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A FIRST AMENDMENT PUBLICATION Woodland Hills, California Volume 130 - Issue 6
Review:
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
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One copy free, each additional copy $1.00
‘Twelfth Night’ strikes comedic gold
Latest Pierce production shakes up a Shakespearan classic
CAMERON KERN Managing Editor @ckernroundup
W
hen you begin to imagine the illustrious world of Shakespeare most would see witches conjuring spells and lovers wandering the streets of Verona. It is a world so far detached from our own. However, when placed in mid-20th century Cuba, the words and follies of Shakespeare become natural and hilarious. Pierce College’s latest theater production “Twelfth Night” is an absurdist look at social norms in an aristocracy if they were all turned upside down. Directed by Esdras Toussaint, the excellent twohour Shakespearean comedy runs through March 31, at the Dow Arena Theatre. Toussaint presented an interpretation to the classic “Twelfth Night” that an inexperienced director wouldn’t by changing the setting. In Toussaint’s take, the play is set in Cuba around 1950. This choice of changing the setting and timeframe of the production was intuitive because it cultivates a sense of familiarity and relatability to the characters that most younger audiences of today wouldn’t find in a Shakespeare script. The opening scene of the production is a showcase of Cuban culture. Dancers grace the stage swaying to the sound of trumpet and guitar with a singer (Hannah Quinn) who makes more appearances as a small character, Feste, throughout the play but takes importance in the opening and closing sequences of the show. Singing by Quinn is delightful and the dancers who accompany the band set the scene of Cuba as a place of enchantment and wonder.
Katya Castillo / Roundup Angel Villalobos (left) plays Duke Orsino and Michelle Johnson plays Viola, who is disguised as Cesario and acts as the intermediary between Orsino and his love interest, Countess Olivia. in the dress rehearsal of "Twelfth Night' in the Dow Arena Theater at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. on March 18, 2019.
The set design by Frederica Nascimento conveys the neon color in architecture that is often associated with Cuban building aesthetics. This design reoccurred stylishly throughout the play and gave credence to every location used in the story. The first story we are introduced to focuses on Viola (Michelle Johnson), a woman who washes ashore with a lost memory. She disguises herself as a man in order to get work but is hired as a servant for the vivacious Orsino (Angel Villalobos). During her tenure serving for Orsino, she falls in love with him.
In one instance, Orsino and Viola sit and listen to a band playing romantic music in Orsino’s quarters. Viola is enamored by Orsino, staring at him. Orsino begins to reciprocate this tenderness by placing an arm around her. Viola then makes a move, she hilariously slaps her hand on his thigh. Observing the awkwardness in sexual advances between Viola and Orsino, played cleverly by Johnson and Villalobos, is one of the more amusing moments in the production. We are then introduced to Olivia (Alexa Maris) who portrays a proper and lordship-like character, having
maids and servants on command. Among Olivia’s confidants, we are introduced to Malvolio (Scott Kriloff) who is a servant to Olivia. Malvolio is one of the shining stars when it comes to the comedic elements throughout the production. Kriloff plays this character similar to an antagonist in a Disney princess movie. He snarls and speaks with such conviction that you hope in the end he gets his comeuppance. Viola is sent by Orsino to woo Olivia to notice him. Instead, Olivia falls in love with Viola, not knowing she is actually a women. Reactions to the wildness by the sexually
aggressive Olivia by Johnson are laughable, while Maris plays this forceful, hyperbolic and crude woman, who is supposed to be an idol of class, equally enjoyably. Lastly, staying with Olivia is her uncle Sir Toby (Jon Michael Villagomez), who is encouraging Sir Andrew (Spencer Sharp), his drinking-companion and source of funds, to attract Olivia. While carousing with Olivia’s fool Feste late one night, they quarrel with Malvolio, and with the help of Olivia’s maid Maria (Michelle Sanchez) and another one of Olivia’s companions Fabian (Tomas Ciriaco),
they decide to trick him. Maria writes a letter to Malvolio, forging Olivia’s handwriting, to make Malvolio think Olivia loves him. In a classic comedic trope, Malvolio reads the letter aloud with Sir Andrew, Sir Toby, and Fabian watching close by, posing as statues to remain invisible to Malvolio. The physicality of the three actors as Malvolio reads aloud was evident throughout the scene, providing comedy in how they remain out of sight. At one point, Fabian is posted on the floor where a bench once was. Malvolio sits on Fabian’s back. The other two scramble to relieve Fabian. They grab the bench and, like out of a cartoon, they bash the bench under Fabian and Malvolio doesn’t even notice. This scene showcases something that Toussaint added plenty of slapstick comedy throughout the production, which is unlike what’s found in a traditional Shakespeare play. But how Toussaint uses this brand of humor, it completely works by adding a layer silliness to an originally highbrow play. “Twelfth Night” hopes to smack a big punch in comedic value, but in a play that is centered in Cuba with dialogue that’s rarely used today, Toussaint succeeds at making a play enjoyable for all adult audiences. The impressive comedic intelligence from the cast and the exceptional lighting and stage design paired with classic comedic tropes tastefully used throughout “Twelfth Night” will show audiences why Shakespeare isn’t only the king of drama, but comedy as well. You can still catch “Twelfth Night” Friday and Saturday, March 29 and 30 at 8 p.m. and a matinee on Sunday, March 31 at 2 p.m. Tickets are available at www.brownpapertickets. com.
ckern.roundupnews@gmail.com
Faculty takes the stage at Thursday recital
Students get a chance to see their professors share their creative talents HARLEY DAVIS Reporter @ht_davis Professors are usually the ones working behind the scenes helping students succeed, but Thursday they had the chance to shine on the stage alongside their pupils. Pierce College Performing Arts Department held a blend of faculty and student performances in a diverse array of talent. Thursday Concerts are primarily led by the music department giving a platform for the work of students in the Applied Music Program. Spanish voices, guitar strums and actors graced the stage to contribute to the showcase. At the opening of the show, Performing Arts Department Chair Michael Gend came to the stage to greet the audience. After his greeting, he announced a few more
changes. “I know the playbill says this is a faculty concert, but if you look inside, you’ll notice that a lot of the names are actually our students,” Gend said. “So it’s not just faculty that will be performing for you today. And you’ll also notice that we have more than just music. You’ll see theatre, music and dance in this performance.” Most performances contained some musical accompaniment, including a sneak preview of a piece from the upcoming production of the musical “In the Heights.” One of the two pieces that didn’t have a musical component included a piece by student actors reenacting a scene called “Sir Spare Your Threats” from “The Winter’s Tale” performed by Alexa Maris and Jon Michael Villagomez. The Pierce College Choir also debuted a piece called “Give Us Hope,” with solos by Aro Caitlin
and Daniel Miranda. They were accompanied by Victoria Simonian on piano and Sahand Zare on the violin. Several choir members worked as crew and were among the audience members for their
“I thought it was absolutely fabulous – very creative and diverse,”
- Debora Tepel
Pierce College Choir Member interactive performance of “Give Us Hope.” Debora Tepel is one of the choir members who performed and worked crew. She also had the opportunity to enjoy the other
performances. “I thought it was absolutely fabulous – very creative and diverse,” Tepel said. “‘In the Heights,’ the choreography was great and the kids did a great job. It was all just amazing – put together very well.” Esdras Toussaint, an adjunct theatre professor, said he appreciates the effort that goes into the concerts. “I’m not sure exactly who the people that made up the audience were, but I thought the show was very good and I enjoyed it,” Toussaint said. “I love to see the work the students are doing. It was very present on the stage.” For more information on free concerts, see the Pierce College website www.piercecollege.edu/ d e p a r t m e n t s / m u s ic /c o n c e r t s . asp or search by department for performing arts. hdavis.roundupnews@gmail.com
The Weather Roundup The Pierce College Weather Station has provided meteorogical data to national agencies since 1949 Find out more at piercecollegeweather.com
Wed. Mar 27 High: 70 Low: 53 Sunny
Thur. Mar 28 High: 69 Low: 51 Sunny
Fri. Mar 29 High: 73 Low: 52 Sunny
Sat. Mar 30 High: 82 Low: 57 Sunny
Sun. Mar 31 High: 83 Low: 57 Sunny
Mon. Apr 1 High: 82 Low: 56 Cloudy
Tues. Apr 2 High: 74 Low: 56 Cloudy
Wed. Apr 3 High: 70 Low: 54 Cloudy
Angelica Lopez / Roundup Leila Nunez-Fredell plays the violin during the Thursday Concert's Faculty Recital on March 21, 2019 in the Performing Arts Building Mainstage at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif.
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