Romance and Revelry Await as Great Lakes Theater Presents Shakespeare's Comedy "Twelfth Night"
CLEVELAND, OH - Great Lakes Theater (GLT) continues its 63rd season with Shakespeare’s delightful romantic comedy, Twelfth Night, directed by Producing Artistic Director Sara Bruner^. This beloved story will perform in the company's intimate and audience-friendly home at the Hanna Theatre, Playhouse Square, from March 21 – April 6, 2025.
“We look forward to sharing Twelfth Night's enduring themes with the community,” shares Bruner. “Like much of Shakespeare's work, the play remains timeless, exploring the intricacies of grief, love, true identity and community healing. The play asks, what happens when we live in extremes and how do we find balance once we find ourselves too far in one direction or the other?”
Bruner directs an extraordinary cast featuring many familiar faces fresh from GLT’s recent production of Peter and the Starcatcher. The cast includes Theo Allyn*, Dar’Jon Marquise Bentley, Jeremy Gallardo*, Nic Scott Hermick*, Grayson Heyl*, Jessie Cope Miller*, James Alexander Rankin*, Evan Stevens*, M.A. Taylor*, Ángela Utrera*, Joe Wegner* and Boe Wank*.
Just as this remarkable cast reunites to bring Twelfth Night to life, so do many of the brilliant artistic minds behind Peter and the Starcatcher. The creative team for Twelfth Night includes Scenic Designer Courtney O’Neill; Lighting Designer Rick Martin; Costume Designer Mieka van der Ploeg; Sound Designer and Composer Matthew Webb; Wig & Hair Designer Caitie Martin; Movement Director Jaclyn Miller^; Fight Director Nick Steen. Even the stunning scenic design of Peter and the Starcatcher finds new purpose, cleverly reimagined to serve the world of Twelfth Night, proving that great design can transcend a single story. Guided by Production Stage Manager Imani Sade * and Assistant Stage Manager Derek Nance*, this team is ready to again transport audiences to a world where adventure and artistry collide. *Members of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States ^The Director and/or Choreographer is a member of the Society of Stage Directors and Choreographers, Inc., an independent national labor union.
A shipwreck throws lives into disarray, where mistaken identities lead to hilarious havoc and unexpected connections. Viola, stranded and disguised as a boy, falls for the Duke, who pines for Olivia. However, Olivia, in mourning, finds herself smitten with Viola, setting off a comical chain of romantic entanglements. This delightful gem brims with wit and wordplay to tell a timeless tale of love, loss and the joyous absurdity of life.
John and Barbara Schubert provide generous support for Twelfth Night. The residents of Cuyahoga County, through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture, provide vital support for Great Lakes Theater's 2024-25 season. Great Lakes Theater programming is also supported by the Ohio Arts Council, which receives support from the State of Ohio and the National Endowment for the Arts. The production sponsor for Twelfth Night is TRG Multimedia.
Audiences will immerse themselves in this exhilarating production at Great Lakes Theater's award-winning Hanna Theatre, an intimate 550-seat space where no seat is more than 13 rows from the action. The innovative "Great Room" design offers diverse seating options, from traditional seats to lounge areas, while the thrust configuration places the audience mere feet from the performers. The Hanna's doors open an hour early to enhance the experience, granting patrons exclusive access to the pre-show process and offering a unique behind-the-scenes look at the magic of live theater.
Great Lakes Theater offers patrons a robust series of Experience Enhancement Programming. At the Preview performances (the first Friday of each respective run), patrons can participate in our Director's Night, which features a lively pre-show discussion with GLT's Producing Artistic Director, Sara Bruner. Each Thursday during the run, patrons are invited to our Salon Thursday pre-show discussions featuring a Great Lakes Theater artist. Our Playnotes pre-show discussions occur sixty minutes before our Saturday matinee performances and feature illuminating introductions to the content and history of the play presented by a guest scholar. On Sundays, patrons can enjoy our Ice Cream Social Sundays, where they can grab a delicious, cool treat at a discount. Visit www.greatlakestheater.org/enhancement to see the full schedule of these events.
The Opening/Press Night performance of Twelfth Night is on Saturday, March 22, at 7:30 p.m. A preview performance is Friday, March 21, at 7:30 p.m. Curtain times for all evening performances are 7:30 p.m., with a 1:30 p.m. curtain time for Saturday matinees and a 3:00 p.m. curtain time for Sunday matinees. In addition, GLT will offer a sign-interpreted and audio-described performance of Twelfth Night on April 6 at 3:00 p.m.
Single performance tickets range in price from $20-$89, with $15 tickets for patrons 25 and under. Tickets are available by calling (216) 241-6000, ordering online, or visiting the Playhouse Square Ticket Office. Visit https://www.playhousesquare.org/contact-us for Playhouse Square Ticket Office operating hours. Groups of ten or more save up to 45% by calling (216) 453-1066.
About Great Lakes Theater Great Lakes Theater, the first resident company of Playhouse Square, has brought the pleasure, power, and relevance of live theater to the widest possible audience since 1962. GLT programming impacts over 100,000 adults and students annually.
Posted on:
February 24, 2025
Category:
Press Releases