THEATREWORKS PRESENTS MELODIOUS TWELFTH NIGHT November 28-December 23, 2007 Featuring Music by Broadway Composer Paul Gordon PALO ALTO (31 October 2007) TheatreWorks, the nationally-acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, ushers in the holidays with a Summer of Love inspired TWELFTH NIGHT. Filled with music, magic, and mischief, this glorious new production of the Bard s most musical comedy gets a song-filled re-imagining in the City by the Bay, circa the late 1960 s. TheatreWorks founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley helms this delectable holiday treat, featuring original music by Tony-nominated Broadway composer Paul Gordon, composer of TheatreWorks recent recordbreaking musical Emma. Darren Bridgett, Ron Campbell, Carie Kawa, Warren David Keith, Michael Gene Sullivan, Vilma Silva, and Rafael Untalan star in TWELFTH NIGHT, playing November 28 through December 23 (press opening: December 1) at TheatreWorks at the Lucie Stern Theatre in Palo Alto. For tickets ($20-56) and information, the public may call (650) 903-6000 or visit theatreworks.org. Portraying love in all its excess, TWELFTH NIGHT is Shakespeare s quintessential celebration of romance in all its enchanting permutations. Approaching the land of Illyria, twins Viola and Sebastian are separated in a wreck, both thinking the other is dead. Masquerading as a man to explore this new world, Viola enters the service of Duke Orsino, helping him to woo the icy beauty Olivia. In true Shakespearean fashion, Viola soon falls in love with Orsino, and Olivia falls in love with Viola, believing her to be man. Adding to the madness, Viola s identical twin Sebastian resurfaces. A madcap tale of mismatched lovers, mistaken identities, and melancholy fools, TWELFTH NIGHT finds merriment in the foibles of infatuation in a romantic comedy of love denied, delayed, and at last, delicious. TWELFTH NIGHT was written between 1600 and 1601. The name of the male lead, Orsino, was likely suggested by Orsini, Duke of Bracciano, an Italian nobleman who visited London in the winter of 1600. The earliest known performance of TWELFTH NIGHT took place at Middle Temple Hall, one of the Inns of Court, on Candlemas night, in 1602; as was custom, all of the female
2-2-2-2-2-2 roles were played by men or boys. The play was one of the earliest Shakespearean works acted at the start of the Restoration. Noteable productions were staged in 1912 by Harley Granville-Barker, in 1916, at the Old Vic and in 1955 at the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre with Laurence Olivier as Malvolio and Vivian Leigh playing both Viola and Sebastian. The longest running Broadway production of TWELFTH NIGHT was Margaret Webster s 1941 staging starring Maurice Evans as Malvolio and Helen Hayes as Viola. Numerous film and television adaptations have also been made of the stage production. TheatreWorks has assembled an outstanding ensemble for TWELFTH NIGHT. TheatreWorks veteran Michael Gene Sullivan, who was featured in the company s productions of Violet, Once On This Island, and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, returns to TheatreWorks as Orsino in TWELFTH NIGHT. In addition to TheatreWorks, Sullivan s credits include productions at A.C.T., Magic Theatre, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, and San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, among others; he is a long-time member, head writer, and director with San Francisco Mime Troupe. Veteran leading lady Vilma Sliva, who was featured in TheatreWorks production of Anna In the Tropics, returns to the company as Olivia. Silva has appeared in numerous productions for Oregon Shakespeare Festival, most recently as Katarina in the company s production of The Taming of the Shrew. She has also appeared in productions at A.C.T., El Teatro Campesino, and San Jose Repertory Theatre; she was featured in Oregon Shakespeare Festival/Berkeley Repertory Theatre production of Continental Divide, which toured throughout the UK. Carie Kawa, who appeared in TheatreWorks productions of Charley s Aunt and Far East, returns to the company as Viola. Kawa has also appeared in productions at A.C.T. (The New Americans) and The Acting Company (Jane Eyre), among others. Making his TheatreWorks debut is Rafael Untalan as Viola s twin brother Sebastian. Untalan s credits include productions with Oregon Shakespeare Festival (Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, Twelfth Night), and featured roles at Miracle Theatre (Lorca in a Green Dress) and Borderlands (Kiss of the Spiderwoman), among others.
3-3-3-3-3-3 Stage veteran Ron Campbell stars as Malvolio in TWELFTH NIGHT. A founding member of The Actor s Gang in L.A. and Artistic Associate of The Los Angeles Theatre Center, Campbell is the recipient of eight Drama-logue awards, a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Award, and a Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award. His regional credits include featured roles in R. Buckminster Fuller: The History (and Mystery) of the Universe and as the chef in Teatro Zinzanni. He has also been featured in numerous productions at California Shakespeare Theatre, A.C.T., Aurora Theatre Company, Mark Taper Forum, Old Globe, San Diego Repertory Theatre, and Seattle Repertory Theatre, among others, and most recently appeared in San Jose Repertory Theatre s production of Triumph of Love. Veteran Bay Area stage actor Warren David Keith, who was featured in TheatreWorks production of The Learned Ladies of Park Avenue, returns to the company as Sir Toby Belch. Keith s credits include productions at Aurora Theatre Company, Berkeley Repertory Theatre, A.C.T., Magic Theatre, California Shakespeare Theatre, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, and Yale Repertory Theatre, among others. Darren Bridgett, last seen at TheatreWorks in The Learned Ladies of Park Avenue, Nickel and Dimed, and Book of Days, returns to the company as Andrew Aguecheek in TWELFTH NIGHT. Bridgett has also appeared in productions at Marin Theatre Company, Magic Theatre, A.C.T., Center Repertory Theatre, Marin Shakespeare Theatre, and Laguna Playhouse. Rounding out the talented cast are Patrick Alparone (TheatreWorks, Word for Word, Magic Theatre), Michael Ching (TheatreWorks, Aurora Theatre Company, Marin Theatre Company), Shannon Warwick (Shakespeare Santa Cruz, Pacific Repertory Theatre, Alabama Shakespeare Festival), and Clive Worsley (TheatreWorks, Shotgun Players, Berkeley Repertory Theatre). Composing new music for this production of TWELFTH NIGHT will be Paul Gordon, who penned the music, lyrics, and book for Emma, the highest-grossing production in TheatreWorks history. In 2000, Gordon was nominated for a Tony Award for composing the music and lyrics for the hit Broadway musical Jane Eyre with Tony award-winner John Caird. Gordon s other credits include writing music and lyrics for the contemporary pop opera Greetings From Venice Beach, the musical Daddy Long Legs with John Caird, and The Magnificent Ambersons with Jay Gruska. He has
4-4-4-4-4-4 written for, and collaborated with, numerous recording artists, including Bette Midler, Quincy Jones, Alanis Morrisette, Smokey Robinson, and Dionne Warwick, has several hit songs to his credit, and is the recipient of nine ASCAP awards for song-writing. Additionally, Gordon co-wrote the theme to the hit television series Ally McBeal, with Vonda Shepard TheatreWorks founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley, who garnered a Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Direction for TheatreWorks West Coast Premiere of Paul Gordon and John Caird s Jane Eyre, directs TWELFTH NIGHT. Kelley also earned Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards for the company s production of Ragtime, for his work with Rags and Another Midsummer Night, and the Sondheim classics Sunday in the Park with George, Pacific Overtures, Into the Woods, and Sweeney Todd. Kelley is the recipient of Bay Area Drama-Logue Awards for his direction of Pacific Overtures, Ah, Wilderness!, and Once in a Lifetime, and Back Stage West Garland Awards for his direction of Side Show and Sunday in the Park with George. Since founding TheatreWorks in 1970, Kelley has directed over 150 productions for the company. Following TheatreWorks revival of William Shakespeare s TWELFTH NIGHT, the company honors the late Wendy Wasserstein by presenting her final play, Third, in January. The West Coast Premiere of Kathleen Clark s Southern Comforts in March and Tony Kushner and Jeanine Tesori s groundbreaking musical Caroline, or Change in April complete the season. With nearly 10,000 subscribers and over 100,000 patrons per year, TheatreWorks has captured a national reputation for artistic innovation and integrity, often presenting Bay Area theatregoers with their first look at acclaimed musicals, comedies, and dramas, directed by awardwinning local and guest directors, and performed by professional actors cast from across the country. Media Sponsor for the TheatreWorks 2007-08 Season is The Mercury News
5-5-5-5-5-5 FOR CALENDAR EDITORS: WHAT: TheatreWorks, the nationally-acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, ushers in the holidays with a Summer of Love inspired TWELFTH NIGHT. This quintessential celebration of romance in all its enchanting permutations comes to TheatreWorks in a glorious new production filled with music, magic, and mischief as the Bard s most musical comedy gets a song-filled re-imagining in the City by the Bay, circa the late 1960 s. This madcap tale of mismatched lovers, mistaken identities, and melancholy fools finds merriment in the foibles of infatuation in this comedy of love denied, delayed, and at last, delicious. TheatreWorks founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley helms this delectable holiday treat, featuring original music by Broadway composer Paul Gordon. WHEN: Previews: November 28, 29, 30 Press Opening: Saturday, December 1 Closes: Sunday, Sunday, December 23 SHOWS: Previews: 8pm Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 7:30pm Thursdays and Fridays: 8pm Saturdays: 2pm, 8pm Sundays: 2pm, 7pm Visual Voice audio-described performances are available December 21, 22 at 8pm, and December 23 at 2pm. WHERE: TICKETS: PHOTOS: TheatreWorks at the Lucie Stern Theatre 1305 Middlefield Rd, Palo Alto $20-56; savings available for youth, students, seniors, and members. For tickets, information, and subscription information, the public may call (650) 903-6000 or visit theatreworks.org. High resolution art digital art can be found at http://www.cb-pr.com/press/twelfthnight.html --30--