Turning Glass Shakespeare, the 2014–15 MFA company of Mary Baldwin University’s Shakespeare and Performance graduate program, in association with the American Shakespeare Center, announces the first show in their four-play season: William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, or What You Will, directed by Sarah E. Blackwell.
Viola, the protagonist of Twelfth Night, is separated from her twin brother and shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria. She finds her new home inhabited by a love-sick duke; a beautiful countess deep in mourning; a pompous steward; and a couple of fun-loving, self-indulgent knights. Viola disguises herself as a boy, finds employment with the duke, and fends off romantic advances from the Countess while the Knights plot against the steward. One of Shakespeare’s best-loved plays, Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy about life, love, death, and the power of family. Set in Virginia and featuring Appalachian music, Turning Glass Shakespeare’s production of Twelfth Night will delight audiences, both young and old.
Twelfth Night will have its initial run at 8 p.m. on October 13 and 14 at the Blackfriars Playhouse in Staunton. Both performances are pay what you will and run for an hour. The October 14 performance will include a talkback, directly following the show.
After the initial performances, the production will go on tour to schools in the Shenandoah Valley area. As part of their educational mission, Turning Glass has created a series of workshops to accompany the production. The show and accompanying workshops will be available to Shenandoah Valley schools for booking by mid-October. To book Twelfth Night for an educational performance, please visit www.turningglassshakespeare.com. Also check out Turning Glass Shakespeare on Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr for more information, or contact Nora Manca, 630-853-8815 or [email protected].