Western Reserve Academy is thrilled to present its spring play The Three Musketeers inside our Knight Fine Arts Center.
Friday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 27, at 2 p.m.
Admission is free with open seating.
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If you’re yearning for an evening of swashbuckling adventure and theatrical grandeur, Western Reserve Academy’s spring production of The Three Musketeers is poised to deliver. This isn’t just a play — it’s a cinematic spectacle. Based on Alexandre Dumas’ timeless novel, this rousing tale of heroism, betrayal, camaraderie and romance sweeps audiences into 17th-century France, where the ambitious young d’Artagnan finds himself entangled in a world of intrigue, swordplay and valor.
This production marks a turning point for WRA’s theater program. At the helm is Instructional Librarian Cole Campbell ’08, making his directorial debut in the Knight Fine Arts Center. Campbell steps into this role with a reverence for the craft, taking up the mantle from the venerable Donalee Ong, longtime theater director and Fine & Performing Arts Department faculty, who announced her plans to retire this year after an illustrious tenure.
“It meant a lot to me to take this over,” said Campbell. “My love of theater started, in earnest, with Donalee in her theater class and on the stage. The fact that she put my name up, as a former student of hers, is a huge honor.”
But if you know Campbell, then you know he is no stranger to the stage (or any role in the theater). During his WRA days, he was omnipresent in the theater program — acting in five productions, stage managing two and running front-of-house for many. Post-graduation, his journey took him to the United Kingdom, where he pursued an English-Speaking Union fellowship at Caterham School before earning his degree in Theater Studies from Royal Holloway, University of London. Along the way, he co-founded a theater company, interned at the Royal Shakespeare Company and, in a feat of cinematic serendipity, was handed a trophy by none other than Sir Michael Cain at the Leatherhead Drama Festival. (If you have the opportunity to ask him about this, you must!) Before returning to Hudson, Ohio, Campbell had a depth of experience in every possible facet of theater — playwriting, acting, producing, marketing, directing, stage managing, you name it.
Once back in close enough proximity to WRA, Campbell was tapped to help assistant direct and serve as an acting coach. Now, with The Three Musketeers, he embraces the full weight of the directorial role, channeling his love for storytelling, his meticulous organization (librarian instincts, after all), and his deep knowledge of theater history and production.
“I just love this show,” he enthused. “This adaptation makes it more accessible without compromising the grandeur — there’s elaborate fight scenes, romance, period costumes. It’s all there.”
There are 23 cast members in the show, and directing a production of this scale is no small feat. But Campbell has the unwavering support of a dream team. Ong remains a guiding presence, overseeing props and offering advice when needed, while Fine & Performing Arts Chair Carol Parker Mittal spearheads the costume design, crafting a bespoke costume closet that honors the historic era and pulls inspiration from the epic, romantic elements of the tale. Director of Dance Katie Velbeck is on point to handle all dance choreography, and Technical Theater Director Brandon Davies has transformed the stage into a multi-level “jungle gym” of a set, fit for the production’s ambitious combat scenes.
Enter Ryan Zarecki, Resident Fight Director of the Ohio Shakespeare Festival, who has whipped the cast’s “Fight Team” into shape. With five large battle sequences, several smaller stage combats and 11 actors wielding steel stage swords, the production promises high-energy, cinematic clashes. Amusingly, those on the cast who are on WRA’s fencing team have had to unlearn their competitive instincts. “Ryan keeps reminding them — open your body! Make yourself vulnerable! Stop making yourself small!” Campbell laughed.
“Fight Nights” — dedicated rehearsals for the intricate combat sequences — have become the highlight of many evenings, and the enthusiasm is understandably infectious. There’s nothing like passing by the stage doors to hear the clanging of steel stage swords and exultant shouts of young actors, reveling in the thrill of stage combat.
Beyond the choreography and set pieces, Campbell’s passion lies in fostering a sense of community — a sentiment that mirrors the play’s iconic rallying cry, All for One, and one for all! When cast and crew come to rehearsals eager to begin, with happy chatter and renewed energy after long days, Campbell is reminded of what it was like to be a theater kid — of finding another place at WRA where he could be a part of something big. The students, many of whom only had a passing familiarity with the tale, and some new to the stage, have embraced the adventure wholeheartedly.
“It’s amazing to see them get excited,” said Campbell. “Whether it’s for the fight choreography, the new set pieces that have come together — or just that moment when the lightbulb goes off, when they learn their lines, they lose some of their nervousness and they just become their characters. I remember how fun it is to experience — it’s even better to see it happen.”
And what of the audience? They can expect to be dazzled. A two-hour whirlwind of action, intrigue and heart, The Three Musketeers will have spectators gasping, laughing, perhaps even shedding a tear or two. Most of all, it will remind them of the magic that happens when a group of passionate, dedicated individuals come together to create something greater than themselves.
For Campbell, that’s the ultimate takeaway. “I want the cast and crew to look back and feel like every moment — every rehearsal, every line learned and every challenge met — was worth it. And for those in the audience who didn’t audition or didn’t get the part — I want them to think, ‘Wow, I need to audition for the next one.’”
On opening night, as the lights dim and the curtain parts, one thing is certain. This, like all KFAC stagings, is not just a show. It’s a testament to the power of storytelling, collaboration and the timeless thrill of adventure.
Break a leg, Pioneers. This one’s for all.
