From the Statesman Journal

[He unfortunately confuses the character of SEBASTIAN with VALENTINE... oops.]

October 17, 2008

Willamette gives 'Twelfth Night' a modern twist

By Ron Cowan
Statesman Journal

Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night" will get a modern twist but still hew to its traditions in a production opening today at Willamette University's Kresge Theatre.

Guest director Michael Brusasco, a 1999 Willamette graduate and veteran of four years at Utah Shakespearean Festival, said classical and modern elements will be featured in the romantic comedy.

Christopher Harris' set, constructed in the shell of the Kresge, recalls the classic Elizabethan Stagehouse, but Bobby Brewer-Wallin's costumes blend modern and period elements.

"Everything was designed with a contemporary feel and evoking the classic," Brusasco said.

Visitors to the Kresge will see evidence of the ongoing remodeling of the building: Temporary risers and seats replace the permanent risers, and interior walls and entrance stairs have been removed.

After this season, Harris said the Playhouse building will be vacated as remodeling moves from the basement to the first and second floors; theater productions will be done in other locations.

Brusasco, who is replacing faculty member Susan Coromel, currently on sabbatical, said "Twelfth Night" is one of his favorites.

"I'm obsessed with this play," he said.

The theme of desperation that moves the characters who are in love appeals to him.

The story focuses on Viola (Amanda Washko), who is separated from her twin brother, Valentine (Becca Cornelius), by a shipwreck that leaves her in Illyria.

She takes the disguise of a boy and becomes a page to Duke Orsino (Josh Rice), who engages her to plight his romantic case with Countess Olivia (Rose Fullerton), who is in mourning after deaths in her family.

But as Viola is falling in love with Orsino, Olivia is falling in love with the disguised Viola. Orsino, in turn, finds himself drawn to his page, who coaches him in his relationship with Olivia.

Valentine's arrival provides more complications.

"There's so much suspension of disbelief," Brusasco said. "That's what makes classical theater great.

"Because you identify with the humanity, you think, 'Yeah, I believe that.'"

The comic subplot concerns cynical, pompous Malvolio, who runs the countess' household and is duped into thinking she fancies him by the drunken Sir Toby Belch (Bob Alsman), abetted by foppish Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Matt Romein) and the servant Maria (Sarah Jo Kendall).

Malvolio is played by guest artist Brent T. Barnes, an ensemble member of Hypatia Theatre Company in Chicago and veteran of off-Broadway and the Utah Shakespearean Festival.

"It's a yearning," Brusasco said of the romantic wannabes. "They are so desperate for love."

Another theme is the lengths people will go to to achieve their goals. Malvolio puts on ridiculous fashions, including cross gartering, thanks to Belch's mischievous instructions.

"He's the puritan, and he's the conservative in this," Brusasco said of Malvolio.

"I think always we sympathize with Malvolio when he sees this letter (actually from Belch) and realizes he is loved."

He is in for a rude awakening and is left vowing revenge.

Brusasco said he and Barnes, who is also a voice and acting coach, have been working to familiarize students with the demands of Shakespeare's language and style of theater.

"It's classical training," Brusasco said. "It's really been about instilling the precepts and concepts of appearing in a classical play.

"Shakespeare wrote characters who think out loud. Just thinking out loud and and saying the words is difficult to do."

Brusasco has deleted some archaic phrases from his script and replaced the period music with contemporary music.

Although this production is designed with a student audience in mind, it should reach beyond that audience.

"To me, classical theater is you present a story that's limitless," he said.

rcowan@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6728