‘Twelfth Night,’ As Shakespeare Would Like It

BETHLEHEM — How would William Shakespeare have liked his plays to be performed? On August 1-2 and 8-9 at The Gary-The Olivia Theater, the Act Association of the Abbey of Regina Laudis will present the Shakespeare Project All-Stars in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, following original directions given by the Bard himself.

Director Michael Bolinski uses the First Folio method, following “clues” which Shakespeare carefully placed within the script itself, as discovered in its 1623 published text. These clues were all that the actors of Shakespeare’s day had to indicate such important aspects as mood shifts, tone changes, movement and language of the characters they played.

Says Mr Bolinski, these clues “open up characterization and make the play accessible.” Through hidden directions found in punctuation, odd spellings, verse, and poetic usages, “Shakespeare is asking the actor to make strong choices,” Mr Bolinski observes. Again following the Bard, Mr Bolinski uses a minimalist approach, emphasizing language and characterization.

Mr Bolinski is the founder of the Shakespeare Project All-Stars, a group dedicated to implementing the First Folio approach, who last performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Mattuck Museum in Waterbury.

For Twelfth Night, members of the troupe have been joined by members of the Abbey’s Act Association. The cast includes Faith Blasi, Kelly Boucher, John Fabiani, Jennifer Goselin, Rob Iulo, Br. Peter Kucer, Mike Manna, Kevin McElroy, Ashley Nichols, Patrick Nolan, Richard Rivas, Christopher Stubbs, Kevin Thornton, Matthew Tullo, and Neil Weathers. Director Bolinski finds that the Abbey’s “rustic” open-air theater provides the perfect setting, which “readily allows for the actors and the words to stand out.”

Twelfth Night will be performed at The Gary-The Olivia Theater, a covered open-air theater on the grounds of the Abbey of Regina Laudis on Flanders Road in Bethlehem, on Fridays, August 1 and 8, at 8 pm, and Saturdays, August 2 and 9, at 2 and 8 pm.

Suggested donation is $10. All seats are general admission. For information call 203-266-5447.