s Twelfth Night tells the tale of Viola, a woman who disguises herself as a man and falls in love with her master, only to be sent out to woo another woman on his behalf. Matters are further complicated when Viola finds herself desired by the lady in question, and by the time Viola’s twin brother arrives, no one is quite sure who anyone is or who they love anymore! Orlando Shakespeare Theater’s all-male reading allows audiences to add another layer of gender-bending to the story, which is exactly how Elizabethan audiences would have seen Twelfth Night originally. What might we learn about love and identity through the eyes of men?
Associate Director New Play Development David Lee directs a cast that includes Tim Williams as Olivia and Christopher Kiley as Viola, with Jay Becker (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), Mark Lainer (Maria), Eric Zivot (Malvolio), J.J. Ruscella (Sir Toby Belch), and Michael Marinaccio (Feste).
“Working with an all-male cast unleashes a world of imaginative collaboration between the audience and the actors,” said Director David Lee. “I hope that people will walk away with an image of this play that feels innovative and dangerous, which are ways that we don’t usually think of it.”
The Cross Dress’d Reading Series is free and open to the public. Twelfth Night plays in the Margeson Theater at the John & Rita Lowndes Shakespeare Theater (812 East Rollins) in Orlando’s Loch Haven Cultural Park.
Twelfth Night Cast:
Sebastian – Mason D. Criswell
Viola – Christopher Kiley
Olivia – Tim Williams
Antonio – Trent Fucci
Malvolio – Eric Zivot
Feste – Michael Marinaccio
Sir Toby Belch – J.J. Ruscella
Sir Andrew Aguecheek – Jay Becker
Maria – Mark Lainer
Orsino – Jason Nettle
Clown/Officer – Matt Wenge
Valentine/Officer/Fabian/Curio – Zachary Layner
Sea Captain/Priest – Christian Checker
Twelfth Night – Sunday, November 14, 2010 at 7 p.m.
All male cast. Performed as Shakespeare’s plays were originally performed. A man playing a woman disguised as a man loved by a woman loved by another man.
Romeo And Juliet – Sunday, March 13, 2011 at 7 p.m.
Age reversed cast. The lovers will be 45 years old and up, and the parents will be 40 and below. The world’s most enduring love story, see its star-crossed lovers through a pair of older eyes as they hurtle from their first glances to their last kiss.
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Now celebrating its 22nd season and with Shakespeare as its standard and inspiration, Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF has grown into one of the region’s most acclaimed Equity theatres producing bold professional theater in Central Florida. Through PlayFest! The Harriett Lake Festival of New Plays, Orlando Shakespeare Theater is nationally recognized for it contribution to the development of new plays. Orlando Shakes also provides innovative educational experiences through its youth education programming, serving over 25,000 young people, families, and schools annually. http://www.orlandoshakes.org/EVENTS/ReadingSeries.html