Tampa’s Jobsite Theater isn’t pretending ‘Comedy of Errors’ is a thesis statement

Shakespeare skeptics, relax. This one isn’t trying to teach you anything. It’s trying to make you laugh.

That’s the guiding principle behind Jobsite Theater’s upcoming production of “The Comedy of Errors“, running Jan. 14–Feb. 8 at the Jaeb Theater. Set in the groovy, slightly unhinged world of the 1960s, this is Shakespeare stripped of reverence and played at full speed.

Actor Kayla Witoshynsky, who plays Luciana, puts it bluntly: “Comedy of Errors is a silly little show for escapism…for the most part, we’re just trying to have a good time.”

That clarity of purpose matters—especially with a play that can spiral into chaos if you blink at the wrong moment.

The accessibility question

If you’ve ever bailed five minutes into Shakespeare because the language felt like homework, actor Donovan Whitney understands the hesitation.

“These are just people that are expressing their thoughts and emotions with some funky words,” he says. “Once you strip all that away, it all relates to today.”

Whitney, who plays one of the Antipholus twins, frames “Comedy of Errors” less as literary artifact and more as a human comedy engine: jealousy, confusion, bad timing, and worse assumptions. The 1960s setting isn’t a gimmick—it’s a translation device.

“That’s kind of the challenge…how can you make it relatable?” he adds.

Why the 1960s work so well

For Witoshynsky, the era opens the door to physical comedy and pop-cultural shorthand audiences instantly recognize.

“You can look at different tropes in sixties television…play it like the Three Stooges,” she says. “It allows you to say the scansion of the verse in a way that still has a beat but feels less foreign.”

That matters when many audience members—especially weekday field trip students—are encountering Shakespeare (or live theater at all) for the first time. The goal isn’t perfect comprehension; it’s momentum.

“When you can ground the words in a caricature that’s easier to grab ahold of, we can bring the audience with us,” Witoshynsky explains.

Laugh first. Think later. (Or don’t.)

Jobsite isn’t pretending “Comedy of Errors” is a thesis statement. Yes, there’s depth. Yes, Shakespeare is saying something about society. But no one’s stopping the show to underline it.

As Witoshynsky notes,

“A fart joke is a fart joke, and that’s for everyone.”

Even if the language flies past you, the physical comedy won’t.

“Even if you…still feel lost in the whirlwind of the language, you’ll definitely get at least several laughs because of how much physical comedy we’ve embedded into the show.”

A company that knows its lane

Both actors point to director David Jenkins’ collaborative style as the secret sauce. Rehearsals are built around play, experimentation, and trust—essential ingredients for a farce that lives or dies on timing.

Whitney sums it up simply:

“I don’t ever want to go up and do something where people don’t understand what I’m saying or what I’m doing. That’s not a good experience for anybody.”

The bottom line

This “Comedy of Errors” isn’t asking you to like Shakespeare. It’s asking you to show up, sit down, and let the confusion do its thing.

Fast. Physical. Intentionally silly. And smart enough to know that laughter is the best way in.

Tickets for Jobsite Theater’s “The Comedy of Errors” running Jan. 14–Feb. 8 at David A. Straz Center’s Jaeb Theater are still available are start at $21 before fees.

This article appears in Dec. 25 – 31, 2025.