The Comedy of Errors Comes to the NorShor Theatre
Shipwrecked and separated 33 years earlier, two sets of long-lost twins find themselves in the same city on the same day, sparking a whirlwind of mistaken identities, misguided love, wrongful arrests, and increasingly absurd encounters. As confusion mounts and chaos reigns, a blend of slapstick humor and sharp wit drives the story toward a joyful and heartwarming resolution. (From the Playhouse website).
The Duluth Playhouse invites audiences to experience one of William Shakespeare’s most fast-paced and delightfully chaotic comedies as The Comedy of Errors takes the stage at the NorShor Theatre, running May 29 – June 7.
Directing these madcap escapades is UWS assistant professor of theatre, Sean Naughton. He has a B.F.A. in Theatre and Dance from Chapman University and an M.F.A. in Acting from The Ohio State University.
He has an extensive resume in teaching, artist residencies, directing, workshop presentations, and stage, television, film, commercial, and industrial acting.
Currently serving as Producing-Artistic Director of University Theatre and Assistant Professor of Theatre at the University of Wisconsin – Superior (UWS), Sean is married to Jess Hughes, who is an actress who has performed at The Duluth Playhouse and is the organization’s marketing director. He said, “I met my wife, Jess, in grad school, where we were in the same M.F.A. program. We got married in Duluth in Canal Park in 2024. We just bought our first home together because we’ve fallen in love with Duluth.”
Assistant Professor of Theatre at the University of Wisconsin – Superior (UWS), Sean is married to Jess Hughes, who is an actress who has performed at The Duluth Playhouse and is the organization’s marketing director. He said, “I met my wife, Jess, in grad school, where we were in the same M.F.A. program. We got married in Duluth in Canal Park in 2024. We just bought our first home together because we’ve fallen in love with Duluth.”
“We both love Shakespeare, too. When I proposed, we were playing the leading roles in a production of Much Ado About Nothing. I had worked it out with the producers and stage manager to do an onstage proposal. It was the perfect way for two theatre nerds to get engaged. She is my constant collaborator and best friend in the world. She’s also my favorite actor.”
Bringing Shakespeare Back
“I’m a big proponent of avoiding what I like to call ‘museum Shakespeare.’ It’s the Shakespeare we all imagine in our heads, where we all have pumpkin pants and tights and feathered caps on. It’s a fine way to approach it, just not for me,” he said.
He added, “We want our production of ‘Comedy of Errors’ to feel updated, modern, recognizable, and stylized. My mentor, Tom Bradac, liked to say that Shakespeare’s text has no fixed time and place. In that way, we are building our own world based on the text, and informed by the director, designers, and current moment. Fortunately, we have a team of incredible designers and technicians working on this one. I think it’s going to be really special.”
About the show, Naughton stated, ”I love the journey of it. I love the fast-paced, slapstick comedy that sets you up for something touching and heartfelt at the end. I also think it’s significant that we are bringing Shakespeare to the NorShor stage for the first time in a while! I hope it will catch on.”
More Information about The Comedy of Errors
Written by William Shakespeare
Duluth Playhouse at the NorShor Theatre
211 E. Superior St., Duluth, MN 55802
Performances:
May 29 – June 7, 2026
Thursdays – Saturdays at 7:30 pm
Sunday Matinees at 2 pm
Audio Description: May 31 at 2 pm
ASL Interpretation: June 5 at 7:30 pm
Tickets are now on sale. To book seats, visit the box office at the NorShor Theatre Monday through Friday, 10 am-5 pm, call 218-733-7555, or visit destinationduluth.co/dp-the-comedy-of-errors
