‘Twelfth Night’ features jazz-funk music, comedy — and timely issues
The Merc Playhouse stage is no stranger to Shakespeare, but it hasn’t seen the Bard’s work performed as a jazz-funk musical — at least, not yet.
But next week the Liberty Bell Drama Company will show Methow Valley audiences Shakespeare with a contemporary twist, in an ambitious musical production of “Twelfth Night,” Shakespeare’s “classic romantic comedy about mistaken identity and self-discovery,” a Merc press release said. The play opens May 18 and runs through May 22.
Written in 1601 as entertainment for the close of the Christmas season (“twelfth night” alludes to the night of festivities preceding Epiphany, 12 days after Christmas), “Twelfth Night” tells the story of Viola, a young heroine who washed up on the shores of Illyria, disguises herself as a man, is sent to court a countess and falls hard for a Duke. As she navigates this strange and wonderful new land, she finds her true self and true love in the process.
Gender identity, love, friendship, gender politics, and women’s studies: written in a time before some of these concepts were even named, “Twelfth Night” touches all of these themes, which all have even more profound relevance today than they did in the 17th century
It’s in part why the student drama company, led by drama teacher/director Kelly Grayum and co-director Danbert Nobacon, selected the play for its spring production. The drama company has a history of choosing thought-provoking scripts with contemporary application — ones that challenge students to interpret complex themes and invite audiences to question assumptions.
“The play addresses gender identity and politics as well as bullying,” said senior Hazel Culpsmith, who plays Maria, a cheeky young woman-in-waiting with ambitions of improving her social status through marriage. “Those are issues we see around us every day, at school and in society.”
Culpsmith also identified the social pressures placed on the character of Andrew, a knight, played by freshman Malcolm Bosco. “He’s not very brave but everyone is pressuring him to live up to the expectations of a man.”
“Andrew has to find his own happiness,” added senior Gale Gonzales, who plays Viola, the young aristocrat making her own way in the world disguised as a man.
Resonating role
The role is particularly poignant for Gonzales. “During the pandemic I realized I was non-binary,” they said. “I started changing my hair, then my wardrobe. Finally I adapted my online presence to reflect my gender identity. So it’s very special for me to play Viola. She’s more comfortable playing a man’s part in society. And I’ve figured out how I’m most comfortable presenting myself in society.”
Gonzales talked about “the crisis onstage,” referring to the numerous cases of mixed-up identity, which is one of Shakespeare’s common motifs. “There are [several] kids in our drama class that are [working through gender identity issues],” they said. “It’s nice to see someone like you onstage, to see those issues reflected, and to know they were present 400 years ago.”
Even for those not wrestling with gender identity, the play offers timeless significance, Culpsmith said. “It’s topsy-turvy; there are these moments of lifting up and tearing down,” she said, referring to the play’s anarchic plotline and themes. And as every young person at some point considers the “who am I?” question, “Twelfth Night” provides frequent glimpses into the possibilities offered by presenting oneself in different or unexpected ways.
It’s one of the reasons Culpsmith finds herself returning to the stage as often as possible, beginning with her early years in Missoula Children’s Theatre productions. “When you’re onstage, for a brief period of time you are someone else,” she said. “It’s a refreshing experience, you put away your stressors.”
Senior Sophia Newton, a first-time member of the drama company, said that the “crazy people on the outskirts” that the play centers around also resonate with teens. “The play is narrated by a fool and anyone exhibiting ‘adult’ behavior is in the background,” she said. “It’s fun, it’s quirky, it’s funny.”
Paradoxically — and quintessentially Shakespearean — the fool, Feste, played by junior Melody Langan, is the wisest character in the play, dishing out good advice under the guise of foolishness.
Newton plays Antonio, a man who rescues and subsequently falls in love with Viola’s twin brother Sebastian, played by senior Alex Eslava. In Shakespeare’s days both of these roles — as well as all of the female roles in the play — would have been acted by males. Today, Newton is herself a young woman playing a man who experiences romantic — and thus illicit — attraction to another man. It’s a tangled web of love interests and gender identity that transcend the boundaries between actor and character. But like all Shakespearean romantic comedies, it all gets resolved in the end according to the social the mores of the 1600s.
Making music
The musical comedy format of the play gives students a chance to exercise their musical chops, while the classical Shakespearean language presents them with a rare opportunity to imbue with understanding the lines and phrases that many consider incomprehensible. The student actors have been immersed in the dialog for months now; they understand the lines and will use their grasp of the meaning to impart this same comprehension to audiences.
They do this in part through a more physical performance, Gonzales said. “We’re using our bodies to help translate the meaning. The physical acting we’re doing makes the Shakespearean dialog more understandable to audiences. And the songs are in modern English language, interspersed with a little Shakespearean verse.”
For some students, this will be their first time singing onstage; for most, it will be their first solo. Veteran voice coach Dana Stromberger is “helping first-time musical students find their voices,” Grayum said. Stromberger is also coaching the students through the intricacies of singing to live accompaniment — a first for the drama company.
“As soon as everyone got cast in their parts and we started working on the songs it was like ‘Uh oh, this is going to be a bit harder than we thought,’” Gonzales said, noting that “Sophia blew it out of the water though.”
Newton addressed the overall effect of the live accompaniment to the songs. “It sounds more whole than singing along to an electronic track,” she said. “Sure, there might be imperfections because the band has to keep up with us if we speed up or slow down, and they have to be careful not to drown us out, but that imperfection adds to the experience. Plus it embodies all these amazing artists in the valley.”
Culpsmith echoed Newton’s respect for the band members, such as pianist Linda Mendro, accordion player Lynette Westendorf, and others. “All of them are these really talented musicians in the valley. They’re musical legends! At first it was really intimidating, but they have been so friendly and supportive.”
Eslava said that the “synergy” that the actors and musicians have had to develop has been a rewarding part of the experience, much more so than singing to a pre-recorded track. “You have to build this timing, you have to be flexible,” he said. “Then if there’s dialog in the middle of the song — it just really makes you work on the technical side of things.”
“The [other students] really keep you encouraged too,” Gonzales said. “Everyone knows how scary it is to sing a solo. But then you finish and there’s this round of applause from everyone and that just makes you feel like you can do it.”
Presented by the drama company, The Merc and Methow Arts, “Twelfth Night” is additionally supported by the Public School Funding Alliance, Confluence Health and Winthrop Kiwanis.
“Twelfth Night” runs May 18-21 at 7 p.m. and May 22 at 2 p.m. at The Merc Playhouse in Twisp. Doors open 30 minutes before show time. Tickets are available at the door only: $15 for adults. Methow Valley School District students and family members of cast and crew are free at the door. First-come, first-served; no advance ticket sales or reservations.
