After the cancellation of their last production due to COVID-19, the Union University Theater Department has altered its venue and is set to perform Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” on the Great Lawn with seven shows running from Oct. 8 to Oct. 13.
“Twelfth Night” is a comedy that follows the story of Viola, who is separated from her twin brother, Sebastian, in a shipwreck. She disguises herself as a boy, calls herself Cesario and becomes a servant to the Duke Orsino. He sends her to woo the Countess Olivia on his behalf, but the Countess falls in love with Cesario, who is Viola in disguise. Eventually, Sebastian turns up and causes even more confusion, chaos and comedy.
The production’s move of venues from the W.D. Powell Theater to the Great Lawn came from the need to adhere to health and safety protocols, but members of the show have maintained that their new outdoor venue will help preserve the original atmosphere of theater in Shakespeare’s day.
“Having this production outside is a blessing,” said Takiya Britton, junior political science major. “We are building the stage to make it look like how it would in Shakespearean times, so it really ties us to how it was back then.”
The new outdoor venue will also feature some immersive pre-show elements that would not have been otherwise possible, including a range of Shakespearean insults and mock sword-fighting.
“We’re transporting our audience back in time,” said John Klonowski, director. “We want it to be as authentic as possible.”
The casting of the show similarly reflects this authentic spirit, as many of the roles have been double casted, just as they were in Shakespeare’s time. Additionally, the show has been abridged in order to adhere to COVID-19 protocols.
All things considered, the cast and crew are excited to be able to perform once again.
“There are not a lot of big positives right now,” said Klonowski. “Doom and gloom are all around us, but theater is a communal event. It’s a morale builder, and it’s a little piece of normal that we could all use.”
To find showtimes and purchase tickets online, please visit uu.edu/theater.
