Twelfth Night

Types: Full-Length Play

Genre: Comedy

*** All Ages are Relative ***

OLIVIA – Any Ethnicity, 20s – 40s. A wealthy countess who is in mourning over the deaths of brother and father. Smart and commanding, known for beauty and elegance. She falls head over heels in love with Viola (in disguise as Cesario).

ORSINO – Any Ethnicity, late 20s – 40s. A handsome, athletic Duke. He thinks he’s madly in love with Olivia, but mainly he just loves the idea of romance and passion and drama – and performing it. Falls in love with Viola, even while she is disguised as Cesario.

FESTE – Any Gender or Ethnicity, 20s – 50. Olivia’s “fool” and a free spirit. Witty, droll, world-wise, and clever. A clown that has a streak of melancholy. Plays an instrument or sings.

SIR TOBY BELCH – Any Ethnicity, 40 – 60. Olivia’s uncle. A fun-loving, free-spirited drunk who doesn’t care much about social norms. Has a bit of a mean streak and doesn’t mind playing tricks on other characters.

VIOLA – Any Ethnicity, 20s – early 30s. The center, heart and hero of the play. Earnest but witty, grounded but fun, with a tender heart. Resourceful. Spends most of the play in disguise as a young man, serving the Duke Orsino with whom she is secretly in love.

MARIA – Any Ethnicity, 30s – 50s. Olivia’s lady-in-waiting. Nobody’s fool. Smart, savvy, and mischievous. Knows how to keep everyone in line. In love with Sir Toby Belch?

MALVOLIO – Any Gender or Ethnicity, 30s – 60s. Olivia’s steward. Malvolio is officious, self-important and humorless. Very straight-laced and disapproving. Deeply disdainful of Toby, Maria, Andrew and the rest of the rowdy crew in Olivia’s house. Holds a secret love for Olivia.

SIR ANDREW AGUECHEEK – Any Ethnicity, 20s – 40s. A cheerful fop and a good-natured, silly, preening dandy. Extremely gullible. A partying friend of Sir Toby here to court Olivia. Useless but loveable.

FABIAN – Any Ethnicity, 20s-40s. The cook at Olivia’s household. Rough around the edges, but loves to take part in the shenanigans of Sir Toby’s crew.

SEBASTIAN – Any Ethnicity, 20s – Early 30s. Viola’s twin brother who was separated from her in a shipwreck. Courageous, passionate, loyal, kind, and good-hearted, as well as reckless and impulsive. Falls in love with Olivia.

ANTONIO/VALENTINE – Any Ethnicity, 20s – 40s. Antonio: A sea captain who rescues Sebastian from a shipwreck and is fiercely loyal to him, perhaps even in love. Valentine: a gentlemanly butler to Orsino.

CURIO/SEA CAPTAIN/PRIEST/OFFICER – Any Gender or Ethnicity, 20s – 50s. Curio: a servant of Orsino. The Sea Captain: A decent, salty fellow who rescues Viola from the shipwreck. Priest: One who marries Olivia and Sebastian and is called to testify about it later. Officer: One who comes to arrest Antonio and keep him in line.

―What goes up, must come down.‖ – Blood, Sweat, and Tears

Twelfth Night is a study of duality. Life and death. Love and loss.
Laurel and Hardy. Okay, maybe not the last one, but the show is filled
with a litany of gags, musical numbers, supercilious snobs and whipsmart
slobs. It is a screwball comedy.

The earnest romantic melodrama, the wise-cracking musical clowns, or
even leading men having charming, albeit, outdated views on the fairer
sex; Twelfth Night feels both modern and nostalgic at the same time.

The early days of cinema were a present my father passed on to me.
He’s the one who opened the door to these forgotten films. A black and
white world, where laughter and joy were king, and grief taught us how
to ache for another’s plight. My father opened this door to me. As well
as a door to grief when he passed 2 years ago.

The pain of grief can be crippling. It can make one want to hide away
from the things which make us love. Medicate yourselves with mirth.
Or play your pain upon a stage for others to sigh at. Or choose to wallow
in your suffering because it’s the only penance you can pay out of the
guilt that the world should keep spinning on while they are gone. Or any
combination thereof. The point is; we will recoil from the world and not
know how to re-enter it. Twelfth Night is a pleasant reminder that we
can grieve and laugh at the same time. It will never be the wrong time to
laugh. Nor is it ever the wrong time to grieve. Being present and
connected is what matters most. ―Present mirth hath present laughter.‖

Enjoy!