Regional premiere of ILLYRIA at Shakespeare Theatre of NJ

"Let the merriment and the mirth prevail!" From November 30 through December 26, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents the regional theatre premiere of Illyria, an exuberant new musical adapted from Shakespeare's Twelfth Night by Peter Mills and Cara Reichel, with book, music and lyrics by Peter Mills.

Girl, disguised as boy, steals the hearts of both the lord and the lady in this festive comedy of unrequited loves and mistaken identities, directed by audience favorite Paul Mullins. Bursting with beautiful ballads and rollicking refrains, Illyria is a theatrical gem for all ages.

Performances are Tuesdays through Sundays at the company's Main Stage in Madison. Tickets for Illyria are $36 to $58, with discounts available for groups of 10 or more. For tickets, call 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.

What's in a name?

The title of the musical, Illyria, is drawn from the name of the mythical kingdom in which story of Twelfth Night takes place -- "a land of fools, where clarity's a rarity and madness rules." In Elizabethan times, Twelfth Night or January 6 was a huge celebration marking the end of the holiday season. Filled with revelry and licensed chaos, a Twelfth Night festival turned the real world upside down -- much like the world of Illyria. As is tradition, The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey presents Illyria as a holiday offering for families and people of all ages, and provides a unique alternative to standard holiday fare.

About the creators

Co-adaptors Peter Mills and Cara Reichel debuted Illyria off-Broadway in 2002 at the Hudson Guild Theater in New York City. Originally produced by Prospect Theater Company, of which Mr. Mills and Ms. Reichel are founding members, the "contemporary operetta" was met with critical praise. The Village Voice called it "genuinely witty, inspiring new life to Shakespeare's characters," while Backstage's Leonard Jacobs raved, "If planet Earth had to have another Shakespeare-based musical, let's thank the fairies for Illyria," calling it "far better than most new Broadway musicals of the season." Mr. Mills and Ms. Reichel have continued to develop Illyria, adding further luster to this jewel of a musical, which will be given a brand-new production at The Shakespeare Theatre.

Together, Peter Mills and Cara Reichel also wrote the book, music and lyrics for The Flood, which was selected for the 2001 American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers' (ASCAP) Musical Theater Workshop. In 2002, Mr. Mills received a major grant from the Jonathan Larson Performing Arts Foundation. This year, he received a Richard Rogers New Horizons Award from ASCAP. They have also collaborated to create The Taxi Cabaret (2000), The Alchemists (2003) and Lonely Rhymes (2004).

Theatrical collaborators and college sweethearts, Mr. Mills and Ms. Reichel were wed this summer at the Princeton University Chapel, on the campus of their alma mater.

In the artists' own words

Symposium Series performances include the additional bonus of a post-play discussion with the cast members and artistic staff, including co-creator Peter Mills, following the 7:30 p.m. performance on Tuesday, December 7 and the 2:00 p.m. performance on Saturday, December 11. Regular ticket prices apply.

On Thursday, December 9, The Shakespeare Theatre presents a new program called Know the Show. From 7:00 to 7:30 p.m., associate artistic director Joe Discher will present an insightful pre-performance talk, providing an insider's perspective on Illyria and The Shakespeare Theatre's production. General admission is $5 for the general public, $4 for subscribers. Tickets to that evening's 8:00 p.m. performance may be purchased separately.

Special Family Matinee performances at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, December 22 and 23 offer the treat of a post-show discussion with the actors, as well as some special surprises for the children in the audience.

The Cast

Reprising his role as Malvolio is one of New Jersey's busiest actors, Ames Adamson. He played a scene-stealing Holofernes earlier this season in The Shakespeare Theatre's Love's Labour's Lost, and just finished a one-man show, Circumference of a Squirrel, down the road at Playwrights Theatre, a role he also performed at New Jersey Repertory Company this past winter. Among Mr. Adamson's New York City credits are The Taming of the Shrew, Twelfth Night and Rags.

In the role of Feste is Joel Blum. A two-time Tony Award nominee, he has appeared on Broadway in many productions, including Show Boat, Steel Pier, The Music Man, A Christmas Carol and the original production of 42nd Street, directed by Gower Champion.

Maria Couch makes her Shakespeare Theatre debut as Olivia, the coy and melancholic noblewoman. She was most recently seen as Johanna in Sweeney Todd at Baltimore's Center Stage. She has toured the U.S. and Canada as Christine in Maury Yeston's Phantom, Christine in The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Star to Be in Annie.

The cross-dressing, shipwrecked Viola is played by Elena Shaddow, also making her Shakespeare Theatre debut. Her Broadway credits include Renata in Nine with Antonio Banderas, Sweet Smell of Success and Les Miserables. Next month, she can be heard singing the West Side Story Suites with the Albany Symphony.

The lovesick Duke Orsino is played by Steve Wilson. In his sixth season with the company, he most recently appeared in the original cast of The Frogs at Lincoln Center Theatre. Other NYC credits include Cyrus Budge III, Jr. in the original Broadway cast of By Jeeves at the Helen Hayes Theater, Interviewer in Love, Janis at the Village Theatre and Matt in New Girl in Town at the York Theatre.

Rounding out the cast of 14 are Benjamin Eakeley as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Howard Emanuel as an officer and courtier, Suzanne Houston as a lady-in-waiting, T. Doyle Leverett as Sir Toby, Peter Maris as an officer and courtier, Darren Matthias as Antonio, Chris Peluso as Sebastian, Kristie Dale Sanders as Maria and Justine Williams as a lady-in-waiting.

About the Director

Actor-director Paul Mullins, a favorite of Shakespeare Theatre audiences, returns for his fourteenth consecutive season with the company, where his directorial credits include this season's triumphant Richard II. His Shakespeare Theatre credits also include highly acclaimed productions of Shakespeare's King John, Tony Kushner's The Illusion and Eugene Ionesco's Rhineroceros, among many others. He has directed throughout the country, where credits include True West at the Portland Stage and As You Like It at The Julliard School. As an actor, Mr. Mullins has performed in more than 20 productions at The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, and has appeared at major theatres across the U.S.

The Artistic Staff

Creating the colorful "land of fools" are costume designers Frank Champa and Kim Gill, musical director F. Wade Russo, lighting designer Shelly Sabel, set designer Michael Schweikardt and choreographer Becky Timms.

Public Performances

Preview performances of Illyria are at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 30 and at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday, December 1 and 2, offering the thrill of seeing a work-in-process before the show officially opens. Preview tickets are $36 to $40.

Beginning Friday, December 3 and continuing through Sunday, December 26, regular performances are Tuesdays at 7:30 p.m.; Wednesdays through Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. (with the exception of Opening Night at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 4); Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., beginning on December 11; and Sundays at 2:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. There are no public performances on Friday, December 24 or Saturday, December 25. Regular tickets range from $44 to $58, with substantial discounts for groups of 10 or more.

A limited number of tickets are available for Opening Night on Saturday, December 4 at 7:00 p.m. Opening Night tickets are $71 to $75, including the performance as well as a Champagne intermission and an after-party with the actors, creators, director and other special guests.

Student Matinees

For school groups, The Shakespeare Theatre will present two Student Matinee performances of Illyria on Thursday, December 9 and Wednesday, December 15 at 11:00 a.m. Tickets to these special on-school-time performances are only $15 for student groups of 10 or more, including a post-show discussion with the actors and a comprehensive study guide for each teacher. For Student Matinee reservations, call 973-408-3980.

General Information

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey's Main Stage, the intimate, 308-seat F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre, is conveniently located in Madison at 36 Madison Avenue (Route 124) at Lancaster Road, on the scenic campus of Drew University. Parking is free. For tickets and information, call 973-408-5600 or visit www.ShakespeareNJ.org.