TWELFTH NIGHT Meets Telenovela in Silicon Valley Shakespeare Production This Month

On Friday, June 9th, appearing on the great lawn at Willow Street Frank Bramhall Park, in San José, California, is William Shakespeare's romantic comedy, Twelfth Night (o Noche de reyes) about shipwrecked twins, Viola and Sebastian, and the pandemonium and hijinks that ensue when they are separated by that state of tumult. But what makes this production unique?

Think Telemundo meets Shakespeare meets the award-winning television melodrama, "Jane the Virgin." Those are just some of the mashed-up motifs you can expect as an audience member of Silicon Valley Shakespeare's annual free summer Shakespeare presentation.

Viola is shipwrecked, loses her twin brother, and lands on an unfamiliar shore. But with determination and ingenuity, she follows her heart in search of a fresh start, finding love and life, both new and old. Set against the backdrop of an hacienda in modern-day México, this telenovela take on the Bard's playful classic highlights the rom-com elements of the show in a delightful and accessible way for the whole familia.

But the telenovela twist is not just a gimmick. "In our artistic concepts and in our casting, it is Silicon Valley Shakespeare's goal to represent and reach as many members of our community as possible," note SVS Executive Director Annalisa Tkacheff and Artistic Director Angie Higgins. "We recognize and celebrate the power of representation and are committed to continuing to elevate marginalized voices and cultivate cultural diversity."

Twelfth Night will have a special ASL-interpreted performance on Saturday, June 17th, including ushers who use American Sign Language.

The show runs Thursdays-Sundays, June 9-25, 2023. More information about Silicon Valley Shakespeare's free production of Twelfth Night (o Noche de reyes) is available at svshakespeare.org/twelfth.