OU Theatre Presents “Twelfth Night,” A “Bridgerton” Twist on a Shakespearean Classic
- Isabella Fonseca '27
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
The OU Theatre Department will debut its first performance of the academic year, William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” on Friday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. in the Conant Performing Arts Center. The production features a cast and crew of students, is headed by guest director January LaVoy, and will include original compositions by Nico Gutierrez, visiting assistant professor of music.
Hilarious yet heartfelt, “Twelfth Night” follows Viola, a young woman who has been washed ashore in a new land and is separated from her twin brother. To survive, Viola disguises herself as a man, resulting in a series of comedic misunderstandings and even a love triangle.
According to the Folger Shakespeare Library, the play “combines love, confusion, mistaken identities, and joyful discovery.”
OU Theatre will be performing a version of the play adapted by the Orlando Shakespeare Festival. LaVoy used the adaptation as a template, while adding a few lines from the original work back into the script.“Twelfth Night is one of my favorite plays, so I know many of the lines by heart and wanted to see some of them restored to this adaptation,” said LaVoy.
Her production maintains the core of the original play while adding a unique flourish, envisioning the story in the landscape of the hit Netflix series “Bridgerton.” The series presents a modern twist on Regency-era England, which inspired the direction.
Niles Torrence ‘27, the directorial observer who shadowed LaVoy during production said, “I think that our director has gone above and beyond to make Shakespeare more accessible and understandable to a modern audience.”
Along with her creative approach to Shakespeare, LaVoy brings industry experience to the
university. She is an award-winning actor, voice actor, and director. Some of her voiceover accolades include a 20220 GRAMMY nomination for her work as Charlotte in the “Charlotte’s Web” audiobook and the title of 2013 “Publisher's Weekly” Audiobook Narrator of the Year.
The collaboration between LaVoy and OU Theatre began in the fall of 2024, when the artist slated to direct “In the Red and Brown Water” had to leave the production on short notice. A mutual friend connected LaVoy and Matt Huff, OU’s Theatre program coordinator, and from there, the partnership between LaVoy and the theatre department bloomed.
“Working with undergraduates is my absolute favorite–they are so hungry to gain more craft and excited to tackle challenging material. The cast and crew are extraordinary, and I think that together we’ve created a really fun and playful environment,” said LaVoy on her experience working with the students of OU Theatre.
For Torrence, connecting with other students in the department was also one of the most exciting elements of being part of the show. “We have so much new talent in our department, and ‘Twelfth Night’ is such a big, demanding show. It was the perfect opportunity not just to get to see what everyone is capable of, but who they are as people.”
Amongst all of the stress in the lead up to opening night, the cast and crew are excited to share their work and see the audience's reactions. “The lead up to the show has been very fast paced but also very well thought through,” said Torrence.
Certain elements of the production have not yet been revealed to the public, leaving a couple of surprises for the audience. “It’s a bit of a surprise, but I can say this won’t be like any 'Twelfth Night' they’ve seen before!” said Torrence.
LaVoy is excited to see the audience's reactions to Gutierrez's original music. “His work has brought the show to a whole new level, and I think you’ll be hearing people humming these tunes around campus long after our production has closed.”
Students get free admission to the show at the door with their Petrel Pass. Learn more about show dates and reserve tickets here.