Long before Shakespeare’s tragedies and romances captivated audiences, English theatergoers were laughing at stories performed in town squares and public gathering places.
This week, Lansing Community College is reviving that tradition with "Going Medieval!," a production featuring two comic plays written in the 15th century — nearly a hundred years before the Bard began writing.
"No, I didn't run out of Shakespeare," program director Paige Dunckel said. "But Shakespeare has a large cast, and no one does medieval drama or theater!"
Presented at LCC’s Dart Auditorium, the program pairs "The Second Shepherds’ Play" and "Mankind," offering modern audiences a rare chance to experience works that helped lay the foundation for English theater.
Dunckel said she had wanted to stage "The Second Shepherds’ Play" after teaching it in introductory theater courses years ago.
"I chose these two because they are both funny, and you know when we think about medieval literature, we usually don't think of comedy," Dunckel said. "But they did have a great sense of humor, and I think both of these can apply to many things today."
Because "The Second Shepherd's Play" runs only about 40 minutes, Dunckel searched for a companion piece. She eventually settled on "Mankind," a medieval morality play that combines religious themes with humor and satire.
While the scripts are nearly 600 years old, many of the jokes and character interactions still feel recognizable.
During rehearsals, cast members traded jokes, physical gags and playful insults that drew laughter from fellow performers. Cast members described "Mankind," in particular, as a rapid-fire comedy packed with gags and irreverent humor.
Actor Jay Thompson-Linton, who plays the title character in "Mankind," said morality plays were designed to explore universal questions about human behavior.
“The whole point of morality plays was to communicate what they saw as the human condition,” Thompson-Linton said. “There’s always one character who represents mankind. In [this] play, that's Mankind."
Thompson-Linton went on to describe how these shows reflect the period they were written in, and how religious themes can co-exist with often-vulgar comedy.
"The Catholic and Christian Church was very heavily influencing theater in general, and you weren't allowed to produce things outside of the church," Thompson-Linton said. "So they would they would cram all of their creativity into these formats of: how do we convince people to get with Jesus?"
Dunckel said accessibility is an important feature of medieval theater. Unlike religious services conducted in Latin, these plays were written in the language spoken by ordinary people and often focused on everyday struggles.
“'Mankind' is considered a little controversial,” Dunckel said. “It has some language in it, and it has some lewdness.”
Together, the two productions showcase different sides of medieval drama, blending comedy with lessons about faith, temptation and community life.
For Dunckel, the plays’ historical roots are part of their appeal.
“What I love about both of these shows is that they were really performed by community actors,” she said. "'Mankind' was performed by, most likely, a touring group of actors."
That connection resonates with the cast as well.
Thompson-Linton said performers have an added responsibility when working with older texts because audiences may not immediately connect with the language.
“The more antiquated text, the harder it can be for the audience to understand,” Thompson-Linton said. “So, you have to understand it all the more.”
Actress Theia Henretty, who portrays the embodiment of mischief in "Mankind," said participating in the production has given her a stronger appreciation for theater’s long history.
“People were putting on these shows more than half a millennium ago,” Henretty said. “Being part of that grand tradition of theater feels really special.”
Nearly six centuries after they were first performed, "The Second Shepherds' Play" and Mankind are once again being brought to life by community actors — proving that medieval audiences were not so different from modern ones when it came to enjoying a good laugh.
"Going Medieval! Two Comedic Plays from the 1400s" runs through July 26 on the LCC campus. Performances begin at 7 p.m. each evening.
Because of construction affecting LCC's outdoor amphitheater, the college moved its traditional Summer Stage productions indoors, with performances taking place in the Dart Auditorium.
The band Dinosaur Jr. will be at Grewal Hall in Lansing on Friday. Doors open at 7 p.m. for this all-ages show.
The Laingsburg Summerfest features live music from Atomic Annie on Friday and Global Village on Saturday in downtown Laingsburg.
On Saturday, there will be a Grateful Dead tribute show in Lansing. That’s at the Fish Ladder Music Park, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Maco Jeleniewski: With Inside the Arts, I’m Maco Jeleniewski.
Lansing Community College is reviving plays written more than a century before Shakespeare.
The production is bringing two medieval comedies most audiences never get a chance to see to the stage, offering a rare glimpse into the roots of English theater and the community performers who helped bring it to life.
As part of our series Inside the Arts, I visited downtown Lansing to talk with the cast and production team.
Long before Shakespeare's kings and lovers took the stage, English audiences were laughing at medieval comedies performed by and for ordinary people.
This week, community actors in Lansing are carrying on that centuries-old tradition, breathing new life into these shows.
Every year, Lansing Community College presents a summer theater season, usually featuring a musical and a Shakespearean staging. This year, though, the company is reaching even further back in theater history.
LCC's production, "Going Medieval," features two comedic plays written in the 1400s — more than a century before the Bard began writing.
Paige Dunckel, who directs both shows, says she's been hoping to program "The Second Shepherd's Play" for some time—one of the best-known mystery plays of the medieval period.
Paige Dunckel: I used to teach it in my intro to theater class, and I thought, well, I really want to do this, but it was only like 40 minutes long, and I thought, well, I got to find another one.
Jeleniewski: When I visited a rehearsal, the characters sounded surprisingly modern. This scene from the other play LCC is putting on as part of the program reminded me of a group of fraternity brothers teasing a new pledge.
(Soundbite of play, “Mankind”)
Theia Henretty: (As Mischief) Hey, I have an idea. Do any of you know any minstrels?
Andrew Laxton: (As Nought) I got this penny-whistle at the gift shop at Norfolk, at the shrine of Our Lady of Walsingham. I can play! Nought! Nought! Me! Me! Pick me!
Henretty: (As Mischief) Play it now, and you'll bring him with your flute.
(Laxton plays a recorder poorly, audience laughter)
Jeleniewski: That's because these plays, despite being nearly 600 years old, lean heavily on simple language and broad comedy.
The scene you just heard is from the play "Mankind," which follows its title character as he's tempted into sin by figures representing worldly vices.
Dunckel says both shows speak to the common man, designed to be accessible to a general public who couldn't speak Latin.
Dunckel: This one is considered a little controversial, "Mankind" is. Because it does have language in it, and it has some some lewdness in it.
Jeleniewski: Jay Thompson-Linton, who plays Mankind, provides some context surrounding his character and role in this morality play.
Jay Thompson-Linton: The whole point of morality plays was to communicate, as they saw at the time, the human condition where, you know, you're always bound for sin, and you've got to accept God, and there's always one character who represents mankind.
Jeleniewski: Together, the two works being staged offer audiences a glimpse into a longstanding theatrical tradition of simplified, down-to-earth lessons.
Dunckel says that connection to the past is a big reason she enjoys "Going Medieval" and hopes audiences will give the unusual show a try.
Dunckel: You know, what I what I love about the show is—both of these shows—is that they were really performed by community actors.
"Mankind" was performed by, most likely, a touring group of actors.
Jeleniewski: In a group discussion with the cast, Thompson-Linton said it’s their job as actors to help audience members to connect with such archaic theatre.
Thompson-Linton: Yeah, cause, you know, the more antiquated text, it's harder for the audience to understand what you're saying. So, you have to understand all the more.
Jeleniewski: Actress Theia Henretty, who portrays the embodiment of Mischief in "Mankind," explained how each play has helped her feel in tune with theatre history.
Theia Henretty: It does have kind of a really cool feeling of like people were putting on these shows more than half a millennium ago. It definitely feels like part of, like, being a part of the grand tradition of the entire institution of theater is, feels really special.
Jeleniewski: Hundreds of years after they were first staged, these plays are once again being performed by community actors.
This time, for audiences discovering medieval comedy may not be so different from today's after all.
“Going Medieval! Two comedic plays from the 1400s” is on stage at LCC’s Dart Auditorium through Sunday with shows at 7 p.m. each night.
With Inside the Arts, I’m Maco Jeleniewski.