Out and About: “Twelfth Night” at the Pittsburgh Public Theater
Monday, February 6, 2017
Shakespeare plays aren’t always easy to digest. Elizabethan English can take a few extra seconds to sink in and leave you feeling left out of the joke. But Ted Pappas’ interpretation of Twelfth Night at Pittsburgh Public Theater, which features an incredibly engaging cast, makes you feel like part of the action from the get-go.
Pappas and Co. seemed to deploy every resource at their fingertips to form a mammoth of a theater production. A cast bursting at the seams with talent and perfect comedic timing, an original, ragtime-y score from composer Michael Moricz, and intricate costumes and set pieces command the stage with total intensity.
The story is one of unrequited love and elaborate pranks and schemes. Viola and her twin brother Sebastian are separated after a shipwreck. When she reaches land, Viola disguises herself as a man to protect herself and to get a job with Duke Orsino. Duke Orsino is in love with a woman named Olivia… who doesn’t love him back. Orsino employs Viola (now disguised as Cesario) to win Olivia over for him. But in typical dramatic fashion, Olivia falls for Cesario instead. Love-sick speeches and hilariously awkward situations follow.
Tickets for Twelfth Night will probably go quickly. According to Ted Pappas, “It’s the centerpiece of our season. It’s the big show of the year.” Be sure you don’t miss out on this truly special production, which runs through February 26. Get your tickets now!
By Delaney Held, PDP Marketing & Communications Coordinator
