‘Shakespeare in Love’ arrives at Fullerton’s Maverick Theater in time for Valentine’s Day

Local actors Samantha Green and Justyn Franco Gonzalez are co-starring in Maverick Theater’s upcoming stage production of the Academy Award-winning 1998 romantic-comedy “Shakespeare in Love.”

Gonzalez plays a young William Shakespeare and Green plays Viola De Lesseps — the young Bard’s love interest.

Gonzalez and Green, who have been a couple for seven years this March, first met in an acting class while attending Fullerton College. Though it wasn’t their plan to star in a romantic comedy opposite each other during the Valentine’s season, they’re happy with the result.

“These characters, Viola and Will, fall in love and have this whirlwind romance in the length of time it takes to rehearse a show and put it up onstage,” Gonzalez said. “So for us to have that deep intimacy with each other going into this, I feel that we’re ahead of the game. We don’t need to spend the time to create natural intimacy onstage because it is natural. As far as falling in love goes, every year I fall in love with Samantha again, so Will’s love for Viola is as deep as my love for Sam.”

Maverick Theater founder/co-owner and director Brian Newell said he first saw the stage adaptation of “Shakespeare in Love” while on a family vacation in London in 2015. He knew he wanted to produce it on his stage, but it took some time for all the pieces to come together. This is the Fullerton theater’s first time presenting the production. It opens Feb. 7 and runs through March 16.

“It’s been a long time coming, 10 years … so it’s overdue for the Maverick stage,” Newell said.

Samantha Green plays Viola de Lesseps in the Maverick Theater production of “Shakespeare in Love” in Fullerton.

(Brian Newell)

The production will take place in the black box theater of the two housed inside the Maverick because of its capacity to accommodate a two-story set for the balcony scene in “Romeo and Juliet,” the play performed within the play.

The story line isn’t without its comedic twists and mischief. In fact, Viola pretends to be a male actor, Thomas Kent, in order to perform in Shakespeare’s play.

“I don’t consider Thomas Kent to be a character. Thomas Kent is a name and a mustache,” Green said. “Viola longs to be an actor but lives in a time when only men were afforded the opportunity. Most of the time when Viola is in disguise she is performing as Romeo. So the way I see it, the two characters I play in this show are Viola, and then Romeo in the play within the play. Except when I am playing Viola performing in ‘Romeo and Juliet,’ I am always only Viola, just with a mustache. I actually play another character but I won’t tell you which. You have to watch and find out.”

Justyn Gonzalez plays the part of Will Shakespeare in the Maverick Theater production of “Shakespeare in Love” in Fullerton.

Gonzalez said his inspiration for performing Shakespeare, played by Joseph Fiennes in the film, comes from connecting with the playwright as an artist.

“Shakespeare is this larger-than-life figure, and his work is still being performed today because of its profundity,” Gonzalez said. “He was able to create stories that captured the human condition — our desire for love, revenge, servitude, vengeance, power and our political and social ambitions — which are still very relevant today. All that being said, he was a man. He was a writer trying to achieve some worthy pages so that he might live well and continue his life in the theater. That is what inspires me. He was an artist trying to make a living and make art that fulfilled his creative desires. From that place, he is much more accessible and easier to connect to.”

Green, who considers “Shakespeare in Love” one of her favorite films, said she loves “anytime we speak Shakespeare’s words.”

“There is a reason his plays have stood the test of time and it’s because his poetry is utterly enchanting — hysterical, heart-wrenching and honest,” Green said.

Newell said the production is large — with 21 actors, an elaborate set, numerous Elizabethan costumes and many actors performing multiple roles.

Tristan Lund, from left, as Peter, Samantha Green as Viola (masquerading as Thomas Kent), Samuel Hanke as Nol and Justyn Gonzalez as Will Shakespeare in “Shakespeare in Love” at the Maverick Theater in Fullerton.

(Brian Newell)

“We have racks and racks of costumes for the show,” he said.

Green has particularly tricky costume transitions because she’ll be playing a man for the rehearsal scenes and a woman for party scenes. Plus, she has to manage a mustache.

“There’s probably six or seven quick costume changes she has to do,” Newell said. “With a massive set and elaborate period costumes, we have to figure out how to get the performers in and out of them in a timely manner.”

With all the moving pieces, Newell said the fact that the couple ended up as the romantic leads has made the intimacy scenes much easier to direct.

“The callbacks were pretty tedious. I went back and forth with a lot of different actors. … It was just a coincidence that they also happen to be dating,” Newell said. “They have great chemistry onstage.”