Seattle Rep's Public Works Presents TWELTH NIGHT

With great excitement, Seattle Rep today announced a virtual Public Works performance, scheduled for December 10, 2020, and the entire world is invited. With theater of, by, and for the people at the heart of the Public Works mission, Seattle Rep has gathered together a group of Public Works community members to present selections from a musical adaptation of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, free of charge. Mark your calendars, share with a friend, and register to attend at seattlerep.org/twelfthnight.

Seattle Rep's Public Works is rooted in the values of equity, imagination, and joy. The program partners with community-based organizations to invite folks from all walks of life to take classes, attend performances and events, and join in the creation of ambitious works of participatory theater. Through this process, strangers become neighbors, creating a region that is welcoming for all.

This past summer, Seattle Rep postponed its entire 2020/21 season as a result of the pandemic, including its Public Works production, a musical adaptation of The Winter's Tale. Since that time, the Public Works team has reconfigured its community workshops online, ensuring connection and engagement with community partners remains strong during this time when we cannot safely gather together in person.

"Public Works is all about inspiring connection and engagement, so when we checked in with the Public Works community in the Spring, their response was clear: they wanted to be in community with each other again," Public Works Director Angie Kamel said. "The virtual platform we've organized has allowed everyone to join in safely from home and has proven to be just what everyone was aching for. Almost immediately this big group fell right into the rhythm of collaboration and joyous storytelling, and we're so looking forward to sharing the outcome of this time together with the world in our upcoming presentation of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night!"

Since 2016, Seattle Rep's Public Works has invited community partners and community members to join in the creation of two Public Works musical adaptations of classic stories on the Bagley Wright stage (The Odyssey, As You Like It). The Public Works program also engages participants in free workshops, classes, and field trips to see Seattle Rep performances year-round, all at no cost.

"The pandemic has forced us to think about making theater in ways we never imagined," said Artistic Director Braden Abraham. "Stepping up to that challenge, Seattle Rep's Public Works team is creating participatory theater in a whole new way. It won't take the place of gathering in the same room, and it's not meant to. But this innovative experiment expands the reach of the Public Works program, and provides an exciting opportunity for artists and community members to come together through the joyful act of putting on a show."

Register at seattlerep.org/twelfthnight to receive full details about the event and link to stream the Thursday, December 10 online performance. "Tickets"/access to this virtual event are free. There is an opportunity during registration to make an optional gift to Seattle Rep along with your free ticket reservation. Seattle Rep's Public Works is free to all who participate and supported entirely by contributions from generous donors. The archived performance will be available through the streaming link following the livestream performance on Thursday, December 10 at 7:30 p.m. PT through Monday, December 14 at 6:00 p.m. PT.