CU Boulder鈥檚 2016-17 theater season continues with a highly anticipated all-female production of Shakespeare鈥檚 Twelfth Night.听Directed by renowned Los Angeles actor, director, teacher and producer Lisa Wolpe, the production runs Nov. 4 through Nov. 13 in the University Theatre.
A story of mistaken identities and love at first sight, Twelfth Night听is the original romantic comedy. In the kingdom of Illyria, a shipwrecked Viola dresses in men鈥檚 clothing to find work and turns the court of Duke Orsino upside down. Chock full of poetic soliloquies and hilarious farce, it鈥檚 William Shakespeare at his finest and funniest.
Wolpe says CU Boulder鈥檚 female-focused production will shine a new, feminist light on the Bard鈥檚 timeless words.
鈥淭o run this exquisite writing through the minds and hearts of eighteen strong and curious young women will no doubt offer some rare and rich rewards,鈥� Wolpe says. 鈥淚 think the gender flip will provide an opportunity for another level of wit and wordplay. It can offer both a hilarious and intelligent examination of class and gender expectations and stereotypes.鈥�
For four centuries, Shakespeare鈥檚 world has not鈥檛 welcomed women warmly. In the bard鈥檚 time, women did not鈥檛 perform on stage; instead, men donned makeup and dresses to perform the few female roles in each play. But even as that changed, many women grew frustrated to find that few of Shakespeare鈥檚 female characters, including title roles, were as meaty and complex as the male counterparts.
鈥淚 think women have become rather strong in the theater scene, and they鈥檙e looking for more of a story to play,鈥� says Wolpe. 鈥淧laying a larger Shakespearean role is certainly in the capacity of any woman I know.鈥�
And if anyone can say that for certain, it鈥檚 Wolpe. She founded the Los Angeles Women鈥檚 Shakespeare Company more than 20 years ago, and her passion for giving women the spotlight on stage has sparked trends in New York, London and all over the world.
Wolpe says there鈥檚 never been a better time to experiment with gender bending or to explore the complexities of personhood and identity on stage.
鈥淧eople have become very passionate about individuality and about being vocal and strong as a woman, which society has shunned in the past,鈥� Wolpe says. 鈥淭hose are great themes to explore in a play where everything鈥檚 topsy-turvy, where the king is a fool and the fool is a king.鈥�
While Twelfth Night听is听full of complex themes, it鈥檚 as comedic as it is cerebral. At its heart, the play is a hilarious romp bursting at the seams with both swordplay and wordplay.
"Twelfth Night听is a brilliant comedy with imaginative, exaggerated characters鈥攃lowns, pirates, drunkards, lovers and fools,鈥� Wolpe says. 鈥淲e have a terrific cast of fascinating actresses and a really talented design team. I have no doubt that we will come up with something surprising and new.鈥�
or in person at the CU Presents box office at 972 Broadway.
