Twelfth Night
![Amelia Eichmeier, Mak Strohmeyer and Malcolm McCanles (from left) in "Twelfth Night." Amelia Eichmeier, Mak Strohmeyer and Malcolm McCanles (from left) in "Twelfth Night."](https://isthmus.com/downloads/67625/download/calendar-University-Theatre-Twelfth%20Night-2023-cr-Mats-Rudels.jpg?cb=307747da1e25830ed993d05b5e9b2a50&w={width}&h={height})
Mats Rudels
Amelia Eichmeier, Mak Strohmeyer and Malcolm McCanles (from left) in "Twelfth Night."
Amelia Eichmeier, Mak Strohmeyer and Malcolm McCanles (from left) in "Twelfth Night," University Theatre, 2023.
Not quite the Twelfth Night of Shakespeare, though the characters — and the mistaken identities — are the same. This University Theatre production is a musical with a jazz/funk score by Shaina Taub. Shows at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. and 2 p.m. Sunday, plus 7:30 pm, 11/10.
media release: University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Department of Theatre and Drama / University Theatre presents
TWELFTH NIGHT: A Musical Adaptation
Conceived by Kwame Kwei-Armah and Shaina Taub
Music and Lyrics by Shaina Taub
Directed by Aimée Hayes; music direction by Erin McConnell; choreography by Aaron Thielen.
Twelfth Night is a rousing contemporary musical inspired by Shakespeare’s classic comedy about love, mistaken identity, and self-discovery. Separated from all she knows after a wreck at sea, young Viola washes up on the shores of Illyria, and disguises herself as a man in order to survive. Sent to court a Countess on behalf of her new employer, she instead falls hard for him herself! Hilarious mishaps ensue as she navigates this strange and wonderful new land, finding her true self and true love in the process. Featuring an original jazz-funk score by Shaina Taub, this fun, fresh take with a Madison-inspired flavor on Shakespeare’s classic delivers its meaningful messages of empathy and compassion with music, joy, and lots of laughs.
Guest Artist Aimée Hayes directs Anna Bogan, Grant Borcherding, Bree Bylak, Ava Childs, Ameilia Eichmeier, Sydney Germany, Madison Gieryn, Jayquan Jaeger, Noah Kohn-Dumbaya, Brady Madison, Malcolm McCanles, Megan McCarty, Dennis McMorrow, Jameson Milhaupt, Isabel Najera, Rob Sellon, Rose Sellon, Ella Smith, Haley Street, Makaya Strohmeyer, Megan Tennessen, Nico Valcin, and Nick Zadra.
Erin McConnell is the music director, Aaron Thielen is the choreographer, Audrey Laruen Standish is the intimacy director, Whitney Derendinger is the fight director, and ZhiYu Jin is the assistant director. The scenic designer and technical director is Dan Lisowski, assisted by Krista Lirette, costume designer is Aly Amidei, lighting and projections designer is Megan Reilly, assisted by Lilie Larson, sound designer is Claudia Martinez, properties by Rob Wagner, with Miah Farmer as stage manager, assisted by Lucinda Emmen and Lauren Farrington.
Content Advisory: This play contains mature content and depictions of physical violence and alcohol and substance use.
For more information visit https://theatre.wisc.edu/
Performances will be held November 9-19, 2023, in the Ronald E. Mitchell Theatre, Vilas Hall 821 University Avenue Madison WI 53706.
This production is made possible through generous support from the Anonymous Block Grant.
If you would like to make a donation to University Theatre through the UW Foundation, please click here. Thank you for your support!