Spirit of Two Wills

appearing onstage; her sister Melora Marshall (who lives on the grounds) is a lead actress in the company, along with her two sons, who create music and direct; and Willow’s boys now take their turns in the summer repertory productions.

From the beginning, education has been entwined with the company’s mission. Beginning in 1979 and every year since, thousands of students, from elementary to high school, have participated in School Days, a program that brings kids to this Topanga sanctuary and visits their classrooms for preparatory workshops. There’s a comprehensive study guide, an interactive Living History and talk-back with cast and crew, actors who teach techniques and more, in addition to the high-quality professional performances of Shakespeare and other plays in the idyllic outdoor amphitheater under the sky and trees.

Ellen says the most difficult role the Artistic Director plays is in choosing the plays. Because of the family’s history, there’s always a theme that resonates with present times and social activism.

This year, Macbeth is on the bill. Ellen says, “It’s all about power, and a couple whose ambitions drive them to destroy not only themselves but their country. And I’m writing a piece compiled from the history plays, Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 and 3, and Richard the Third, from the point of view of Queen Margaret” (the French Queen forced to marry Henry VI to end the Hundred Years’ War). “I’m excited about this because it’s about what happens when the wealthy and powerful get together to fight over who gets the power, and they don’t give a damn about the society around them.”

But it wouldn’t be summer without A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performed in a woodland setting that needs practically no set. “If I try to pull it out of the repertory, people get mad! Plus, it’s the perfect play for young people to be introduced to Shakespeare in terms of the language and the story,” Ellen says.

Lastly, kudos to gardener Tom Hayduk, who with his son, “comes in once a week to keep the grounds in order. We’ve just gotten a wonderful grant from L.A. County, spearheaded by [former] Supervisor Sheila Kuehl, to put in native plants, beautiful trees and creating rockways for the water to follow [during heavy rains] to prevent soil erosion.”

Happy Fiftieth Anniversary Theatricum Botanicum! May you continue to thrive.

Sarah A. Spitz is an award-winning public radio producer, retired from KCRW, where she also produced arts stories for NPR. She writes features and reviews for various print and online publications.