Everything You Wanted Workshop

I’m newly obsessed with summer in New Hampshire, so when I was asked to come back to Andy’s Summer Playhouse in Wilton, NH, I jumped at the opportunity. This time around was for a workshop of Jess Honovich’s play, Everything You Wanted.

The play is an adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s three “problem plays,” which I found incredibly exciting. The play is written with the majority of the characters being either 13 or 14 years old, but it’s never been performed by actors who are actually their age. I think making Shakespeare accessible to a younger audience is important as well, and the plot of All’s Well That Ends Well meshes so perfectly with teens at summer camp.

The Andy’s kids had some of the most insightful commentary and questions about the show. Jess and I were completely blown away by their empathetic and profound opinions of characters during character work over the course of the 5-day workshop. The show makes you laugh until your sides hurt and brings you back to a time when asking someone out was truly a near-death-by-embarassment incident.

Synopsis: Heather's in love with Billy. Billy's really into Dina. Dina liked Shaun, but not so much anymore. Shaun's gonna "kill" PJ. PJ thinks Remy is cute. Remy can't stop laughing. Erica can't stop reading. Liam can't stop looking at Erica. It's the last week of Camp Minnetonka, Summer of 2003, no one has a date for Banquet, and Color War's about to begin.

An adaptation of All's Well That Ends Well.