- “Twelfth Night: Or What TWO Will”
- April 28 – 30th at The Benson Theatre
- Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m., Sunday at 2:00 p.m.
- Tickets $20 for adults, $10 students
- TWO-FER for you and your twin
- Tickets at BensonTheatre.Org or buy at the door
In Benson Theatre’s first in-house production of 2023, director Moira Mangiameli takes on one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies. But this is “Twelfth Night” like you’ve never seen it before!
Adapted by Ryan Kathman for just two actors, this take on the tale of mistaken identity and tangled relationships is a non-stop, fast-paced attention grabber featuring the work of both Kathman and Delaney Jackson, each taking on multiple roles. We wanted to chat with the actors and talk about what tackling a show like this is all about.
Let’s talk about the experience of playing multiple characters in “Twelfth Night.”
Delaney: It’s been very challenging, but so much fun! We’ve been given so much room to just let loose and play in this production and I’ve made so many discoveries about myself as a performer and about the craft of theater in general.
Ryan: I don’t know why it happened, exactly, but doing this kind of thing has somehow become a frequent part of my career. I don’t even think I’m particularly flexible physically or vocally, but nevertheless I’ve gotten to do several small cast shows where I played multiple roles. But, honestly, maybe because of my age, I think this has been almost the most challenging yet to pull off. It’s been a ton of fun as well, though.
Ryan, you adapted this script from the classic text; why this show? What drew you to it and what inspired the two person version?
After creating the one-man “Hamlet” about 10 years ago, I’ve long contemplated trying to do something similar with another play. It was really through brainstorming with Moira that we settled on the possibility of doing one of his comedies with two actors, and “Twelfth Night” felt like a great option because of the potential built-in gag of casting two people who don’t really resemble each other as twins. It also is one of his most-produced works, probably his best comedy and certainly my favorite of all of his comedies.
What challenges have you faced while taking on multiple roles in this play?
Ryan: I would say the biggest one has been time, frankly. All four of us who are working on this production are very busy folks, so it’s been a challenge to find the time to get the text in our heads, the staging in our bodies, the characters in our voices, and just the mechanics of transitioning in theatrical ways between characters and scenes. But we’re striving valiantly to get ourselves where we need to be by opening!
Delaney: I think the biggest challenge has been time. Work can’t just happen in the rehearsal room. Time has to be given to running lines, digesting director notes, and bringing in fresh ideas for the next rehearsal. Doing all of that for one character is demanding; doing that for six has certainly been a feat!
How has working with Moira influenced your approach to the show?
Delaney: At first I came into the space under the assumption that I needed to create these caricatures that would hold the audiences’ attention, but Moira was great at reminding us that the relationships are ultimately what flesh out the show. Whenever I begin to feel stuck or overwhelmed she gently guides me back to the character’s humanity.
Ryan: Moira and I have really only worked together once before, and it was way back in 2010 in a production of “True West” for Angels Theatre Company in Lincoln. We were both acting in that, so it’s been great to explore this dynamic where she is directing something that I tried to adapt. She’s been very patient and generous with me as I can’t help but offer thoughts and ideas constantly, because I’ve done a solo show like this before and was responsible for this cutting. But I trust her point-of-view from the audience completely and she’s had most of the best ideas that have come out of rehearsal. Next up we have to find an excuse for me to direct her in something.
Tell us about specific moments or scenes in the play that have been particularly challenging for you.
Ryan: I guess I’d just have to repeat that, right now, the mechanics of remembering what scene and character comes next is the most challenging aspect. I know that Delaney and I will have each other’s backs and we’ll get through any mishaps (and there are sure to be some). I suppose it also continues to be challenging to strike the right tone with many scenes.
Delaney: Transitions are the trickiest moments in the play for me right now. I find myself finishing a scene as one character and thinking, “Okay, now this other character is going to come on” and having a moment where I go, “Oh, right, that’s me again!”
In revisiting old plays, I often find things that are still relevant and sometimes even poignant today — have you found themes like that in this show?
Ryan: There’d be no reason to keep exploring Shakespeare’s plays if they weren’t filled with universal themes, circumstances and insights, so I definitely agree with you and it’s endlessly fascinating to me.
I’ve gotten to work on this play twice before (technically three, as I worked on the combat for a recent production as well), but one thing I’ve only really noticed since working on this production is a more subtle message about “found family” and forging your own community. Olivia has recently lost her closest blood relatives, her father and her brother. But you can see through the dialogue how much she cares about all of the other inhabitants of her house, including her uncle, his dimwitted friend, her maid, her steward, and the fool who used to serve her father. And they all very much care about her and hope she can overcome her grief and be happy.
Then, with the arrival of these two separated twins, a larger close community is ultimately formed that includes Duke Orsino, this sailor named Antonio, and the twins Viola and Sebastian, who are happily reunited and each find love as well. So I like that final message of working through grief, loss and loneliness by taking a risk and connecting with new people, which is something I struggle with, frankly.
Delaney: Transformation and Identity live at the heart of this show and are explored by Ryan and I through our transitions between all of these characters of various ages, sexes, and gender identities etc. I don’t think we as humans will ever stop exploring them or fighting for our rights to claim them. These Anti-Drag and Trans bills that have cropped up all over the United States, including right here in Nebraska as LB371, have made that especially clear.
What are you most excited to share with Omaha in this show?
Ryan: It’s corny, but I hope that the friendship I feel like I’ve gotten to form with Delaney through this short process comes across on stage. She’s just an incredibly talented, intuitive and natural actor, and I doubt many people have seen her do this kind of work before, so I’m excited for her silly characters to be shared. We also have some pretty theatrical moments (like actors fighting themselves) that I hope will be fun for audiences and free from injury for us.
Delaney: Honestly, a good laugh!
Get more info about this production or The Benson Theatre at https://bensontheatre.org/contact/