Romance, a love triangle, comedy and disorder.
Must be a play by William Shakespeare.
Shakespeare wrote “Twelfth Night” about 1601 to 1602 to be performed at Twelfth Night entertainment, just before the end of the Christmas season. Twelfth Night was a Christian festival held on the last of the Twelve Days of Christmas.
Waynesboro High School students will perform “Twelfth Night” Nov. 17-20 in the Louis B. Spilman Auditorium.
“Because it’s a fantastic comedy,” said Theater Arts and English teacher Samantha Nichols, the play’s director, of the production choice.
Nichols said that she is trying to incorporate more fight scenes into theater productions at the high school, because students have expressed interest in roles that require more physicality and depth than just saying lines.
“This show offers a really good starting point for students,” she said. “Fight scenes are always at the peak of whatever intense or joyful moments are in the production.”
Eight to nine crew members support 17 actors on stage in the production.
“I hope that [audience members] take away that who you are showing to the world is not always who you are on the inside,” Nichols said. She said she hopes the production encourages everyone to allow themselves to be who they truly are, not what others expect them to be.
With renovations to the high school’s auditorium and theater department, Nichols said that getting more Shakespeare on the stage is “becoming more and more important.” His plays contain “timeless language and themes” for all actors and audience members.
According to Nichols, after performing in a Shakespeare play, students can walk away and say that they explored a different world. As an English teacher, Nichols said that performing in a Shakespeare play is different than reading it on the pages of a book. He wrote the plays intending for them to be seen on the stage, not read, and the humor is better appreciated on stage.
Bella Klemm, 15, a sophomore at Waynesboro High, has performed in theater for many years.
“This is kind of a different sort of role,” Bella said of the production’s language.
To prepare for her role as the lead, “Viola,” Bella read the play and did research.
“She cares very much about everyone in her life,” Bella said of “Viola.” She’s one of these people, she’s very empathetic.” Bella said that “Viola” finds joy despite living a lie.
While Bella has never had to do what “Viola” has, Bella prepared to portray her by relating to the relationships in her life: the loss of Viola’s brother and her interest in “Duke Orsino.” “Viola” has complex relationships with everyone because of who she is.
Bella said she wants audience members to see how much work she and her fellow actors did on the production, but she also hopes the production encourages them to see more theater.
“We’ve had so much fun putting the show together,” Bella said.
Jacob Hostetter, 16, a junior at Waynesboro High, will portray “Duke Orsino.” In preparation of the role, he said he attempted to understand “Duke” from his dialogue, not how others portrayed the character. He put his own perspective on who is “Duke.”
“He is a man who is in love with the idea of being in love,” Jacob said. “Duke” is in love with “Countess Olivia.”
Jacob said that “Duke” wants to be lovesick about everything in life and that’s how he approaches life.
“Shakespeare is confusing, but I hope people will see you can really pull fun out of it,” Jacob said. Even if you don’t always understand the dialogue, Jacob said he hopes audience members “can see it’s a fun time.”
Jacob has performed in theater since he was five years old, and worked with many different people.
“But nothing has prepared me for trying to learn Shakespeare,” he said.
Performances on Thursday, Nov. 17 and Friday, Nov. 18 will be at 7:30 p.m., at 2 and 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 19 and at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 20. Tickets are available online, and cash only at the door. Tickets are $10 per student and $15 per adult.
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Rebecca Barnabi
