UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State Centre Stage will present William Shakespeare’s classic play "Twelfth Night" from Nov. 14 to Dec. 3 at the Pavilion Theatre at University Park.
The production is set in 1953 on the rocky coast of Illyria across the Adriatic Sea from Italy. The play is directed by Steve Snyder, with voice coaching by Tess Dignan, costume design by third-year master of fine arts candidate Carly Reader, scenic design by second-year master of fine arts candidate Soledad Sanchez Valdez, and lighting design by Jenn Gallo.
Love makes fools of us all! One of Shakespeare’s best-loved comedies, "Twelfth Night" is a topsy-turvy place full of romantics and eccentrics. At least that’s how it seems to Viola, who’s been cast adrift in this merry world. Out of necessity, she disguises herself as a boy but quickly becomes an object of desire to the woman her employer sent her to woo on his behalf.
“We still fall in love with the wrong people," Snyder writes. "We still try to disengage from life, or alter how we engage with life, when it gets hard. We still desire to rise or somehow get more. We still have that one relative who is insufferable, but is still family. We still deal with bullies, then sometimes become the bully ourselves. We still have to learn and re-learn the need for forgiveness, kindness and mercy. And we still need to laugh at ourselves so we can, indeed, 'Play On.'”
Preview performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 14 and 16. Evening performances will be held at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 29 and 30, and Dec. 1 to 3. A matinee performance will take place at 2 p.m. Dec. 3.
Tickets for evening performances are $20. Preview and matinee performances are $18.50. Penn State students can purchase tickets for $12.50 with a valid Penn State ID.
An opening night dinner will be held on Thursday, Nov. 17, at The Nittany Lion Inn. The cost is $45 and includes dinner and transportation to and from the show. Show tickets must be purchased separately. A cash bar will open at 5 p.m., followed by dinner at 5:30 p.m. in the Faculty Staff Club.
Tickets are available online at www.theatre.psu.edu/twelfthnight, at the Penn State Downtown Ticket Center, Eisenhower Box Office, Bryce Jordan Center, or by calling 814-863-0255 or 1-800-ARTS-TIX. Generous student and group sales discounts are available.