KU News Release

Feb. 13, 2008
Contact: Charla Jenkins, University Theatre, (785) 864-2684.

University Theatre to stage Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ beginning Feb. 29

LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas Department of Theatre and Film’s University Theatre is staging “Twelfth Night,” or “What You Will,” by William Shakespeare at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29 and March 6-8 and 2:30 p.m. March 2 and 9 at the Crafton-Preyer Theatre in Murphy Hall.

Written between 1599 and 1600, “Twelfth Night” is Shakespeare’s 22nd play and is thought to be his wildest, funniest and purest romantic comedy. The KU production is directed by Jocelyn L. Buckner, Sumter, S.C., doctoral student, and features scenic design by David Platter, Lawrence master’s degree student; lighting design by Caleb Stroman, College Station, Texas, master’s degree student; costume and make-up design by Elizabeth (Biz) Grim, Huxley, Iowa, master’s degree student; sound design by Boone J. Hopkins, Gainesville, Ga., doctoral student, and Stroman; and vocal, dialect and text coaching by Paul Meier, professor of theatre and film.

In keeping with the tradition of restaging Shakespeare’s work in a manner relevant for today’s audiences while honoring the original text, Buckner set the KU production in the 1910s in the city of New Orleans and the infamous vice district known as Storyville.

“Twelfth Night,” one of Shakespeare's most famous comedies, is a play about love in all its excess, about the madness it can drive us to, the pain it gives us and finally its ability to heal that pain, Buckner said.

“ ‘Twelfth Night’ explores the revelry and social challenges to authority made possible during the Epiphany season of the church calendar,” she said. “Telling this story in New Orleans highlights the sloughing off of social conformity and insistence on individualism reflected in New Orleans’ own notorious revelries, which occur during the Mardi Gras season. The city has a history unlike any other as a site of racial, religious, moral and colonial struggle and cultural blending. This environment easily compliments this play’s multiple plots based on physical, emotional and psychological masking. As a result, mistaken identities, mixed signals, miscommunication and practical jokes abound.”

In the play, twin siblings Viola and Sebastian are separated in a shipwreck and eventually land on different shores of a country, each one assuming the other has drowned. As a young girl alone in the world, Viola decides to don man’s attire and present herself to Orsino, the ruler of the country, as a young gentleman. She becomes his most trusted servant and is sent to woo for him Olivia, a countess he loves. Viola does her duty by him, but in her heart she realizes she has fallen in love with Orsino. Ever loyal to her master and her beloved, she goes to fulfill her task, but during their conversation, Olivia falls in love with Viola, thinking her to be a young man, and begins to actively pursue her. Viola now finds herself caught between the duke she loves and the countess who adores her and to whom Orsino keeps sending her back.

In the meantime, trouble is brewing in Olivia’s household as her drunken uncle, his friend and Olivia's servants are all plotting against the uptight steward of the household, Malvolio. They convince him Olivia is in love with him and get him to dress up and behave in fantastical ways to prove his love for her. Soon, between the love triangle of Orsino, Viola and Olivia, and the mad behavior of Malvolio, the entire court-life is in disarray. In the midst of the chaos, Viola’s twin brother returns, which only adds to the confusion since he looks just like her.

By expanding upon Shakespeare’s own explorations of gender-bending, through Viola’s cross-dressing and the Elizabethan practice of having all-male casts, the KU production works to further highlight and make immediate to today’s audiences the main thematic elements of the play: the human ability to love the spiritual, emotional essence of another person regardless of cultural definitions of physical identity. Orsino is played as a woman who desires the hand of the fair Olivia, yet the story has not been changed. Shakespeare’s message — the resilience, persistence and unpredictability of love — is told in a compelling and provocative manner, calling for recognition of the various ways kinship and community are constructed.

Because the play is set in New Orleans, Buckner used many historical recordings housed in the Richard Wright Jazz Archive in the Music and Dance Library at KU.

“Storyville served as a cradle for early jazz in the Big Easy, nurturing and providing opportunities for multitudes of artists,” she said. “In an effort to infuse the musical legacy of New Orleans into this production, the song lyrics in the script have been adapted to reflect the jazz, blues and ragtime innovations that emerged from Storyville.”

Reserved seat tickets for “Twelfth Night” are on sale in the KU ticket offices: University Theatre, 864-3982; Lied Center, 864-ARTS; and Student Union Activities, 864-7469, or online at kutheatre.com. Tickets are $16 for the public, $10 for students and $15 for KU faculty and staff and senior citizens. VISA and Mastercard are accepted for phone and online orders.

Members of the cast for the KU production are listed below by hometown, level in school, major, parents’ names, high school and role.

BARTON COUNTY
From Hoisington 67544
Jacquelyn Koester, freshman, theatre and Spanish, daughter of Richard and Pamela Koester; Hoisington High School; Lady of the Night.

BUTLER COUNTY
From Augusta 67010
Aubree Bowen, senior, theatre, daughter of Paul and Gail Bowen and Lynda and Mike Medlock; Augusta High School; Valentine.

DOUGLAS COUNTY
From Lawrence 66049
Spencer Lott, sophomore, theatre and film, son of Hunter and Nancy Lott of Rochester, Minn.; Lawrence Free State High School; Sea Captain, Officer and Gentleman Caller.

FINNEY COUNTY
From Holcomb 67851
Logan Walker, senior, theatre, son of Lynn and Cindy Walker; Holcomb High School; Sir Toby Belch.

JOHNSON COUNTY
From Overland Park 66207
Jordan White, sophomore, theatre and film, daughter of Bowen White and Ann Nelson; Shawnee Mission South High School; Viola.

From Overland Park 66215
Brian Patrick Ervin, senior, theatre and film and psychology, son of Dan and Debbie Ervin; St. Thomas Aquinas High School; Feste.

From Overland Park 66221
Alex Haynes, senior, theatre and psychology, son of Martin Haynes and Patricia Thomas; Blue Valley Northwest High School; Curio, Priest and Gentleman Caller.

From Overland Park 66223
Felicia Helena Fairley, senior, communications studies and theatre, daughter of Amos and Theresa Fairley; Blue Valley Northwest High School; Lady of the Night.

From Shawnee 66216
Danny Shaw, senior, biochemistry, son of Greg and Pam Shaw; Shawnee Mission Northwest High School; Antonio.

From Stilwell 66085
Alex Nichols, freshman, English, son of Joel and Jessica Nichols; Blue Valley High School; Fabian.

KEARNY COUNTY
From Lakin 67860
Chelsie S. Shipley, junior, theatre, daughter of Price and Sue Shipley; Lakin High School; Maria.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY
From Leavenworth 66048
Garrett Kelly, sophomore, theatre and journalism, son of Mr. and Mrs. Michael Kelly; Tonganoxie High School; Malvolio.

MIAMI COUNTY
From Louisburg 66053
Brittany Barney, freshman, theatre and art education, daughter of Christie and Andrew Barney; Paola High School; Lady of the Night.

From Osawatomie 66064
J.T. Nagle, freshman, theatre, son of Bill and Donna Nagle; Paola High School; Officer and Gentleman Caller.

SHAWNEE COUNTY
From Topeka 66606
Spencer Holdren, senior, theatre, son of James and Teresa Turnbull; Topeka High School; Sir Andrew Aguecheek.

NORTH DAKOTA
From Fargo 58102
Amy Virginia Buchanan, junior, theatre and film, daughter of David and Cindy Buchanan; Stillwater High School, Stillwater, Okla.; Orsino.

TEXAS
From Frisco 75034
John Volk, senior, English, son of Tim and Lisa Volk; Topeka West High School, Topeka, Kan.; Sebastian.

From San Antonio 78247
DeAndrea Beatrice Herron, senior, theatre, daughter of Beatrice A. Herron; James Madison High School; Olivia.

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