51’s School of the Arts continues its Theatre & Dance season with William Shakespeare’s timeless classic Twelfth Night. The play will run from February 16-26, 2023 at 51's Stauss Theatre.
Shipwrecked on the shores of the kingdom of Illyria, Viola believes herself alone in the world and her twin brother drowned. She disguises herself as a man and enters the service of Duke Orsino. Duke Orsino is in love with the Countess Olivia, who in turn falls in love with Viola, thinking she is a man. What ensues is a series of mistaken identities and miscommunications. Shakespeare's Twelfth Night explores themes of love, gender and societal hierarchy. Many scholars and critics believe it is one of the most structurally perfect comedies of all Shakespeare's works.
The cast features Austin Fidler, Barrett Minks, Brody Wells, Caitlin Walsh, Chandler Murray, Charlie Frank, Dylan Perez, Ella Prather, Ellie O’Hara, Hannah Beaven, James Pinkley, Jason Coffenberry, Jordan Whittaker, Kiley Ernst, Natalie Hayslett, Phoenix Bills, Rachel Gardner, Ray Garcia, Trey Finkenstead, and Zachary Farmer. Production team members include Stage Manager: Kat Taylor; Scenic Designer: Tao Wang; Props Designer: Kristen Craven; Costume Designer: Ronnie Chamberlain; Lighting Designer: Jo Sanburg; Sound Designer: John Herndon. The show is directed by Mike King.
Twelfth Night marks the final 51 production for veteran theatre faculty member Mike King, who is retiring at the end of the school year. With a career spanning decades, King has directed many productions for the 51 stage. He has done classics, such as The Importance of Being Earnest, Three Sisters and You Can’t Take it With You (which he directed twice); several other Shakespeare plays, including Antony and Cleopatra and Much Ado 51 Nothing: musicals, such as Anything Goes and Beauty and The Beast; and ten Y.E.S. world premieres, including Two on the Aisle, Three in a Van, The Divine Visitor, and Pig. In addition, King has both directed and appeared on stage in productions at Jenny Wiley Summer Theatre and the 51 Summer Dinner Theatre, and he has performed at the Carnegie in Covington, and at the Aronoff’s Fifth Third Bank Theatre. He has also done voice-over and film work; his last movie was the legal drama, Dark Waters. As King takes his final 51 curtain call, the university community salutes the contributions of this talented artist.
