Shakespeare troupe turns 11 in Temecula’s vines

If all the world’s a stage, then Temecula’s wine country is certainly no slouch of a setting.

Shakespeare in the Vines has turned the corner of its 11th season in what could be its permanent home at a storied winery. The company oozes talent as it draws its audience, actors and advisors from far a field.

It welcomes like family and unfolds in a serene setting where performers are flanked by trailing vines and framed by sunsets and starry skies. Spectators in the front row sit just a few feet from the edge of the stage.

“It’s my heart,” said Sheila Ryle, founder and artistic director of the nonprofit company. “It’s a true labor of love.”

Ryle can easily back up that claim. She hasn’t pocketed a dime since the troupe formed in 2005.

The feeling is infectious, say fans and followers. There was ample evidence of that ambiance at the company’s presentation of Hamlet, its second production of the 2016 summer season.

Hamlet, which is widely considered Shakespeare’s greatest work, closed July 30. That will be followed by Two Gentlemen of Verona from Aug. 11-27. Equivocation, a play about Shakespeare, runs from Sept. 8-24.

The fall/winter season will feature The Lion in Winter, and Red, White and Bard!, which will be written and performed by Rob Crisell.

The group touts itself as the only theater company in Riverside County that is dedicated to solely producing works by or about Shakespeare. The subject of hundreds of biographies, Shakespeare was born in 1564. He wrote many of the world’s most popular plays and was part owner of a theater company. But the local group’s reach exceeds far beyond Riverside County and its wine country tip.

Glowing reviews posted on Yelp.com hail from as far away as La Canada, Carlsbad and San Diego.

Mary W. is one of the many folks who regularly flow in from Fallbrook for the shows.

“We are definitely fans!!!!!” she extolled in her August 2015 post on the popular review website. “Very talented and creative actors, the direction and the whole production is top notch!”

The company’s performers and personalities range from students to stage veterans who have amassed a range of plays and community theater appearances over the years.

Crisell is an attorney and a writer who has been with the group for five years. The Temecula resident has performed in many of the company’s productions and he serves as a visiting Shakespeare instructor at several area schools. His parents live in Fallbrook.

There is a outdoor chess set with knee-high pieces for theatergoers who dabble at the game of kings. Guests can bring their own picnic dinners or carry-in food. Those who care to linger in wine country can dine at Carol’s restaurant beforehand.

But don’t expect a big budget production and correspondingly high ticket prices. The folding chairs are plastic, shows are rarely cancelled due to inclement weather and there are no propane-fueled space heaters.

The company has a handful of paid positions and it squeezes by on a budget that, if all goes well, could approach $70,000 this year, Ryle said. Building the stage is a big cost, but the setting isn’t.

Ryle describes Baily Vineyard & Winery as the company’s “wonderful” host. After bouncing around for many years, including stints at some noisy, dusty outposts, the group landed at Baily’s last year.

The winery carved out a hillside for the company and it provides the venue at no charge. “We support Shakespeare in the Vines,” said Carol Baily, the family’s matriarch, as she hustled between errands on Hamlet’s opening night.

“We think it’s a very, very worthwhile organization,” she added. “We like to do everything we can to further their existence here. We’re just very, very excited that they’re here.”

Enthralling theater fans and Shakespeare supporters remains the company’s mission. The 11-member cast of Hamlet seemed to pull it off, as a standing ovation and enthusiastic applause greeted the actors as opening night came to a close.

“It was marvelous,” Joe Hammer, a resident of Fallbrook’s Silvergate assisted living center, said as he and his wife headed for their car after their first visit to the venue.

For ticket information, email [email protected], call (951) 402-SITV (7488) or visit www.shakespeareinthevines.org/SITV/Tickets.html.