TWELFTH NIGHT, OR WHAT YOU WILL, A COMEDY Plays The Arvada Center, Now thru 27

The Arvada Center in collaboration with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival (CSF) opens William Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, or What You Will, a Comedy tonight, May 1, 2012. Colorado Shakespeare Festival's Producing Artistic Director, Philip C. Sneed, is directing the show. Twelfth Night will run in the intimate 220 seat Black Box Theater tonight, May 1 – 27. Performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 7:30pm, Wednesday at 1:00 pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2:00pm. Talkbacks will be offered Friday, May 11 after the 7:30pm show and Wednesday, May 16 after the 1:00pm show. Ticket prices range from $25 (previews) - $47 for prime seating. To order tickets call 720-898-7200 or go online to www.arvadacenter.org. 

Twelfth Night partners the Arvada Center with the Colorado Shakespeare Festival, marking the Center's first theatrical co-production and its first staging of a Shakespeare play since 1988. "The collaboration enables us to mount a production that draws upon the respective strengths of each organization," states Arvada Center Artistic Producer, Rod A. Lansberry. "It also gives us an uncommon opportunity to introduce the works of Shakespeare to our audiences with one of the country's leading figures in this area of theater."

Founded in 1958, the Colorado Shakespeare Festival is held annually at the University of Colorado in Boulder, and is regarded as one of the top summer Shakespeare festivals in the country. Philip C. Sneed made his Arvada Center directing debut in 2011 with The Lion in Winter, which led to conversations of future collaborations. Twelfth Night will be remounted by CSF as part of its 2012 Festival series at CU Boulder.

In Twelfth Night, long considered one of Shakespeare's best comedies, what do you get when you mix a double shot of love triangle, an ambitious young woman disguised as her twin brother, a pair of buffoons, one amorous fool, and one wise fool? A marvelous cocktail of romance and pathos, silliness and laughter! Shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria, Viola, calling herself "Cesario," pursues employment in the court of Duke Orsino, who is in love with the Lady Olivia. Comedy ensues when Viola's "male" identity causes confusion of colossal proportions, and the fat Sir Toby Belch calls in the clowns.

The Arvada Center cast features many familiar faces both at the Arvada Center and Colorado Shakespeare Festival, including: Ian Andersen (Andrew Aguecheek); Kate Berry (Viola); Anthony Bianco (Valentine/2^nd Officer); Logan Ernstthal (Sir Toby Belch); Rachel Fowler (Olivia); Peter Giffin (Curio/Servant/Priest); Geoffrey Kent (Orsino); Timothy McCracken (Malvolio); Leslie O'Carroll (Maria); Josh Robinson (Sebastian); Jamie Ann Romero (Fabian); Jake Walker (Feste); Stephen Weitz (Antonio) and Gary Alan Wright (Sea Captain/1^st Officer).

For more information go to www.arvadacenter.org or call 720-898-7200.