He leads a cast in this year’s OSF production of the Scottish Play that is winning critical praise

By Jim Flint

Weary of television and commercial work, actor Kevin Kenerly took his partner’s advice to heart: If he loved Shakespeare and microbrews, he should head to Ashland and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.

“So, I auditioned and was part of the 1996 season,” he said, “performing in ‘Darker Face of the Earth’ and ‘Coriolanus,’ two fantastic introductory experiences for me.”

Now in his 28th season at OSF, Kenerly performs as Macbeth in the Scottish Play to rave reviews.

Kenerly has done a lot of Shakespeare for the festival. Some of his favorite credits include “The Tempest,” “Henry IV Part 1” and “Romeo and Juliet.”

He also counts “The Book of Will” and “Shakespeare in Love” among his favorites, along with meaty roles in several August Wilson plays, including “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Fences” and “Two Trains Running.”

Kenerly says playing Macbeth has both challenges and rewards.

“The biggest challenge is fighting against the passage of time in this play,” he said, “and watching a good man descend into the horrors of protecting his power — over what seems to be a relatively short span of time.”

Praise for the cast

“The reward is the privilege of playing with such a wonderful cast and crew.”

Evren Odcikin directs an ensemble that also includes Gabriela Fernandez-Coffey, Jennie Greenberry, Auston Henderson, Kate Hurster, David Kelly, Jana Krumholtz, David Anthony Lewis, Amy Lizardo, Armando McClain, Erica Sullivan, Dane Troy, Nicole Villavicencio Gonzalez and Jaysen Wright.

Kenerly describes how he prepared mentally and emotionally to tackle the complex and morally ambiguous nature of the character.

“When building the character, I searched to find anchors for why he is initially perceived to be a good and honorable man,” he said, “and fully living in moments that showcase those attributes.”

He says he finds it important to relax and be open to what his fellow castmates bring from day to day, and “shake it off at the end of each performance.”

“I’m just me, with my particular quirks and skill set, foibles and physicality,” he said. “Every actor before me dealt with the same issues — battling the question of ‘fate’ and the speed at which everything happens in the play.”

Then there is the beauty of the language, paired with the ugliness of Macbeth’s descent.

“You can’t fight the pentameter or the journey,” Kenerly said.

Timeless and relevant

He sees the play as timeless and the character as compelling for today’s audiences.

“There’s never been a shortage of supposedly ‘good people’ doing absolutely horrific things,” he said.

And he imagines members of the audience reflecting on whether they would do the same, given the circumstances and stimuli.

Reviews have been glowing.

KLCC, a network of 10 National Public Radio signals, called the production “riveting.”

“The quality is first-rate in every way,” the review said. “It gives festival fans a reason to rejoice.”

In a review posted April 22 on dangerouscommonsense.org, Galen Workman expressed high praise for the cast and the production.

“My head and emotions are still spinning from the two times, so far, that I have seen OSF’s ‘Macbeth,’” Workman wrote. “It is not a good ‘Macbeth,’ it is a spectacular ‘Macbeth.’ Kevin Kenerly and Erica Sullivan (as Lady Macbeth) are perfect.”

The first time Kenerly appeared on stage was in a second-grade play.

“And I’m sure I was terrible,” he said.

He earned a bachelor of fine arts from Olivet College (now the University of Olivet) in Olivet, Mich., and attended graduate school at Wayne State University in Detroit.

TV work opened the door

“I finally embraced being an actor after two years of grad school. I was being consistently hired to do TV and commercial work, so being paid for what I was doing helped motivate me tremendously.”

Is there a role he hasn’t played that’s on his bucket list?

“I would love to play Richard III.”

What might people be surprised to learn about Kevin Kenerly?

“I love orchids!”

What affirmed his conviction that joining OSF was the right choice?

“Watching Doug Rowe perform Willy Loman in ‘Death of a Salesman’ that first season.”

Now that Kenerly is the veteran, there may be a newcomer to the company watching his performance in “Macbeth,” experiencing the same sense of affirmation.

For more information about “Macbeth” and other OSF productions, and to purchase tickets, go to osfashland.org.

Reach writer Jim Flint at jimflint.ashland@yahoo.com.