William Shakespeare debuted his romantic comedy “Twelfth Night” in 1602. The play, named after the last day of the Christian festival celebrating the Twelve Days of Christmas, follows separated twins Sebastian and Viola as they navigate the coast of the characterful Illyria and a comedic love triangle.
From Nov. 6-10, the GCSU Department of Theatre and Dance presented its version of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, directed by Jeremy Lee Cudd, assistant professor of performance, with a cast of wildly talented actors and modern-day influences.
“Above all, I think the department just wanted everyone to have fun,” said Jane Carr, a junior English major who played Olivia, a wealthy heiress avoiding courtship but unexpectedly finding love. “With recent events, a lot of people are feeling unsure about the future and albeit a bit scared. While it’s important to keep these things in mind, the theatre allows people to live in a different world for a little while.”
Making her stage presence undeniable in this year’s spring production of “We Will Rock You,” Carr delivered a standout performance as one of the Shakespeare leading ladies and a crowd favorite. She commands the stage with her cunning wit and indubitable comedic timing.
Jody Hensley, a senior theatre major and cemented star of GCSU theatre, delivered yet another applause-worthy performance. Hensley has the unique ability to take something as difficult to master as Shakespearean Old English and make it entirely his own.
“Shakespeare plays and their various adaptations are such a staple of the theatre and literary worlds,” said Em Jones, senior English major and president of GCSU’s Shakespearean Circle. “I think it’s important to demystify his language. They’re all stories about people at their core.”
From her musical direction and arrangement to her impeccable line delivery to her astounding tap dancing skills, Helen Garcia-Carreras, a senior theatre major, always captivates audiences from the moment she steps out. Garcia-Carreras helped to lead the modern musical influence on the “Twelfth Night” adaptation by using sounds from “The Doors,” “Whitney Houston” and incorporating a guitar-led audience participation moment after intermission.
Truly, the world is Garcia-Carreras’s oyster. She is a one-of-a-kind, multi-talented creative with an astoundingly bright future ahead.
The production team, from lighting, set design and costuming, worked seamlessly to transport audiences into the ancient world of Illyria. Notable moments include the lighting and sound design on the infamous shipwreck sequence, Malvolio’s, played by the hilarious Wesley McClure, a sophomore theatre major, yellow stocking reveal and the incorporation of a hollow jail cell built into the subfloor of the versatile set.
Following themes of love, identity and the power of changing one’s mind, college audiences and the Milledgeville community alike had many messages to take away from the theatre department’s latest triumph.
“Several characters would start out wanting one particular thing, only then to be exposed to love and teaching those characters that there is something more desirable to go after,” said Grayson Riggott, a junior middle-grades education major and audience member.
Over the past several showcases, the GCSU Department of Theatre and Dance continuously tops itself again and again while producing both on-stage and off-stage talent, creating forces to be reckoned with in the performing arts world.
