By Cindi Hamar
For The New Era
Sweet Home High School drama students will perform William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” this weekend.
The play will open on Friday, Feb. 28, with a 7 p.m. performance, followed by a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening performance at 7 p.m Saturday, in the High School Auditorium. Tickets are $5.
The romantic comedy, written by Shakespeare in 1601-02, tells the story of twins who are separated by a shipwreck, both believing the other is deceased. This forces Viola (twin girl) to dress as a boy for safety and to be able to work as a page for Duke Orsino, with whom she falls in love. Duke Orsino is in love with Countess Olivia and sends Viola to court her for him.
The story becomes a calamity of comedy when Countess Olivia falls in love with Viola (believing her to be a male named Cesario).
The SHHS production will be an abridged version, shortened by London’s Royal Shakespeare Company. The original play was in the 1600s in the fantasy kingdom of Illyria. Creative changes have been made, changing the time frame to Y2k (1900-2000) and it is set on New Years Eve at a beachfront crib in Santa Monica, Calif.
That setting was chosen by the students, said Director Leah White Hagan, an art and drama teacher at the high school.
“Even though this is classic Shakespeare, the setting in Y2K Santa Monica has been fun,” she said. “The kids have enjoyed diving into the colorful setting and infusing comedy and breaking the fourth wall (bringing the audience into the story).”
The five acts run approximately 90 minutes.
The production will be codirected by Jenifer McIntyre, who teaches language arts at the high school.
The 12-member cast are: Ameliah Spinney as Orsino; Shelby Henthorne as Valentino; Elena Briggs as Viola; Clare Shaputis and JennaBaskin as sailors; Jhordan Weltz as Sir Toby; Olivia Saveskie as Maria; Daylon Pecnick-Thompson as Sir Andrew; Levi Ensley as Feste; Cheana Smith as Olivia; Obadiah Christman as Malvolio; Tea Herrera as Antonio; Paige Reynolds as Sebastion; and Kayleigh Bagg as Priest and Police Officer Brown.
Production crew members will include: Pecnick-Thompson, stage manager; Reynolds, ASM and costumes; Arman Marble, sound; Caden Foley, lights; Gabriel Bowman, tech; Asriel Bagg, production design; Fiona Thompson, production design and run crew; Brenden Thomas, production design and run crew; and Marly Ortiz, production design and run crew.
The play is made possible by cross integrations of multiple SHHS class groups, including contributions from students in production design, tech design and art class and Andrea Foley’s sewing class.
Preparation for the production began in September 2024 , following with auditions in October and meetings and practices thereafter.
The staff and cast have done an excellent job in preparing to give the community a night of fun and nostalgia.
You will be aching from the gut-wrenching laughter.
Donations are appreciated and will contribute to wardrobe and production costs. They can be made at the Sweet Home High School main office.