'Desperate Measures' Puts a Rootin’-Tootin’ Spin on Shakespeare at Theatre Jacksonville

Desperate Measures is a sly and spirited musical adaptation of Measure for Measure, Shakespeare’s morally knotty comedy about justice, mercy and the abuse of power. Rather than Elizabethan Vienna, the action here unfolds in the Arizona Territory during the late 1800s, where saloons and six-shooters replace dukes and friars.

Peter Kellogg’s book and lyrics, paired with David Friedman’s bouncy, melodic score, cleverly transpose the Bard’s exploration of virtue and vice into a fast-paced, rhyming romp. While Shakespeare’s play broods on the gray areas of governance and religion, Desperate Measures embraces a brighter, broader tone. Its characters, though facing similar moral dilemmas, lean more into caricature and comic energy. Yet beneath the musical’s farcical surface, the central questions of justice and human frailty resonate clearly, making it an adaptation that honors its source while forging its own delightful identity.

Where Measure for Measure offers ambiguity, Desperate Measures opts for clarity and entertainment. The stakes remain high: Johnny Blood faces execution for an impulsive crime, and Sister Mary Jo must plead his case. But in this retelling, characters’ motivations are simpler and outcomes more satisfying, trading Shakespeare’s moral murkiness for a feel-good finale.

The cast of Desperate Measures takes this witty, toe-tapping adaptation and runs with it, delivering a buoyant ensemble performance that crackles with energy and heart. Every member of the cast seems to relish the playful spirit of the material, and the result is a night of theater that feels as fresh as it is funny.

With a cowboy swagger and a boyish grin, Brennan Moritz makes Johnny Blood an immensely likable outlaw. Moritz’s natural comedic instincts shine through in every scene, drawing the audience firmly to Johnny’s side. With the wide-eyed bravado of a man in way over his head and an easy physicality, Moritz inhabits the outlaw with the good-natured cluelessness of a man who could outshoot a bandit but couldn’t find his way out of a paper bag.

A beautiful mess in a battered clerical collar, Neal Thorburn’s Father Morse is one of the evening’s purest delights. With impeccable comic timing and an elastic physicality, Thorburn sends the hapless priest lurching from tippling irreverence to theatrical piety, often within the same scene. His faith — as fragile as a paper tissue in the wind — shifts wildly from renouncing the heavens to invoking divine intervention. Though not the most loquacious character, Thorburn’s Morse is a constant presence, punctuating the action with choice interjections and perfectly timed reactions.

Not all the show’s laughs come from broad antics — some of its finest humor stems from pure sincerity, and that is where Chris Robertson shines as Sheriff Martin Green. With a square jaw and a steadfast sense of justice, Robertson gives the sheriff a quiet dignity that plays beautifully against the surrounding chaos. He doesn’t chase the comedy; instead, it finds him, particularly as Green’s no-nonsense resolve begins to crumble in the face of unexpected love. Watching Robertson’s subtle shifts — a glance, a pause, a momentary falter in his otherwise upright posture — is a pleasure in itself. When he does open up, the warmth and earnestness of his vocals further endear him to the audience.

If the show has an emotional anchor, it is found in Morgan Perry’s portrayal of Sister Mary Jo. From her first entrance, Perry’s poise and vocal clarity establish her as a force to be reckoned with. She navigates the role’s moral complexities with grace, shifting effortlessly between righteous determination and flashes of tender vulnerability. Her performance brings a grounded humanity to the whirlwind of action around her.

No one seems to be having more fun onstage than Alec Hadden, whose gloriously villainous Governor Von Richterhenkenpflichtgetruber dominates every scene he enters. Hadden leans fully into the Governor’s bombast, milking every outlandish syllable of his name and relishing each moment of comedic excess. His broad gestures, booming voice and impeccable comic instincts draw big laughs, and he clearly revels in the character’s absurd excesses. Hadden’s energy never flags, providing a perfect foil for the forces of good arrayed against him. It’s a performance that knows exactly what kind of show this is and delivers accordingly.

Finally, in a performance that nearly steals the show, Aly Blakewell is sheer dynamite as Bella Rose. With a voice that can soar one moment and purr the next, Blakewell turns every song into an event. Her physical comedy is razor-sharp, her timing impeccable, and her affection for the character’s big-hearted bravado unmistakable. She brings both sparkle and soul to Bella, ensuring that every number she touches becomes a crowd favorite. Whether vamping through a comic duet or tenderly supporting her fellow characters, Blakewell commands attention in all the right ways.

It takes a nimble hand to keep Desperate Measures flying fast and funny without veering into chaos — and Daniel Austin makes it look easy. His staging is filled with smart, playful choices, and the cast navigates the show’s rhyming iambic pentameter with an easy grace, honoring its rhythm while mining every comic opportunity it offers. Austin demonstrates a keen instinct for tone, knowing when to lean into the farce and when to pull back. One of his sharpest choices comes in the bedroom scene — a sequence that, in lesser hands, could easily tip into cringe. Instead, Austin leans fully into the farce, crafting a sequence that is riotously funny.

You can’t two-step through this kind of comedy without a band that’s locked in — and under Erin Barnes’ baton, every note hits its mark. The orchestra plays with a richness and snap that gives the entire show its irresistible bounce. Ensemble numbers are tight and full of rich harmonies, turning the cast into a true musical force. Barnes keeps the pacing brisk and the sound bright, ensuring the score drives the action forward.

Desperate Measures is that rare kind of show — a feast for both the belly and the brain. If you come for the lighthearted comedy and toe-tapping tunes, you’ll leave well satisfied. If you lean in for the deeper questions of justice, mercy and moral compromise, they’re there too, sparkling beneath the surface. However you choose to partake, this production offers a full plate — rich in laughs, layered with thought and served with undeniable charm and style.

Desperate Measures runs Friday, June 6 through Sunday, June 22 at the Harold K. Smith Playhouse.

For more information, full cast and crew credits and links to tickets, visit the Desperate Measures page here on JaxPlays.