The Illinois Shakespeare Festival [ISF] kicked off its 2026 run on June 24 with a preview of William Shakespeare’s The Two Gentlemen of Verona, where a furry friend made her theatrical debut.
The festival held at Ewing Cultural Center in Bloomington will run through July 11, and headlining are two Shakespeare plays — The Two Gentlemen of Verona and Romeo and Juliet — and an American classic, Our Town.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona is at ISF for the first time since 1983, directed by Texas State University theater professor Danielle Roos in her festival debut.
The comedy follows Valentine and Proteus, two best friends who fall for the same woman, Silvia, and must overcome the trials and tribulations of love, betrayal and friendship. Jermaine Jenkins portrays Launce, Proteus’s eccentric servant who is known for his deep love for his disloyal dog, Crab.
The play marks the ISF debuts of both Jenkins and his scene partner, canine actor Scout Getchius.
An unexpected star
Scout is an Aussie and Border Collie mix, who has recently taken on acting under the guidance of her owner, Ruth Getchius of Lexington. She has been training since she was a puppy, and her strong listening skills — and a lot of treats — have allowed her to serve as a unique collaborator.
“It's been really fun to incorporate her in the scenes and have her be a scene partner, learning to play off of everything that she does,” Jenkins said. “I'm excited to see how the relationship between us continues to grow, and also the fact that anything could happen in a performance, and we kind of just have to roll with it. I think the beauty of live theater is that you have no control of it.”
Those involved in the play have expressed that Scout is even beginning to pick up on the emotions being portrayed in the play. In an earlier rehearsal, Scout began barking as a result of a tense scene between two actors, showing promise in her acting skills.
This is the first time that Roos and Jenkins are working with an animal on stage, and while unpredictable, they found that Scout was an essential piece in conveying Shakespeare's story.
“Every time Launce is on stage with Crab, there is heavy mention of Crab in the text, and there are lots of questions or comments being directed towards Crab, so it feels like this friendship between Launce, Crab and the audience,” Jenkins said. “The text makes it really obvious that Shakespeare intended for Crab to not just be a dog that runs across the stage, but someone that has a presence and someone that aids in Launce’s arc, and I think Launce also helps with Crab’s arc so they're really best friends.”
Wednesday night's preview was the first time Jenkins and Scout acted with a full audience. Scout’s arrival was greeted with murmurs of excitement as she looked towards the audience and followed instructions from Jenkins’ character.
After a 30-minute delay for lightning in the first act, the show continued on as planned.
Embodying the spontaneity of live theater, Scout found herself distracted in the second act. Jenkins’ dismay became his character’s as he connected “Crab’s disobedience” to the monologue he was delivering.
As Scout ran off into the audience, Jenkins remained in character, shouting out, “And now thy has attacked an audience member,” as Scout jumped on the lap of an attendee.
The audience applauded and cheered as the pair ran out of the theatre as if it were their intended exit.
Gentleman’s best friend
Ruth Getchius, Scout’s owner, hopes that many audiences will connect with Launce and Crab’s dynamic, as animals are a big part of many people’s lives.
Friendship is an underlying theme throughout the whole play, one that has allowed The Two Gentlemen of Verona to sustain itself as a story that audiences may relate to. Jenkins discussed how the themes transcend the language barrier between modern and Shakespearean works.
“Even though we may see similar tropes in a lot of Shakespeare's plays, I think at its core these are human themes and human desires [or] wants that people 100 years from now will still be able to relate to,” Jenkins said.
Throughout the comedy, many relationships are tested as loyalties waver between friends, lovers and an owner and his dog.
Roos kept The Two Gentlemen of Verona set in the past, rather than relying on modern-day technology, as she hoped to emphasize the timelessness of Shakespeare’s works and characters.
“The beautiful thing about this play is that we have an opportunity to see [the characters] come back from their mistakes,” Roos said. “We all make mistakes when we're young, and we have to learn some way to grow and become better people. We left it set in the past, because there's something so lovely and innocent about not having social media and the internet that preserves every single decision you've made … I wanted our audiences to be reminded of what it is to have a chance to grow and apologize, get forgiveness and come back.”
The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Romeo and Juliet and Our Town run in rotation at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival through Aug. 1. Tickets start at $38, available at illinoisshakes.com.
