The youth performance of Shakespearean comedy Twelfth Night is now only days away, and the cast are getting excited to invite the audience into the world they have immersed themselves in for months. A zany world of mistaken identities, romance, and revenge.
Two of the cast members, Ted Shepherd and Sara Kathryn Wierwille, tell us why they love Glenn youth productions and why Twelfth Night is not to be missed!
Ted as Orsino and Sara Kathryn as Viola practicing lines during rehearsal.
Twelfth Night makes how many Glenn productions for you? If it is not your first, what keeps you coming back, doing them year after year?
Ted - Twelfth Night is my fifth Glenn production. I look forward to participating every year because of the community of friends that I get to spend time with and the challenge of developing a great show with them.
Sara Kathryn - Twelfth Night is my fifth production as well. I keep coming back to preform because I am guaranteed a spot to be able to participate and I get to act and sing with people I enjoy doing it with, It’s so much fun to be able to act and sing with your friends.
What character do you play in Twelfth Night? Tell us about him/her.
Ted - My character is Orsino. He is a charming magician that has trouble concealing his true feelings. During the play, he is madly in love, but his love is not reciprocated.
Sara Kathryn - I play the character Viola. She is not from Ilyria, the town where the circus is, but she and her brother are in a shipwreck and wash up on its shore. She’s witty and funny and an all around lovable person...and also falls in love with Orsino.
Describe the preparations involved in putting on a show. What do you personally do to learn your lines and get in character?
Ted - Practice, practice, practice. We usually have about 3 rehearsals a week, but this last week we have practiced every day. To learn my lines, I record them and then listen to them over and over until I have them memorized. To get into character, I think about Orsino’s backstory and this helps me understand his feelings and reactions in each scene.
Sara Kathryn - To prepare for the play, I read the whole unabridged version of Twelfth Night and a translation. I also saw a version of it at the Shakespeare Tavern. Since Shakespeare is especially tricky to learn, I went through all my lines to understand the meaning. I also enlisted a bunch of friends who were willing to patiently run lines with me and help me get my exact wording right. In my acting class in school, we are told to answer Uta Hagen’s Nine Questions to get into character. These questions involve getting to know your character and understanding it and I used the answers to those questions to help me understand my character.
What has performing in front of an audience taught you about yourself? About Glenn Youth?
Ted - Performing in front of an audience has taught me the importance of oral communication. There are so many different ways to say the same lines, and my body language, tone, facial expressions, and rate of speaking determine how the audience will perceive what I’m saying. I’ve also learned that, with dedication, cooperation, and hard work, a bunch of goofy teenagers can make a great show that even non-family members want to come see.
Sara Kathryn - Preforming in front of an audience has taught me a number of things. First, always know your cues. Our director Sims says “Your cues are as important as your lines.” This way you know when to be on stage and when to talk. It has also taught me that as long as you can play off your mistake the audience will never know it happened. They don’t know what is supposed to happen so if you make it look like it was supposed to be that way they’ll never know. I have also learned that Glenn Youth is a great place to get experience in front of an audience. Everyone in the cast is there to support you and have fun with you even if you make a mistake.
Why should everyone make sure to see Twelfth Night?
Ted - Everyone should see this show because it is a fun, modern take on a classic Shakespearean comedy.
Sara Kathryn - Everyone should come see Twelfth Night because not only will you be able to see a great group of people preform but you will also be able to see amazing circus acts. There are acrobats, stilt walkers, and magic tricks. Everyone has worked so hard to make this play enjoyable for everyone.
Thank you, Ted and Sara Kathryn! Best of luck this weekend!
Showtimes
Friday, February 23, 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, February 24, 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, February 25, 2:00 p.m. (childcare provided for the Sunday matinee)
Tickets are $5 for children under 10 and $10 for adults. Reserve your tickets here, and pay online or at the door. Advanced online ticket reservation and sales will close on Thursday, February 22 at 5:00 p.m. Tickets will still be available at the door, but there are limited seats for each showing.