Twelfth Night:

A Guide for Teachers

The Warehouse Theatre

2016 Educational Touring Production

For more information, contact Mallory Pellegrino,

Director of Education

mallory@warehousetheatre.com

The Warehouse Theatre presents

Twelfth Night The Warehouse Theatre’s production is a part of

Shakespeare in American Communities, a national program of the

National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with Arts Midwest.

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Hello Educators!

Each year, The Warehouse Theatre works with dozens of schools in

South and North Carolina, bringing customized residences to

students in grades 3 – 12. We support English Language Art, Theatre,

and Literature standards, by bringing the actor’s approach to

Shakespeare to the students, empowering them to speak the

speeches and embody the words we love so well – as they learn

how to apply these tools to their own experience with the text.

Through our curricular strategies and arts-integrated approach, we

celebrate inclusion, critical thinking, teamwork, process, and

problem solving.

Shakespeare continues to be an important part of the curriculum in

most states, and regardless of changes in standards and best

practices, we believe that interacting with these complex texts

teaches valuable skills which have an impact on young students’

lives beyond the ELA or theatre classroom. Critical thinking, close-

reading, looking at situations from different perspectives, examining

societal and personal morays and motives, encountering and

deciphering structure, building vocabulary and cultural references –

Shakespeare brings this and much more to the young scholar!

It is in this spirit that we have designed this study guide – intended for

educators in middle and high schools to use as a tool to enhance

student comprehension and enjoyment of The Warehouse Theatre’s

production of William Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. The exercises

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contained in this guide are designed to align with the curricular

goals in the middle and high school English Language Arts,

Literature, and Theatre classroom. This guide may be used as a

supplement to classroom study of this text—and is best used in the

context of attending the Warehouse Theatre’s touring production of

Twelfth Night. Please feel free to “pick and choose” articles and

activities as they complement your work in the classroom!

This study guide is divided into Three Sections for your convenience:

THE BASICS for a general overview and knowledge of the play,

THE BARD for information about Shakespeare’s life and time,

and THE BONUSES for experiential and more advanced activities.

We hope you will find this guide useful, and that you will let us know

what information, topics for discussion, and exercises you integrate

into your curriculum. Please feel free to let us know what you would

like for us to include in future study guides or resources.

Thank you for your support of The Warehouse Theatre! If we can

support your curriculum in any additional ways, please contact me

at mallory@warehousetheatre.com

All my best,

Mallory Pellegrino

Director of Education

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

THE BASICS:

Plot Synopsis…………………………………………….……....6

A Simple Structure in Shakespeare Plays………….….…...8

Characters in Twelfth Night………………..………………..10

Stock Characters………………………..…………………….11

Fools, Clowns, and Wits……………..…………………….….17

Major Themes and Motifs………………..…………………..19

THE BARD:

Shakespeare's Life as a Play………………………..….……22

Shakespeare's England………………………………...…….24

Why do we study Shakespeare?.......................................30

THE BONUSES:

WHT's Production Concept and Look Book......................34

Explore and Activate the Text……………………………….41

The Three Ds: Disclosure, Discovery, Decision………..…..44

Twins in Twelfth Night………………………………………….46

Shakespearean Bullying……………………………………...48

Audience Etiquette and Experiencing Theatre………….50

Sources and References………………………………...…...53

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THE BASICS

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TWELFTH NIGHT, OR WHAT YOU WILL: A SYNOPSIS

A shipwrecked Viola finds herself in the land of Illyria, ruled by Duke

Orsino. Duke Orsino is woefully in love with Countess Olivia, but Olivia

has sworn to veil herself for seven years to mourn her brother and

father. Having just lost her twin brother in a shipwreck, Viola identifies

with Olivia’s grief and wishes to serve her, but the Captain tells her

this is impossible as Olivia will not welcome visitors. Instead, she

should disguise herself as a boy (Cesario) and serve Duke Orsino.

As Cesario, Viola begins to win Orsino’s trust. Orsino sends Cesario to

woo the Lady Olivia on his behalf, but the exact opposite happens,

and Olivia falls in love with Cesario instead, sending her ring after

him as a token of her affection. To make matters more complicated,

Viola has fallen in love with Duke Orsino, and the love triangle is

complete.

Back at Lady Olivia’s estate, Sir Toby Belch (Olivia’s raucous and

bawdy kinsman) has brought his friend Andrew Aguecheek to be

her suitor. Maria, Toby, and the clown Feste delight in Andrew’s

foolish attempts to win over Olivia, but Malvolio is always spoiling the

group’s fun. Everyone finds this particularly tiresome, so Maria

hatches a plan for a practical joke to make Malvolio believe that

Lady Olivia is in love with him! She forges a letter in Olivia’s hand,

addressed to her beloved telling him that if he wishes to earn her

favor, he should dress in yellow stockings and crossed garters, act

haughtily, smile constantly, and refuse to explain himself to anyone.

They plant the letter where Malvolio will stumble across it and hide to

watch their plan unfurl. Finding the letter and assuming it is

addressed to him, Malvolio follows its commands directly, hoping to

marry Olivia and becoming noble himself. Instead, he makes a

complete fool of himself. Seeing Malvolio behaving so strangely,

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Olivia believes that he has gone mad and locks him in the dungeon.

Meanwhile, Sebastian (Viola’s twin brother) arrives in Illyria with his

friend and protector, Antonio. Antonio rescued Sebastian from the

shipwreck and has been caring for him ever since, even following

him into Duke Orsino’s domain. This is particularly troublesome for

Antonio, as he and Orsino are old enemies.

Observing Olivia’s attraction to Cesario, Sir Andrew challenges

Cesario to a duel. Always up for entertainment, Sir Toby eggs Sir

Andrew on, but instead of Cesario, they end up fighting Sebastian

(because they cannot tell the twins apart). Olivia enters amid the

confusion, declaring her love for Sebastian (thinking he is Cesario)

and asking him to marry her. Although Sebastian is confused

because he does not know Olivia, he sees that she is wealthy and

beautiful and agrees to marry her.

Meanwhile, Antonio has been arrested by Orsino’s officers. Seeing

Cesario and mistaking him for Sebastian, Antonio begs for his friend’s

help. Viola denies knowing Antonio, and Antonio is dragged off,

crying out that Sebastian has betrayed him. Suddenly, Viola has

newfound hope that her brother may be alive.

Viola (still disguised as Cesario) and Orsino make their way to Olivia’s

house, where Olivia welcomes Cesario as her new husband, thinking

him to be Sebastian, whom she has just married. Orsino is furious, but

then Sebastian himself appears, and all is revealed. The siblings are

joyfully reunited, and Orsino realizes that he loves Viola, now that he

knows she is a woman, and asks her to marry him. Sir Toby and Maria

have also been married privately, and Malvolio is released from the

dungeon. When the trick is revealed in full, the embittered Malvolio

storms off vowing revenge for his humiliation, leaving the happy

couples to their celebration.

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A SIMPLE STRUCTURE IN SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS

(Something you can count on)

According to Louis Fantasia, scholar and author of Instant

Shakespeare, in all of Shakespeare’s plays you can count on the plot

including four elements:

ONE : The world (or worlds) of the play begin in some sort of disorder

or chaos as a result of some inciting incident.

TWO: Some figure of authority (a king or queen, prince, duke,

parent) makes a decision that will have a significant impact on the

lives of the other characters in the world of the play.

THREE: The dramatic or rising action of the play unfolds as the

affected characters in the world of the play take some action in

response to the decision made by the authority figure. Often, this will

lead them on a journey to a “middle” world of the play that is in

direct contrast or juxtaposition to the world of disorder or chaos that

starts the play.

FOUR: The actions taken by the affected characters force some sort

of climax or resolution based on the decision made by the figure of

authority. In a comedy this resolution comes in the form of multiple

marriages. In a tragedy, it comes in the form of multiple deaths.

Ultimately, this resolution restores order to the first world.

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TERMS TO KNOW:

Plot: Events that make up a story.

Inciting incident: The event or decision that begins a story’s

problem.

Dramatic action / Rising action: A series of events that build

toward the point of greatest interest.

Climax: A decisive moment or turning point in a storyline.

Resolution: The action of solving the story’s problem.

ACTIVITIES:

1. Recognize It: Identify these four structural elements in Twelfth

Night.

2. Support It: Find textual evidence (i.e. direct quotations) that

show each of the four elements.

3. Visualize It: Create a chart, illustration, or some visual aid to

represent your findings.

4. Physicalize It: Construct a tableau (frozen picture made with

your body) to represent each of the four phases. Put them all

together in a physical slide show.

5. Go Further: Apply this test to another of Shakespeare’s plays to

see if it holds up. Compare your results.

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CHARACTERS IN TWELFTH NIGHT:

Viola, a lady from Messaline shipwrecked on the coast of Illyria.

Twin of Sebastian. She disguises herself as the boy Cesario to

serve Duke Orsino.

Sebastian, Viola’s twin brother.

Countess Olivia, a countess of Illyria

Maria, Olivia’s waiting-gentlewoman

Malvolio, steward to Olivia’s household

Feste, Olivia’s jester

Sir Toby Belch, Olivia’s kinsman (uncle)

Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Sir Toby’s companion

Sir Topas, a curate (parson) that Feste disguises himself as

Duke Orsino, duke of Illyria

Valentine, a gentleman serving Orsino

Antonio, Sebastian’s friend

Captain, welcomes Viola to Illyria

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STOCK CHARACTERS

Shakespeare employs many of “stock” characters from the

Commedia Del-Arte tradition throughout his works. In Commedia,

the play’s message is communicated largely through easily

recognizable or even stereotypical characters. Once you look at

their basic characteristics, it is easy to identify them across the

Shakespearean canon. This identification of characters can make

understanding an unfamiliar text a little easier – because the

characters in a particular category behave in similar ways, and may

even speak using similar rhetorical, image or verse structure.

SOME EXAMPLES OF STOCK CHARACTERS IN SHAKESPEARE

LOVERS

Ingenue (female): Innocent, sweet, youthful, honorable

Examples: Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, Hero in Much Ado About

Nothing, Perdita in The Winter’s Tale, Anne Page in The Merry Wives of

Windsor.

Sobrette (female): Not-so-innocent, not-so-young, usually

honorable, witty, likes banter and argument

Examples: Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Rosalind in As You Like

It, Katarina in The Taming of the Shrew, Rosaline in Love’s Labours Lost.

Rustic/ Rude (Male and Female): country born and bred, simple,

agrarian, earthy.

Examples: Jaquenetta in Love’s Labours Lost, Audrey and Phebe in As

You Like It, Silvius in As You Like It, Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night.

Noble (Male): born of nobility, high-born, generally honest

Examples: Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing, Troilus in Troilus and

Cressida, Romeo in Romeo and Juliet, Sebastian in Twelfth Night

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COMPANIONS Councilors (Male or Female): faithful, honest, convey messages,

have information, confidantes.

Examples: Paulina and Camillo in The Winter’s Tale, Benvolio in Romeo

and Juliet, Banquo in Macbeth

Bawds (Female): worldly, saucy, dispense advice, maternal with an

edge

Examples: The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Mistress Quickly in The Merry

Wives of Windsor, Lucetta in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Emilia in

Othello

Mentors (Male): fatherly, give advice, supply the hero with the

means to pursue their desire.

Examples: Don Pedro and Antonio in Much Ado About Nothing,

Duncan in Macbeth, The Duke in Measure for Measure

AUTHORITY FIGURES AND SOLDIERS In Control (male): authoritative, most times fair, peripheral to plot,

initiate or resolve conflict.

Examples: Theseus in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Prince in Romeo

and Juliet, Solinus in The Comedy of Errors, Cymbeline in Cymbeline

In Distress (male or female): strong, noble, comprised by

circumstance or bad decisions/advice, decisive, often with a flaw of

temperament

Examples: Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra, Macbeth in Macbeth,

Titus in Titus Andronicus, Orsino in Twelfth Night, Lear in King Lear

RELUCTANT HEROES Rakes & Cads (male): Walk the line between good and bad but

usually turn out good,witty, bawdy, seductive, hot-tempered, loyal but

independent.

Examples: Petruchio in The Taming of the Shrew, Mercutio in Romeo

and Juliet, Benedick in Much Ado about Nothing, The Bastard in King

John, Kent in King Lear

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COMIC CHARACTERS The Wit: Language based humor, somewhat noble, melancholy

Examples: Jaques in As You Like It, The Fool in King Lear, Berowne

in Love’s Labours Lost, Benedick in Much Ado about Nothing

The Clown: Physical comic, jester, paid to be amusing, singer

Examples: Feste in Twelfth Night, Touchstone in As You Like It, The Fool

in King Lear, Lavatch in All’s Well that Ends Well

The Fool: situational comic, dim-witted, unaware of being a fool

Examples: Dorcas and Mopsa in The Winter’s Tale, Dogberry in Much

Ado About Nothing, Speed and Launce in Two Gentlemen of Verona,

Andrew Aguecheek in Twelfth Night, Don Armado in Love’s Labour’s

Lost.

Bawds (Female): worldly, saucy, dispense advice, maternal with an

edge

Examples: The Nurse in Romeo and Juliet, Mistress Quickly in The Merry

Wives of Windsor, Lucetta in Two Gentlemen of Verona, Emilia in

Othello, Margaret in Much Ado About Nothing.

OPPOSITIONAL CHARACTERS Villains (Male or Female): Charismatic but ruthless and malicious

characters. They are often murderous characters driven by blood-lust,

revenge, murderous ambition or simply hatred of the protagonist. Their

actions are mostly premeditated.

Examples: Iago in Othello, Aaron and Tamora in Titus Andronicus,

Richard in Richard III

Antagonists (Male or Female): As well as having some or many of

the villains, the antagonists are also characterized by petty ambition,

jealousy, greed, and gullibility. They are often misinformed or mistaken

in their opposition. They may also lack the ability or determination of a

villain. These characters are often simply at odds with the protagonist

because they are culturally or ideologically opposed.

Examples: Macbeth and Lady Macbeth in Macbeth, Cassius and

Brutus in Julius Caesar, Angelo in Measure for Measure, Leontes in The

Winter’s Tale.

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PARENTS Dominant Father or Mother: These are strong, domineering

characters who are sometimes cruel or in opposition to the desires of

their children in favor of their own ambitions or sense of order and

degree.

Examples: Lord and Lady Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Egeus in A

Midsummer Night’s Dream

Doting Father or Absent Mother It is difficult to find many doting

fathers in Shakespeare’s plays and if they are found, they very often

turn dominant somewhere during the action of the play. Absent

mothers however, are evident in many of his plays, as they are in most

fairy tales. At times, Shakespeare will use a matronly character to stand

in for an absent mother. These characters are often older, simple

people who are natural or foster parents or marginalized

characters. They offer counsel, love and support and may

find themselves in peril for their love and care.

Examples: Leonato in Much Ado About Nothing (he begins as a

doting father but turns dominant), Lear in King Lear (Again, he starts

out doting, becomes dominant, and returns to doting), Adam in As

You Like It, the Old Shepherd in The Winter’s Tale, the Countess in All’s

Well that Ends Well, Constance in King John and Hermione in The

Winter’s Tale (Both Constance and Hermione are removed from her

child for most of the action of both plays).

NON-HUMAN CHARACTERS Fantasticals / Sprits (Male, Female, or Neither) Creatures of

imagination, fairies, sprites, goblins, and ghosts and even the

occasional god. Often used to provide insight into future events or to

council and protect mortal characters or to wreak havoc and

mischief.

Examples: Titania and Oberon, Puck and the fairies in A Midsummer

Night’s Dream, Ariel in The Tempest, Hecate and the weird sisters in

Macbeth, Caesar’s ghost in Julius Caesar.

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“EVERYMAN” CHARACTERS

Rustics and Mechanicals: Pastoral or country rather than urban or

city based characters. They are often simple, comical, less

sophisticated, but always wise in common matters. Usually honest but

highly gullible.

Examples: Bottom, Quince, Snout, Snug, Flute, and Starveling in A

Midsummer Night’s Dream, Corin, William, Audrey, Phebe, and Silvius in

As You Like It, The Old Shepherd and his son and family in The Winter’s

Tale, Verges in Much Ado About Nothing.

EXPOSITIONAL AND SUPERNUMERARIES Lords, ladies, soldiers, officers, musicians, messengers, servants

(Male or Female) Important but often nameless and shallow

characters in that we know very little about them and do not see them

consistently throughout the play. They serve to deliver expositional

material, bring news, or act as a sort of chorus commenting on the

action of the play.

There are numerous examples of these characters; just about any that

don’t fit into one of the other categories.

Compelling Characters

Shakespeare certainly made use of stock characters but he also

invented his fair share of more complex characters by integrating the

types. Because of this, his characters seem more truthful, more

“human.” These characters, perhaps because of their “humanness” and

complexity have survived through time, unequalled in literature, and

beloved for their depth and variety. Shakespeare’s characters are

deeply admired by theatre artists and especially actors who consider his

characters to be some of the most compelling, challenging and difficult

roles to play.

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ACTIVITY:

1. Recognize It: Assign each student a character from Twelfth

Night. Have them identify a stock character type for their given

character.

2. Support It: Have them choose a line of text from the play to

support their choice or that epitomizes their stock character

choice

3. Visualize It: Think about how you identify stock characters in

movies, plays, tv shows, etc. What are external cues, such as

gesture and physical attributes, that are give aways? Make a list.

You may wish you make a sketch of your character as well.

4. Physicalize It: Take your list from above and choose three of the

clues. Spend 5 minutes physically developing these clues

(gestures, walks, voices, etc). Once they have perfected all three,

ask your students to introduce themselves to the class as their

character. Have the class guess which stock character type they

chose for their character. Discuss whether the class guessed

correctly. Remind students that the actors job is to create a clear

picture for their audience, not to trick them.

5. Go Further: Apply this same test to a popular tv show or movie.

Do you see repeated stock characters in contemporary

entertainment?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

What is the difference between stereotype and archetype.

Are there differences in how stock characters are used in

tragedy and comedy?

How do stock characters influence our expectation of what is

going to happen in a story?

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FOOLS, CLOWNS, AND WITS Written By: Jayce Tromsness, Director

In all of Shakespeare’s plays there is a character, or two characters,

or even three and four, who serve a comic function in the structure

and strategy of the play. They are often identified in the lists of

characters as: fools, clowns, or wits. These names are important and

yet can be deceptive. In many cases the characters who are

labeled as clowns are somewhat grave and melancholy or not

entirely comical or “funny.” And what distinguishes a clown from a

fool? What is a wit? How are they part of the comic stable of

characters?

There are no hard and fast rules to follow here, but we can look to

the following definitions for some perspective.

A Clown A character whose occupation is to make people

laugh. Clowns often, sing, perform tricks, and

make use of verbal and physical comedy.

A Fool A character who makes us laugh without trying to

do so. Fools often lack intellectual aptitude and

their humor is often based on their ignorance or

mistaken logic.

A Wit A character whose intellectual agility is often

coupled with a wry or sardonic, manner. Wits

make sharp, cutting observations; revealing and

reveling in mankind’s follies. They often speak truth

to power.

In Twelfth Night or What You Will, there are several characters who

we might respond to as humorous but this doesn’t necessarily

categorize them as fools, clowns or wits. Twelfth Night is, after all, a

comedy; we would assume that all the characters are “funny,”

right?...or maybe not. One of Shakespeare’s favorite devices was to

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confound expectations. Take Feste for example; this character is

listed as, “Clown.” Feste certainly makes attempts at humor but the

result, and often the action, is clearly tired, half-hearted, and laden

with a sense of melancholy. Many productions of the play have

portrayed a Feste who is weary, sad, and even acerbic. His

occupation is to make people laugh but from the outset of the play

his humor falls short and is even derided by Malvolio as being stale

and outdated. What does this say about the world of Illyria, about

our own world? On closer examination of the character, we find that

Feste seems to take on more of the qualities of the Wit than of the

Fool. Can you find examples of this in the text and action of the

play?

In the same play, we have a knight named Sir Andrew Aguecheek.

He is in Illyria at Toby’s invitation to woo Toby’s niece, Olivia. He is

completely inept and all of his attempts at chivalry and “knightly”

behavior fall apart in humorous ways and we find ourselves laughing

whole heartedly at him and his antics. But is this character trying to

be funny? Does Andrew serve as a Fool in the play? Are there more

fools?

ACTIVTIY:

Connect to other Shakespearean Plays: Look at Jaques, Touchstone,

Silvius, Corin, and Audrey in AS YOU LIKE IT. Try to assign them to the

roles of Clown, Fool, or Wit.

Connect to today: Identify performers or actors today who you feel

take on one or all of these character traits in their work. Identify

characters they’ve played that you think fit the descriptions of

Clowns, Fools, and Wits.

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MAJOR THEMES AND MOTIFS

Theme is defined as the central idea in a piece of writing or other

work of art.

Motif is defined as a distinctive feature or dominant idea in an

artistic or literary composition.

In drama, the central theme is usually an intrinsic or essential idea

surrounded by several more literal or representative motifs. Below is

a list of words representing either themes, dominant images, or

motifs from Twelfth Night.

ACTIVITY: Themes and motifs often help directors and designers

choose their concept.

1. Recognize It: Choose what you believe to be the one central

theme in Twelfth Night.

2. Support It: Find at least three lines of text to support your chosen

theme.

3. Visualize It: Assign students different elements of design (set,

costumes, lights, sound). Collect visual research that supports your

theme. How would this research impact your design?

4. Physicalize It: Present your theme and research to the class. Read

your lines of text aloud. Focus on highlighting your particular

theme.

5. Go Further: Choose another theme but keep the same chosen

three lines of text. Can you make your theme work for these lines?

love

desire

grief

melancholy

deception

disguise

duality

gender

identity

class

status

master

servant

fool

music

food

starvation

excess

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THE BARD

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SHAKESPEARE’S LIFE AS A PLAY

ACT I 1564-1576/78 Sense and Sound, Family, Foundation

Shakespeare’s personal history is actually quite a mystery. What we know

if him is based mainly on his plays and a few legal and church

documents. He is thought to have been born on April 23, 1564 in

Stratford-upon-Avon, near Warwickshire. His father, John, was a glover (a

tradesman and craftsman who works in fine leather), and later an

alderman and bailiff. Shakespeare’s mother, Mary Arden, was a landed

local heiress; her family was an old and respected one in the

area. According to church record, William was the third of eight

children. During this time period Shakespeare learned Latin, philosophy,

theology, history, and classic mythology at the local grammar school but

he also learned the day-to-day customs, manners, and language of

rustic and country life.

ACT II 1576/78-1582 Work? Apprentice? Tutor?

Shakespeare did not proceed to university after Grammar school.

Other than this, little is known for sure. During this next span of time

Shakespeare probably learned his father’s trade and may have been

engaged as a tutor for children of local noble families.

ACT III 1582-1590/92 Marriage, Family

Documents concerning Shakespeare’s marriage to Anne Hathaway, a

woman some seven or eight years his senior, on the 28th of November in

1582 and the births of their children Susanna in May of 1583, and twins

Hamnet and Judith in February of 1585, provide some of the only

information we have about William Shakespeare during this

time. Shakespeare all but vanishes from record for seven years after the

birth of the twins. This period in his life is often called the “Lost

Years.” How or why he ends up in London writing plays and acting is a

mystery that has sparked many theories and arguments among scholars

and historians.

ACT IV 1588-1603 London, the age of Elizabeth

Even less is known for certain as to how Shakespeare came to join a

professional troupe of actors and then become a playwright. What we

do know is that by the year 1588, he was gone from Stratford and living in

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London working as an actor and later as mainly a playwright. In1592, a

rival playwright named Robert Greene publically attacked Shakespeare

in a critical article in which he refers to Shakespeare as an “upstart

crow.” By 1594 Shakespeare was a managing partner of one of the most

popular theatre companies in London, the Lord Chamberlain’s men

(Later the King’s Men) and the company’s principle playwright. His star

was on the rise. In 1596, his son Hamnet, twin brother to Judith, dies.

ACT V 1603-1616 Wealth, Fame, Return to Stratford

Shakespeare achieved a significant fame and notoriety by this time. His

company was successful and his plays well known and even published

during his lifetime (not a usual occurrence during this era). By the end of

his career, Shakespeare was a part owner in the company, the Globe

theatre itself, and was involved in the establishment of one or more other

theatres. He was wealthy enough in 1611 to purchase a new house in

Stratford and retire in comfort; a highly respected, and distinguished

gentleman. He is reported to have died on his birthday, April 23 in

1616. His last lines of verse to us are those of his epitaph:

Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbeare

To dig the dust enclosed here.

Blessed be the man that spares these stones,

And cursed be he that moves my bones.

EPILOGUE 1623 and beyond

John Hemminges and Henry Condell, two of his theatrical partners,

organized and had printed the First Folio edition of the collected plays of

their friend William Shakespeare. Half of this collection included plays

that had previously been unpublished. We owe these two gentlemen a

great debt.

William Shakespeare is arguably the greatest playwright of the English

language. His body of work has stood the test of time and distance with

his plays still being produced all over the world on a regular basis. He is

one of the most produced playwrights in history.

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SHAKESPEARE’S ENGLAND

THE RULERS:

Most of Shakespeare’s plays were written during what is referred to as the

Late or High Renaissance period. In England, this era is also referred to as

the Elizabethan Period after Queen Elizabeth I. It is important to note

that Shakespeare’s world, while dominated by Elizabeth, was shaped by

other monarchs before and after her reign. Starting with her father,

Henry VIII, and concluding with her nephew, James I, we see that

Shakespeare was the subject of a turbulent and volatile royal family.

Henry VIII (1509-1547)

Excommunicated, started English

Reformation

Edward VI (1547-1553)

Devoted Protestant, died young

Mary I (1553-1558)Fanatical Catholic,

persecuted protestants

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Elizabeth I

(1558-1603)

Protestant but tolerant of the old faith to a

point

James I (1603-1625)

More a politician than

devout, fascinated by the

occult

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THE THEATRES:

The Theatre: 1576-1598. The first public

theatre in London. When it was torn down

its timbers were used in constructing the first

Globe Theatre. It was owned by James

Burbage and his son Richard who would

originate many of Shakespeare’s leading

characters including Hamlet.

The Blackfriars: Eventually owned

by Richard Burbage in 1597 and

intended to operate as a second

space for the King’s Men.

The Curtain: One of the longest

standing theatres, it lasted from about

1577 until the 1660s.

The Rose: Probably the first

London theatre in which

Shakespeare’s plays were

seen. Opened by Phillip

Henslowe who would go on to

work frequently with

Shakespeare. Later, the theatre

fell into ruins and could not

compete with the newly built

Globe Theatre. The Rose was

torn down in 1605.

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The Swan: Little is known of this theatre

which operated between 1595-1632. It is

important to history because of a famous

sketch of it made by Johannes de Witt and

later copied by Aernoudt. This sketch

provides us with the most detailed picture of

an Elizabethan theatre.

The Globe: Home to the

Lord Chamberlain’s Men

(Later the King’s Men)

the first version of this

theatre opened in

1599. Both Shakespeare

and Burbage were part

owners. It burnt down in

1613 and a new Globe

was built in 1614 and

lasted until 1644.

Fortune Theatre: Built by Phillip Henslowe in

1600 to compete with the Globe Theatre. The

contract for the construction provides

detailed information about the characteristics

and operation of an Elizabethan theatre.

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PLAYWRIGHTS AND CONTEMPORARIES:

Edmund Spenser (London—1552-1599)

Influential poet and playwright. His poem, The

Fairie Queen, is one of the greatest epic poems

of its age

John Lyly (Kent—1554-1606)

Euphues: The Anatomy of Wit and Euphues and

His England. Credited with developing “polite

comedy” in England.

Thomas Kyd (London—1558-1594)

Author of the play, The Spanish Tragedy, which set

the standard for Elizabethan tragic form.

Robert Greene (Norwich—1560-1592)

A member of a group of writers known as the “University Wits.” He was

a critic of Shakespeare and attacked his work in public articles.

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Christopher (“Kit”) Marlowe – Canterbury –

1564-1593

Said to have been a significant influence on

Shakespeare and may even have been

regarded as a rival. His life and writings have

become almost legendary. His plays Faustus,

Tamburlaine the Great, and The Jew of

Malta are most famous.

Ben Jonson – London 1572-1637

Regarded as one of the literary masters

of his age, Johnson was a contemporary

of Shakespeare’s who both praised and

criticized him. His plays Volpone, The

Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair are

most famous.

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WHY DO WE STUDY SHAKESPEARE?

William Shakespeare is the most popular and most produced

playwright in the western world. His plays and poems have outlived

the popularity of countless other playwrights. When being

introduced to his work, students and young artists are right to ask

why? Each new generation must come to its own conclusions

regarding his continued popularity and significance. The following list

contains many commonly agreed upon reasons for this popularity.

1. Shakespeare expressed in both concrete and abstract terms

the range of the human condition.

His eloquence and instinct for capturing with words what it

means to be human is the strongest reason for his enduring

popularity.

2. Shakespeare knew what stories appealed to his audience.

While he borrowed many or most of the plots for his plays from

outside sources or even other plays based on the same subject,

event, or characters, Shakespeare was original in how he told

the stories. He told every kind of story and always with attention

toward the human condition as it was altered by the events of

the story. This is one reason why they last today; they’re about

the human experience.

3. Complex, compelling characters that could be us.

Shakespeare’s characters are borrowed from history, other

plays or stories, or are purely his invention. They have in common

recognizable human qualities, rich and difficult contradictions,

sublime language, and passionate, volatile actions. We see

ourselves in these characters regardless of their eras or social

status or circumstance. Scholar Harold Bloom often says that

Shakespeare, “invented” the human on stage.

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4. Language for all time.

Shakespeare’s language is not four hundred years old; it is four

hundred years young. At the time he was writing, the English

language was just coming out of its childhood and into

adolescence. The high contrast between Saxon and Latin

based words and phrases created a built-in conflict or tug-of-

war that Shakespeare took full advantage of. He was also

extremely instinctive and inventive; leaving us with many words

and phrases that have moved out of the specific context of the

plays they were written for and into common, everyday use.

What do you like about Shakespeare? What do you dislike about

Shakespeare? Remember that all opinions are valid— although they

need to be supported. Think about WHY you like or dislike

Shakespeare. What would you CHANGE if you could?

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33

THE BONUSES

34

Twelfth Nigh Production Concept and Look Book Written By: Jayce Tromsness, Director

Theatre is an ensemble endeavor. A show’s director is that member

of the ensemble who is elected to serve as the eyes and ears of the

audience during rehearsals. It is an honor to be entrusted with this

task but with that honor comes another somewhat daunting

responsibility.

The director must also take on the task of integrating ideas toward a

single vision and concept for a particular production. They must try

to steer all of the elements; theme, action, language, staging, pace,

tone, style, and design toward that agreed upon vision. To do this

they must unify all of the creative elements and contributions in

order to deliver to the audience an entertaining and meaningful

experience in the theatre.

In our production of Twelfth Night the Warehouse Theatre production

staff and guest director, Jayce Tromsness, started the pre-production

phase by anchoring all discussions to three guiding principles set

forth by the Warehouse Theatre’s mission and educational

philosophy. One of the most exciting and challenging jobs the

director has is to follow those principles while at the same time

shaping all the elements into a coherent and thoughtful

presentation of the story of the play. Those principles are:

Develop for a young audience a clear and exciting “first” or

“early” experience with Shakespeare’s plays

Focus on finding concept, action, and meaning through

attention to the text; to bring the play to life through

Shakespeare’s rich and powerful language

Create a world and circumstances in which the play unfolds

that clearly tell the story while at the same time shedding light

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on questions and themes that have relevance today by

drawing parallels to universal issues that have an effect on us

here and now.

Every director works differently and every cast and production staff is

made up of actors and theatre artists who also all work differently.

They come together for a short time to create something meaningful

and lasting but once the production opens all but the cast, crew,

and stage manager will move on to new projects. And when the

production closes all that will remain are some props, costumes, and

set pieces, some photos and maybe a video to record its existence.

This is one of the special qualities of Theatre, it is ephemeral; it

vanishes even as soon as it happens. Unlike a film, each

performance of a play is different than the one before, it is truly

original. And each production of the same play is different than

previous productions. The director’s job is to steer a particular

production toward something that is maybe new and different or

something that reinforces notions and ideas about the play’s

meaning. Okay, so how do they do that? What would you do? How

would you start?

You could say that a production goes through three phases from

beginning to end:

Pre-production, rehearsals, and production. Each phase has more

than one component. For example:

PRE-PRODUCTION:

Hiring and assignment of all production positions by the Theatre

(Designers, stage managers etc.)

Investigation of the text (the play) by the director and design

department heads as well as the marketing staff.

Early production meetings to begin discussing ideas and

concepts, strategies and scheduling.

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REHEARSALS:

Initial presentations of concept and images, models, sound, etc.

by the director and designers (scenery, lights, costumes, props,

sound) and the production staff.

First readings by the cast for the production staff, marketing staff,

producers and board members.

Table work. Close reading of the play as a group; gathering

textual evidence for acting choices, characterization and staging.

Mining the play as literary detectives to build the cast and

production team’s shared vocabulary for the play.

Staging rehearsals (Blocking). Beginning to set a basic shape for

the action of the play. Determining where and how the actors

move about the stage.

Working rehearsals. Refining, modifying, and testing the staging

(blocking) and thematic concepts. Observing the actor’s

performance choices and making adjustments that clarify and

reinforce the story and concept. This includes vocal and physical

characterizations as well. This is a highly collaborative phase

between actor and director.

Running rehearsals. Playing through acts and/or scenes of the

play without interruption and with the steady addition of props,

costume and scenic elements and sound. Decisions are made

here that will shape the next phase of rehearsals.

TECHNICAL REHEARSALS:

Rehearsals leading up to performances in which the design and

technical elements of the production are incorporated into the

show. Timing of lights, sound, scene shifts and transitions and the

mechanics of using the fully constructed set are key aspects of this

phase.

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Production:

The preview(s), and performances of the production for

audiences. This is when all the aspects of production come in to

play with the integration of the final “player;” the audience. A

production is not an act of theatre without an audience.

For the purposes of this study guide, we’ll talk about the first phase;

pre-production. As has been said, every director works differently

and may focus on one of these phases more than another or on all

equally. Some may have completely different phases they work

within. But it is safe to say that all directors attend, in some manner

and at some level, to this phase. It’s a time for ideas to incubate

and to hatch. We asked you earlier how you would start. Here’s

how our director starts each pre-production phase.

The Look Book

The look book is a collection of images, colors, textures, words,

passages of text, articles, essays and commentary, and journal-like

entries from the director. They are assembled in some sort of hard or

soft (digital) format and shared with, first, the designers and

production staff, then with the marketing staff, and, later, with the

cast. This last sharing happens after the collection of elements has

been refined, edited, and, hopefully, reduced to the essential

elements that most clearly convey the vision of the production.

You may view the look book for WHT’s Twelfth Night through this link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4N-NzreJGnkTjY2MVJPamc3VkU/

view?usp=sharing

To appreciate and understand what you are seeing, let’s first go

back to the second guiding principle of the Warehouse Theatre’s

mission.

Focus on finding concept, action, and meaning through

attention to the text; to bring the play to life through

Shakespeare’s rich and powerful language

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Our production’s director begins to shape a vision for the play by

delving into the language. In doing so they start to sense and see

emerging patterns and images and themes inspired by the

language of the play. The director makes a comprehensive list of

what they feel are key words for the entire play. They do this scene

by scene. Below is a list of just some of the words that went onto an

early list for just the first two scenes. (Our first two scenes are out of

order from the original text order) Some of these are words directly

from the text of the play and some are the result of impulses and

instincts from the director that are reactions to the play’s language

and action. The words in bold and italics are the ones that became

our strongest images and reminders of what we thought this play

focuses on and what we wanted to explore. All the words on the list

are important. Which ones would you choose to highlight that we

didn’t? Which ones might you remove from the list or lower in

importance?

Shakespeare’s Act One Scene Two

Storm Perchance Daughter

Shipwreck Brother Mourning

Stranger in a strange land Peril Virtuous

Elysium So long as I could see Seek the love

Shakespeare’s Act One Scene One

Excess Cruel Weeping

Surfeiting Pursue Remembrance

Sicken and die Self-pity Debt of Love

Not so sweet now as it was Indulgent Flowers and bowers

Spirit of love Self-centered Conceal

Love Rejected Disguise

Fancy Unrequited love

Fantastical Cloistress

Desires Veiled

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Now armed with a list of words, and ideas, our director begins to look

for images in books, magazines, on line, etc. that connect with and

visually express these words and concepts. They also begin to listen

to different music, different songs, genres and styles to find

something that captures the essence of these emerging ideas and

general themes. For this production our director started with the

word “Romantic.” as a general theme. Can you guess why? It’s

okay to go for an obvious answer.

This lead to an investigation of the word in both its small ”r” and

capital “R” manifestations. In terms of literary and visual arts and

musical movements in history, There have been two primary eras

labeled “Romantic” and “New Romantic.” They are divided by over

a century. And they are both several centuries removed from

Shakespeare’s writing of Twelfth Night. How could we be on the right

track?

Further investigation led to our settling on the Romantic era of the

early 1800s and the “Sublime” school of art and thought. Finding

beauty and joy in the sorrowful and perilous is the dominating idea

of the Sublime movement. The possibility of danger or the fear of the

unknown are what create the beauty. Another characteristic of the

Romantic era was excess and indulgence. Do you recognize any of

these elements in Twelfth Night and in our production of the play?

It was to the “New Romantic” movement of the early 1980s that we

turned for music that would support the production. This era in music

reflected many of the key features of the Romantic era of the

nineteenth century. Sometimes called “New Wave” or “Peacock

Punk,” it is a type of music that embraces the high level of emotional

intensity and the appeal of the “sublime.” It is highly reflective, overt,

intellectual, and whimsical all at the same time. There is a “stormy

and moody” quality in it that we felt described the characters in the

play as well as their essential actions.”

Bands and performers of this era would include David Bowie, Bryan

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Ferry, The Cure, Bauhaus, The Cocteau Twins, The Smiths, Spandau

Ballet, Howard Jones, Adam Ant, Bow-Wow-Wow, Siouxie Sioux and

the Banshees, Joy Division, The Talking Heads, Brian Eno, etc.

ACTIVITY:

1. Recognize It: Choose three or more of the images from our “Look

Book” and identify the elements and qualities mentioned

concerning the Romantic and New Romantic eras.

2. Support It: Do you see anything in any of the images that might

have inspired a moment in our production?

3. Visualize It: Generate your individual or group “Look Book.” Follow

the steps we did but seek a new way in; develop a new concept

and support it with language and ideas from the text and images

and sound/music of your own. You can create a hard copy using

a sketch book or journal, cut-out images from magazines, etc. that

are arranged and pasted onto the pages with accompanying

writing, etc. Or, you can create a digital look book using

Powerpoint, Pinterest, Prezi, etc.

4. Physicalize It: Choose some of your favorite images from the look

book (either WHT’s or your own!) and bring them to life by making

tableaus (frozen pictures, like statues) of the images.

5. Go Further: Choose a monologue or scene from Twelfth Night.

Incorporate your tableaus into the reading or acting of the

monologues or scene. How does having physical inspiration inform

your understanding of the text?

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EXPLORE AND ACTIVATE THE TEXT:

EXPLORE the Imagery:

Objective: Students will break apart Shakespeare’s text for main

action, common images, and comprehension.

Directions:

1. Have students examine the following speech. This can be done

individually, in small groups, or as a class. .

2. Go through and list the verbs and nouns in two columns, and

the adjectives in another.

3. Read the speech with just the nouns and the verbs. Do you get

the main idea of the speech if you do this? (This can also be a

great tool for uncovering the main action or core of a speech)

4. When looking at your lists, what patterns of related images

emerge? Do these images connect with a theme in the play?

Text:

Duke Orsino: If music be the food of love, play on;

Give me excess of it, that, surfeiting,

The appetite may sicken, and so die.

That strain again! it had a dying fall:

O, it came o'er my ear like the sweet sound,

That breathes upon a bank of violets,

Stealing and giving odour! Enough; no more:

'Tis not so sweet now as it was before.

O spirit of love! how quick and fresh art thou,

That, notwithstanding thy capacity

Receiveth as the sea, nought enters there,

Of what validity and pitch soe'er,

But falls into abatement and low price,

Even in a minute: so full of shapes is fancy

That it alone is high fantastical.

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ACTIVATE with Power Words:

Objective: Students will speak Shakespeare’s language individually

and as an ensemble; Students will physically and vocally interpret

the language.

Directions:

1. Ask students to choose one line from the provided list. Everyone

say their line on the count of three, in unison.

2. Now, choose a POWER WORD in your line that captures the

meaning of the line—a verb or noun that is juicy. Avoid

prepositions and pronouns. Say that word in unison on the count

of three.

3. Now, choose a gesture that communicates that power word.

Perform that gesture without the word on the count of three.

Imagine that the gesture was performed at an energy level of 2 or

3 (on a scale of 1-10). Now, do the gesture again at a 10!

4. Now, say the word and gesture together.

5. Repeat this process with a second power word.

6. Students have 3 minutes to rehearse their lines, memorize them,

and include both gestures in their performance.

7. Get back in the circle and ask for a student volunteer. Have

them stand in the middle while everyone else closes their eyes.

Have the student perform their line, emphasizing the power words.

Ask the other students if they could tell which the power words

were, just from the sound. Then, have the student repeat the line,

with the power words, while the other students watch. If time

allows, have each student share their line with the power words

and gestures.

8. Ask students what the gesture does to the word? Remember

that you don’t ultimately need to gesture in performance, but

using gesture helps you explore the richness and meaning of the

power words in rehearsal.

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Lines of Text:

If music be the food of love, play on.

I am sure care’s an enemy to life.

I’ll confine myself no finer than I am.

Many a hanging prevents a bad marriage.

We will draw the curtain and show you the picture.

Make me a willow cabin at your gate.

Oh Time, thou must untangle this, not I.

It is too hard a knot for me to untie.

Youth’s a stuff will not endure.

She sat like Patience on a monument, smiling at grief.

Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have

greatness thrust upon them.

This fellow is wise enough to play the fool.

O world! how apt the poor are to be proud.

Go, hang yourselves all!

If this were played upon a stage now, I could condemn it as an

improbable fiction.

This youth that you see here I snatch’d one half out of the jaws

of death.

None can be called deformed by the unkind.

If it thus to dream, still let me sleep!

Thus the whirligig of time brings his revenges.

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THE THREE DS: DISCLOSURE, DISCOVERY, DECISION

The Three Ds will help students make choices and breathe life into

your text. Shakespeare’s characters work out their monologues with

the audience by:

1. Disclosing a thought

2. Discovering a thought

3. Deciding a thought

Go line by line and decide which of the three Ds the character

is using. Then, read the speech aloud.

Try mixing it up by choosing a different or unexpected D. See

what changing one of the three Ds does for the speech.

Discuss how actor choices affect your understanding of the

speech as an audience member.

VIOLA: I left no ring with her: what means this lady?

Fortune forbid my outside have not charm'd her!

She made good view of me; indeed, so much,

That sure methought her eyes had lost her tongue,

For she did speak in starts distractedly.

She loves me, sure; the cunning of her passion

Invites me in this churlish messenger.

None of my lord's ring! why, he sent her none.

I am the man: if it be so, as 'tis,

Poor lady, she were better love a dream.

Disguise, I see, thou art a wickedness,

Wherein the pregnant enemy does much.

How easy is it for the proper-false

In women's waxen hearts to set their forms!

Alas, our frailty is the cause, not we!

For such as we are made of, such we be.

How will this fadge? my master loves her dearly;

And I, poor monster, fond as much on him;

And she, mistaken, seems to dote on me.

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What will become of this? As I am man,

My state is desperate for my master's love;

As I am woman,--now alas the day!--

What thriftless sighs shall poor Olivia breathe!

O time! thou must untangle this, not I;

It is too hard a knot for me to untie!

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TWINS IN TWELFTH NIGHT

Written By: Jayce Tromsness

The subject of twins and separation by death may have been nearer

to Shakespeare’s heart than other playwrights as he was the father

of twins; Hamnet and Judith. Hamnet died at age 11 shortly before

Shakespeare wrote Twelfth Night. It is arguably no coincidence that

the story involves a set of twins who are separated from each other

and mutually feared dead. Viola and Sebastian are each grief-

stricken believing their twin has perished at sea. Shakespeare, in an

eerie foreshadowing, examines this same situation in Comedy of

Errors where there are two sets of twins; one believing the other set is

lost and presumed dead. And yet both of these plays are

comedies. Why do you suppose he would portray these themes in

comedies?

So, while there are literally twins in Twelfth Night, could we pair other

characters together as essential twins? In other words, can we learn

more about the story or shed light on the themes of the play by

pairing characters as “twins?”

Take a look at the chart below and discuss reasons why we might

pair these characters as twins. What traits do they share and what

about their stories or actions make them “twins?”

TWELFTH NIGHT TWINS

Literal Twins Essential Twins

Viola & Sebastian Olivia & Viola

Malvolio & Sir Andrew

Mariah & Malvolio

Orsino & Viola/Cesario

Sir Toby & Feste

Sir Andrew & Antonio

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ACTIVITY:

1. Recognize It: See a pair we missed? What other pairs can you

make? Defend your decisions with evidence from the text and

action.

2. Support It: Choose a pair from the chart and list as many

similarities as you can. Then list the differences between them. For

example, Malvolio and Mariah both want to “marry up” in the

world to better their “station.” Only Mariah is successful in this.

What is it about their differences that might lead her to the happier

ending? Is the author trying to make a statement in this?

3. Go Further: Choose another of Shakespeare’s plays and look for

sets of essential twins. Remember to compare their similarities and

also their differences. How does the play end for them based on

the differences?

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SHAKESPEAREAN BULLYING

While the topic of bullying may be trendy, it certainly isn’t new. In

Twelfth Night, Maria, Sir Toby, Andrew Aguecheek, Fabian, and Feste

all team up to bully Malvolio. Normally, we find their treatment of

Malvolio humorous—especially since Malvolio is rather mean and

disagreeable. But does his surliness mean that he deserves to be

humiliated, branded insane, and locked in a dungeon? These are

important questions that often get overlooked among the laughter.

To qualify as bullying, an act must meet three requirements:

1. Unwanted, aggressive or intentional “harm-doing”

2. Repeated behavior over a period of time

3. Involves an imbalance of power

TYPES OF BULLYING:

1. Physical: Hitting, kicking, pushing, choking, etc. Any unwanted

physical abuse.

2. Verbal: Name calling, threatening, taunting, malicious teasing,

rumor spreading, slandering, etc.

3. Cyber: Using the internet, cell phones, online social networks, or

other technology to send or post text or images intended to hurt

or embarrass someone.

Before the internet, this could be accomplished with written notes,

newspapers, magazines, or any other print media.

4. Indirect: Social isolation, intentional exclusion, making faces,

obscene gestures, manipulating relationships. This can be the

hardest form of bullying to detect.

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ACTIVITY:

1. Recognize It: Describe in your own words how Malvolio is bullied in

Twelfth Night.

2. Support It: Find at least three lines of text that show the bullying.

3. Visualize It: Draw the bullying circle. Label each character as a

bully, follower, supporter, passive supported, disengaged

onlookers, possible defenders, etc.

4. Physicalize It: Create a tableau for each character showing the

type of bullying the engage in (physical, verbal, written, indirect).

5. Go Further: Write a short story or scene about where Malvolio goes

after his last line: “I’ll be revenged on the whole pack of you.”

Note: Tim Crouch wrote his play I, Malvolio based on this idea.

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AUDIENCE ETIQUETTE AND EXPERIENCING THEATRE:

In today’s world of digital media, film, and television, it is important to

remember that watching a play is a different experience that

requires different habits and attitudes.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN LIVE ENTERTAINMENT AND PRE-RECORDED, ELECTRONIC, OR

OTHER MEDIA (BETWEEN THEATRE AND FILM):

Audience and performer awareness and connection. They are both

present. Performers feed off of the audience. One performance to

the next can be very different based on the connection between

performers and audience. Performance develops right here and

now and is dependent on audience attention and focus.

Distractions do not go unnoticed by the performers

Films and other recorded media can be re-viewed if something is

missed; they can be interrupted yet still viewed from start to

finish. Live theatre is different. If the viewer misses something, they

can’t “rewind.”

ENTERING THE THEATRE AND BECOMING AN AUDIENCE MEMBER:

From the moment the audience member enters, the performance

elements are being presented to her through various theatrical

elements.

Find seat, remove coat or jacket before you sit, sit properly in seat,

be aware and courteous of patrons on either side and in front or

behind you. Keep your feet off the seat or seat back in front of you.

Take in the set/scenery, listen to the music, read the prepared

material in the program.

Converse with your friends or neighbors but at a level that allows

everyone else to do so as well. Conversation should stop when the

lights, sound, curtain or actors change in a way that makes you

aware things are about to start. You can also talk during intermission!

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ATTENTION AND FOCUS:

Live entertainment/theatre requires a different level and type of

attention or focus.

From entering the theatre to the final curtain, clues and elements

relating to the performance, the story, and the themes are being

presented and should not be missed due to distraction or

inattentiveness.

Plays tend to accelerate as the story unfolds. Your attention needs

to stay with them and increase as the story unfolds in order to really

get the most out of the experience.

Avoid outside distractions by turning off cell phones, refraining from

conversing with friends or texting during the performance, and

waiting to use the restrooms for intermission or after the show. You

may cause you to miss key elements of the story and inhibit your

enjoyment of the play and it will be distracting to other audience

members and the performers as well.

START TO FINISH:

Plays may begin with a recorded or live speech before the

show. This is the formal beginning of the performance and is often

indicated by a lowering in level of the “house” lights (the lights over

the audience) and a change in lights on the show curtain or set. At

this point you should be quiet and attentive.

The play will usually begin when the house lights dim completely and

lights come up full on the set or the curtain rises to reveal the set

and/or characters.

Plays are traditionally divided into acts which are in turn separated

by scenes. There may or may not be intermissions (breaks in the story

for you to visit the lobby and/or restrooms) between acts. These

may last ten to fifteen minutes. The number of intermissions will be

indicated in your program and/or during the pre-show speech. It is

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acceptable and encouraged to applaud at the end of an

act. Normally applause between scenes is discouraged. You should

always applaud at the end of the play and while the performers

take their bows (called curtain call).

While talking during a performance is discouraged, it is acceptable

to laugh or react to moments that are funny or engaging. This also

depends on the type of show (for example in a children’s show, the

performers may want the audience to interact and converse with

them more than in a play for older children and adults).

EXPECT TO WORK HARDER AND EXPERIENCE MORE:

The live theatre asks more of an audience in terms of attention,

focus, and thought. This is a good thing. It makes you work a little

harder and asks more questions than you may be used to but that’s

because the theatre’s origins and traditions are rooted in societal

rituals that brought communities together in order to discuss

important social issues. Plays were not intended to be purely

entertaining – though many are in the modern theatre. A

performance doesn’t end with the curtain coming down or the lights

fading to black; discussions and reflection after the performance are

part of the live theatre experience.

More succinctly put – don’t you love it when someone tells you a

story? And don’t you want to make sure you catch it all?

ALL THIS WORK – WHAT’S IT REALLY FOR?

Shakespeare, and other live theatre is well, is not performed and

produced to make the audience feel alienated. It’s about

connection; it’s about humanity, and about what we recognize in

our own lives as well. You may find yourself laughing, crying, nodding

your head in agreement, or turning away in disgust. All those on

stage and those who have contributed to the play are seeking

connection with you. They love the story they are telling, find it

compelling and useful in some way, and hope to relay that to you.

All work aside – let yourself experience it!

53

SOURCE/REFERENCE TEXTS:

The Actor’s Guide to Performing Shakespeare. Madd Harold. Lone Eagle

Publishing Company, 2002.

All the Words on Stage. Louis Scheeder and Shane Ann Younts. Smith and

Kraus, 2002.

Shakespeare After All. Marjorie Garber. Anchor Books, 2004

The Shakespeare Miscellany. David Crystal and Ben Crystal. Penguin Books,

London, England, 2005.

Speak the Speech: Shakespeare’s Monologues Illuminated. Rhona Silverbush

and Sami Plotkin. Faber and Faber,2002.

WEBSITES AND ARTICLES:

Shakespeare’s Words, www.shakespeareswords.com – this is the official David

and Ben Crystal website, with the complete works with glossary, themes and

motifs, allusions, and much, much more.

Folger Shakespeare Library, www.folger.edu – Replete with lesson plans, a

teachers’ blog, and information about Folger programming and collections.

British Library, http://www.bl.uk/treasures/shakespearehtml - Extensive

information on the background, production and publication history, and

quartos of Shakespeare’s plays

MIT Shakespeare, http://shakespeare.mit.edu/twelfth_night/full.html— full text

of Twelfth Night (and all of Shakespeare’s plays) online