Elmwood Theatre Presents "Twelfth Night"

BEHIND THE SCENES

Elmwood Theatre presents a rendition of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, set in the Roaring 20s in Illyria, NY. This is the time of Prohibition, and with that comes Jazz, speakeasies, smuggling, flappers, wild parties of the upper-set, and tensions between rival mobsters. Into this world, Viola washes ashore after her cargo ship is wrecked in a storm and her brother is swept away. For protection, until she gets her bearings, Viola disguises herself as a man and secures a job as a messenger for Duke Orsino who runs a jazz club. Finding herself in an unexpected love triangle, she carries Orsino’s affectionate messages to the rich and recentlyorphaned Olivia and is herself woo’d in return. Love, laughter, mistaken identity, practical jokes and an array of wild characters make Twelfth Night one of Shakespeare’s most delightful comedies.

Part 1 - Acts 1 & 2 Part 2 - Acts 3, 4, & 5 Act 1 Viola washes ashore Ilyria, NY and disguises herself as a man, Cesario, in order to work for Duke Orsino. Olivia’s steward, Malvolio, threatens to kick her drunken cousin Toby out.

Act 2 Viola’s twin Sebastian is saved from the shipwreck by Antonio.

Meanwhile, Fabienne, Toby, and Maria plot to trick Malvolio with a forged love letter, ostensibly signed by Olivia.

Act 3 Olivia falls in love and continues to pursue Cesario. According to the letter’s instructions, Malvolio comes to Olivia dressed in yellow stockings and is diagnosed as insane.

Act 4 Toby and his friend Andrew challenge Sebastian to a duel.

Olivia, mistaking him for Cesario, marries Sebastian. Malvolio is imprisoned, as Toby and the Festes continue to trick him.

Act 5 Orsino confronts Viola (Cesario). Antonio confronts Sebastian.

Malvolio confronts Olivia.

Ms. Rebecca Benson - Director Ms. Benson is a theatre artist and educator based in Ottawa. Former Co-Artistic Director of TACTICS Theatre Group, Ms. Benson is delighted to have spent the past year at Elmwood and has enjoyed working with this passionate and talented group of students on something that brings her great joy: plays by Shakespeare. She is looking forward to collaborating with Ms. Rae-Anna Maitland on another show with Elmwood students to bring to the 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

Camilla Thomson (she/her) - Assistant Director I have been in many different productions throughout my life. I started out as an actor, especially at my old school and even performed here at Elmwood in grade 7 as Anne in Anne of Green Gables. I decided to try my hand at being a part of the production team in grade 11, I was the assistant director for Little Women. I learned a lot during that production and I have tried to take my experience and apply it to this year. I have had a lot of fun and I hope you all enjoy the play.

Mentors: Ms. Natasha Josselyn - Choreography Ms. Pauline Rubarth - Costumes

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Hannah Vermeij (she/ her) - Duke Orsino I have been a member of 13 Elmwood productions spanning from Junior school to Senior school throughout my time at Elmwood including the Senior School productions of Little Women, and The Light Burns Blue. I was also a member of a few theatre companies outside of Elmwood where I had the opportunity to write, act and produce my own play along with a group of students. In addition to scripted theatre, I love to participate in improv!

Tess Kowal - Viola This is my first Elmwood production.

Madelaine Delaney (she/her) - Olivia Madden, Publicity Team Member, Head of Hair and Makeup I have been doing theatre since I first came to Elmwood, and my first big role was Amy in last year's play of Little Women and I was a makeup and hair crew member last year!

Penny Stewart (she/her) - Sebastian, Makeup, Props I do not have a lot of theatrical experience outside or inside of elmwood. However, I am extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such a wonderful production! I am a 10th-grade student and I plan on becoming a marine biologist.

YiFou (Mia) Cheng (she/her) - Malvolio, Lead Cappies Critic I'm so excited to get a jab at Malvolio. Love this play, love Shakespeare.

Rowyn Pratte (she/her) - Maria I was in the Elmwood production of Little Women last year and I have participated in multiple Ottawa children’s theatre productions in the past.

Zara Kochar- Feste, Costumes Co-Head Improv team in elm, musical theatre in childhood

Freida Kaplan-Myrth (she/her) - Toby Belch Little Women last year, The Tempest, Alice in Wonderland, The Ice Queen, a derived production called Emily's Night-time Story

Lorrie Whiten (they/she)- Sir Andrew Aguecheek Little Women - Elmwood

Lily Sun - Antonio, Music Hi!! My name is Lily, and I've loved the performing arts all my life.

I've played the violin for 9 years along with other instruments. I arranged the music and played the violin for Elmwood's production of Little Women last year!

Usha Patterson (she/they) - Club Singer, Fabienne, Publicity team I have been at Elmwood since 2022, I have two cats, Jupiter and Roxy, and I played the character of Mrs. Mingott last year in the school's production of Little Women. I have been in a couple of musicals including Frozen, Into the Woods and Mamma Mia!

Clarissa Lauzon (she/her) - Valentine, Costumes This is my first Senior School Elmwood production. Previously, I was in the production of the NAC's Carried Away on the Crest of a Wave (2018).

Michelle Liu (she/her) - Priest/ Orsino's Party guest I was apart of Elmwood's Little Women last year.

Izzie Morgan (he/they) - Sea . Captain, Bystander & Cappies Critic I have been apart of many Elmwood productions throughout Middle and Junior School, though this is my first in Senior School! I have also participated in a production of West Side Story, wherein I played Gladhand and a Shark!

Madeleine Garner (she/her) - Thomson I used to do lots of musical theatre before Covid, and in Grade 5, I was in Pandora's Box, I enjoyed it so much and wanted to get back into theatre this year!

Aurae Rogers (they/them) - A few background characters :) I have been in theatrical ballet productions before, for Les Petits Ballets. However, this is my first real stage play with lines included.

Zoe Goshko (she/her) - Curio & Cappies Critic

Sadie Hanley (she/her) - Musician Twelfth Night is my second Elmwood play, having played the piano in last year’s production of Little Women. Plus, I was a part of Elmwood’s successful Cappies team last year, having won the award for Best Junior Critic at the Cappies Gala.

Claire Hang (she/her) - Musician & Cappies Critic I have been playing the piano for eleven years, and seven years competitively. Whether it be performing my art on the regional, provincial, or international stage, I have always enjoyed sharing my passion for music with others. Elmwood School's Twelfth Night is the first production I have been a part of.

Alex Clysdale - Musician

YaXuan (May) Wang (she/her)- Head of Publicity Thank you so much for coming to the play! I made the posters for the school production last year with a friend, and I am so glad to be able to help out again this year with publicity - hope you'll enjoy the show :) P.S. also go check out @elmwood_theatre on Instagram and Tiktok

Marty Morgan - Head of Props . This was my first time working I worked on props and handling loans. with a tech team.

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Kay Sharkey (they/he) - Head of Technology Production last year + this year as lighting and sound! Acting experience elsewhere (during Middle School).

Temi Adekeye (she/her) - Choreography & Cappies Critic This is my first production at Elmwood, but I have been in many other shows like Annie, The Jungle Book, The Sound of Music and Newsies. I hope you enjoy the show!

Constantine Maksymiuk Iraheta (it/its) - Costumes Co-Head I have 3-4 years of theatre experience on and off over the years, and I have been in a few “out of Elmwood” productions.

Amélie Lorrain - Backstage Crew I was in a Jack and the Beanstalk play in my old school, and I was in the Little Women play as an extra last year.

Lana McArthur - Stage Management .

I took over the role of stage management with Amélie back in late October, and since then we've been doing working together.

Kacey Fraser-Robinson (she/her) - Lighting Technician I was in an ensemble in the play . last year, and I have on-stage knowledge from doing shows for stage combat, west end experiences and more. However I have always had an interest in being behind the scenes; this year I took advantage of the opportunity and became part of the lighting crew.

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Abby Ruel-O'Brien - Publicity Team/Photography I also did photography for Elmwood’s production of Little Women last year.

Jaye Frahm - Costumes

Alexa NG - Costumes

Augusta Young-Martin - Costumes

Tina Zhang (she/her) - Makeup and Publicity This is my first time being part of a play.

Lilya El Kadiri - Sound Technician

We want to give a special thanks to all the people who this show would not have been possible without!

Special Thanks from the Director to: Pauline Rubarth, Monica Browness, Angela Boychuck, Alyson Bartlett, Rae-Anna Maitland, Andrea Thomson, Natasha Josselyn, Dr. Laura Grace Conlon and the Cappies Team (Mia Cheng, Temi Adekeye, Anahita Dhillon, Zoe Goshko, Claire Hang, Izzie Morgan, Sophia Masia Mandala), Emily Lim, James Whitehouse, Meagan Enticknap, Sam Grbesic, Pedro Serrao, Mark MacInnis, Juan Londono, Warren Pratt, Matt Perreault, Toosje Delaney, Stephane Dube, Katherine Al, Victoria Woodhead, David Magladry and the Ottawa Little Theatre, Kevin at the National Arts Centre Warehouse, Aaron, Gil and Casper, and all the parents and guardians who have driven students to and from weekend and late-night rehearsals.

Elmwood School is proud to be part of the Canada’s Capital Cappies Programme. Upcoming shows include: The SpongeBob Musical St. Pius X High School 3/23/2024 - 1:00 Mean Girls All Saints High School 3/27/2024 - 7:00 The Book of Will A.Y. Jackson Secondary School 4/06/2024 - 7:00 Clue: On Stage St. Patrick's High School 4/12/2024 - 7:00