Wednesday, January 24, 2001
|
Wednesday, January 24, 2001 |
| Offshoot
presents rollicking Shakespearean comedy, "Twelfth Night" By MICHAEL
BOYLAN "If music be the food of love, play on." Those are the first words uttered in Shakespeare's raucous comedy, "Twelfth Night" or "What You Will," a play full of music, comedy, adventure and love. Offshoot productions will present "Twelfth Night" starting this Thursday evening at the Royce Regeon Band Hall at the LaFayette Educational Center (old Fayette high school). The story begins with a shipwreck off the coast of Illyria. Twin siblings, Viola and Sebastian, both survive the wreck unbeknownst to the other. Viola washes up on shore and decides to dress up like a man and attempt to gain work with the duke, with whom she is in love. The duke, however, is in love with Olivia, who claims she will love no man for seven years while she is in mourning. Many people are in love with Olivia, though she is completely unaware. Andrew, a friend of Olivia's cousin, Toby, is in love with Olivia as well, but has been unsuccessful with her so far. Toby and his friends also fool Malvolio, Olivia's servant, into thinking she is in love with him by sending him fake letters. When Olivia meets Viola, dressed as a man and going by the name Cesario, she falls in love with him. Andrew's friends convince him to duel Cesario (Viola) so that he may impress Olivia. Meanwhile, Malvolio imagines what his life would be like if he were married to Olivia and begins to act more pompous than usual. Viola's brother makes it to Illyria and starts to search for his sister. He is mistaken for Cesario, which leads him to get into arguments and fights, but also leads him to Olivia, who is of course madly in love with Cesario. And that is just the tip of the iceberg. The cast of "Twelfth Night" is largely composed of professional actors from the metro Atlanta area, including Laura Cole as Viola. Cole has performed at the Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta and has recently taught a local workshop on "Acting Shakespeare." The play is directed by Susan Steadman and a large portion of the music was written by her daughter, Paige. There are many Offshoot regulars in the production as well, including Brenda Tymecki and Ethan Williams. Group sale tickets for these special performances are $5 each. (A minimum of 15 is required to qualify as a group.) The "Twelfth Night" preview will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25. Regular performances begin Friday, Jan. 26, and continue through Feb. 11. Regular ticket prices are $10 general admission, and $7.50 for full-time students and senior citizens. The play is presented at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, and at 3 p.m. Sundays. Matinees are slated for Thursday, Feb. 1, at 10 a.m., and Thursday, Feb. 8, at 1 p.m. Reservations should be made as soon as possible, as seating is limited. Offshoot must receive a nonrefundable deposit of $25 by Jan. 26. For information, phone 770-631-2362 or e-mail offshootpr@aol.com. |
