to play multiple characters, and each time he brings whimsy and laughter.
Unfortunately, beyond that joy, the tone of this piece is unclear. At times, it leans into a classical style, as when the songs often serve as soliloquies or the actors directly address the audience with asides or jokes. But that tone isn’t consistent; too often the piece slips into melodrama in a way that doesn’t serve its purpose — which is to reflect on a sincere love and respect for classical theater. Similarly, the musical elements of this piece don’t always serve the story. Instead of seeming to progress naturally, the songs obstruct the plot and/or flow of the character’s emotional arcs. Nor does the blocking work very well; most of the time, the actors simply stand and sing or engage in very basic movement patterns. While simple can be effective, this piece lacks the specificity that is required to make “simple” as impactful as possible.
Independent Shakespeare Co., 3191 Casitas Ave, #130 Atwater. Thurs.-Sat. 7:30 pm, Sun. 2 pm; thru Nov. 22. https://indieshakes.org/in-the-studio. Runtime: two hours and fifteen minutes with one intermission.
