If Music be the Food of Love, Play On
Twelfth of Never hits the stage June 11th
“If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die.”
- Duke Orsino, Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 1
Spring has arrived in Lennoxville, and so has another musical here at Bishop’s University. This year, director George Rideout brings his adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night to the stage – a story of love, mistaken identities and now… hit songs from the 1950s and 60s.
Rideout is Drama professor here at Bishop’s and knows nearly all of Shakespeare’s works inside and out. According to him, Twelfth Night has a loving feeling that should be paired with classic rock hits of the 1950’s and early 60’s. The production features tunes such as Twelfth of Never, Great Balls of Fire, Fools Rush In, Teen Angel, Don’t Be Cruel and many more.
Being a playwright, Rideout has excised parts of the original Shakespearean text and replaced it with song; a task that takes a considerable thought. Rideout has done this before with previous Bishop’s productions and claims that the overall message of the play must remain the same. Another difficult step of adapting a play for the Bishop’s stage is keeping the level of entertainment high enough for the audience to remain drawn into the action of the scene.
The musical side of this play is undertaken by the dynamic duo of Fannie Gaudette and Jamie Crooks. Both of them have worked on the University Singers choir shows and previous spring musicals together. Having years of experience behind them, the two bring valuable talent and knowledge to the table.
This year Cory Bowles will once again join the team, adding his expertise by teaching dance styles such as the Lindy Hop (a swing staple) and the Twist. In addition to choreographing the show’s dances, Bowles will be seen on stage as the often-inebriated Sir Toby Belch.
Returning to the stage are the familiar faces of Peter Jarvis and Kyle Gleason, who are double cast in the roles of Duke Orsino and Feste. Kelly Van der Burg and Renee Myers will play the role of the lovely Viola on alternating nights. Jill Thorpe, a second year English and Drama student and new to the spring musical experience, comments that her favourite part of the musical is “getting to know more about everyone in the cast.
“It’s a great mix of people and we’re all meshing really well. Everyone has been working hard from the beginning but also playing hard… a nice balance. My favourite dance in this production is Rock Around the Clock. With the musical, the only ‘school work’ I do is fun stuff!”
This star group of individuals will most definitely create an evening filled with entertainment and fun for all music lovers, dancers and Shakespeare enthusiasts. Come join us for the festivities in Turner Studio starting Friday June 11th until Saturday June 19th at 8:00 p.m. Get your tickets while they’re hot; being sold now at Centennial Box office.
