Oct. 8, 2004
UW-RF Theatre Presents Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night"
By
Molly Exner
UW-RF News Bureau
[photos]
The UW-River Falls University Theatre opens the 2004-05 season with a production
of William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" in the Blanche Davis Theatre
of the Kleinpell Fine Arts Building Oct. 21-23 and 28-30 at 7:30 p.m.
According to the play's director and UW-RF theatre Professor Meg Swanson, the
University Theatre is taking a rollicking, open-hearted approach to this piece
by Shakespeare. The classic is reworked to be decidedly "unstuffy,"
says Swanson, in order to make it accessible to young audience members and enjoyable
to all.
"Twelfth Night" follows the lives of Sebastian and Viola, twins shipwrecked
and separated off the coast of Illyria, who both believe the other is dead.
Viola disguises herself as a boy, becomes a page of Duke Orsinio and falls in
love with him. The Duke is hopelessly in love with Olivia, but she is in the
process of mourning her brother's death and becomes infatuated with Viola as
she/he delivers messages for the Duke. When Sebastian shows up, Olivia confuses
him with the Duke's page (Viola) and marries the astonished young man. In the
midst of all of this romantic confusion, servants and family members provide
comic relief with their pompous, pretentious and sometimes intoxicated behavior.
"The University Theatre staff believes it is important to do the works
of Shakespeare on a regular basis, both to give the actors a chance to chew
on the meaty material and to give the River Falls audience a chance to see a
Shakespeare performance they will enjoy," said Swanson.
The opening University Theatre production will host the eighth annual alumni
event for theatre and speech majors. On Oct. 22, alums will return to campus
to watch the play, enjoy some food and share in various activities that will
generate money for student scholarships.
UW-RF emeriti and retired English Professor Bernie Brohaugh will play Sir Toby
Belch, Olivia's unruly uncle who lives with her despite her disapproval of his
rowdy behavior, practical jokes, heavy drinking and late-night carousing.
In addition, the production will donate proceeds to the Theatre Restoration
Fund, founded by Wayne Yeager, a UW-RF senior theatre major and owner of the
local theatre company HearthCricket.
Iris O'Brien, UW-RF theatre major, vice chair of the University Theatre board
and stage manager for "Twelfth Night," says she is the "wheels"
behind the show. As stage manager, O'Brien becomes the tie between director,
actor and designer and makes sure the whole machine works.
Swanson says the play is a comedy that covers the territory between love and
lust and back again. Moreover, she says, it demonstrates that people haven't
changed much in 400 years. What was funny then—mistaken identity, human
arrogance and unrequited love—is still funny today.
Student and senior tickets are $4. Adult tickets are $7. All tickets are on
sale at the door. For more information, please call the box office at 715/425-3114.
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