Cast Announced for Midsommer Flight's TWELFTH NIGHT

Midsommer Flight's popular perennial intimate production of Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT, performed alley style amid the flowers of the Lincoln Park Conservatory's beautiful Show House Room, will return with a new cast for its fifth year. Performances will be December 5 - 22, 2019. Midsommer Flight company member Dylan S. Roberts, who earned raves for his staging of the company's 2017 production, will return to helm the 2019 edition. Roberts' production will depart from the company's previous stagings in its modern dress costumes evocative of wealthy elites of the early 20th Century, designed by Meagan Beattie. Roberts says Shakespeare's characters will look " wonderful and wealthy, colorful and different but they are masking an inner pain." The production will again include the original musical score by Elizabeth Rentfro and Alex Mauney from previous productions. The press opening will be Friday, December 6 at 7:30 pm. Roberts announced his cast and production team today.

Roberts' 2019 new cast - none of whom appeared in either his 2017 staging or the 2018 production - will include Jackie Seijo (Viola), Shaina Toledo (Olivia), Michael Morrow (Orsino), Bailey Savage (Feste), Erika B. Caldwell (Malvolio), Chad Bay* (Sebastian), Zach Tabor (Sir Toby Belch), Stephanie Mattos* (Maria), Jason Goff (Sir Andrew Aguecheek), Alexis Ward (Antonio & Viola U/S), Laura Brennan (Fabian/Musician, Malvolio U/S), Olivia Lindsay (Officer/Musician), Brandon Nelson (Priest/Musician, Antonio U/S), JJ Smith (Sea Captain/Musician & Sebastian/Feste U/S), Wanda Jin (Olivia/Maria U/S), and Scott Myers (Sir Andrew/Sir Toby/Orsino U/S).

The production staff includes Jen Sloan (Assistant Director), Meagan Beattie (Costume Designer), Jordan Golding (Music Director), Amy Malcom* (Text Coach), Haley Schmidt (Stage Manager), Chris Smith* (Fight Director & Assistant Intimacy Director), Maureen Yasko* (Intimacy Director & Assistant Fight Director), Beth Wolf* (Producing Artistic Director & Script Adaptor) and Kanomé Jones* (Associate Producer). *denotes Midsommer Flight Ensemble Member.

Shakespeare's delightful comedy of mistaken identity and gender switching has a strictly limited seating among the lush flowers of the Show House Room. Reservations - which are now being taken at midsommerflight.ticketspice.com/twelfth-night-2019 - are typically quick to fill up for its three-weekend run, and standby lists are kept to ensure all seats are utilized. The production is part of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's "Night Out in the Parks" initiative that provides world-class performances in Chicago's neighborhood parks throughout the year.

More information on the production can be found at midsommerflight.com/twelfth-night-winter-2019

Photo by Zack Whittington