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Twelfth Night:
A Guide for Teachers
The Warehouse Theatre
2016 Educational Touring Production
For more information, contact Mallory Pellegrino,
Director of Education
[email protected]
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.
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, closereading, 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 [email protected]
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.
love
duality
servant
desire
gender
fool
grief
identity
music
melancholy
class
food
deception
status
starvation
disguise
master
excess
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?
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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-ofwar 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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THE BONUSES
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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 griefstricken 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
Viola & Sebastian
Essential Twins
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!
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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
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