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Reading of ‘Twelfth Night’ slated for Center Playhouse

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Area residents are invited to attend a reading of William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” at 7:30 p.m. June 19 in the Center Playhouse, 35 South St., Freehold Borough.

The reading is part of the Center Players’ Book in Hand theater series. Admission is free, although a $5 donation is suggested by the organization.

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“Twelfth Night” is directed by Dave McGrath, who will provide narration for the reading.

“I find the major plot and sub-plot so ingeniously woven together fascinating, with great characters,” McGrath said. “Having never directed a Shakespeare play, this one captures my imagination with its sense of action, romance, heroism, tragedy and fun.”

“Twelfth Night,” which is set in a fictionalized version of the ancient region Illyria, focuses on the character Viola, who is separated from her twin brother Sebastian after a shipwreck. While Viola wears a male disguise, she inadvertently wins the affection of the countess Olivia, while she romantically pursues Duke Orsino, who is seeking Olivia’s love.

A subplot depicts the steward Malvolio being tricked into believing Olivia is in love with him.

The cast features Kristin Mueller as Viola, Roni Banerjee as Sebastian, Eric Pertgen as Duke Orsino, Emily Dodenhoff as Olivia, Robert Goodwin as Malvolio, Dana Abatemarco as Maria, Derek Alberti as Sir Toby Belch, Vince Fay as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Zach Berman as Feste, Christopher Berry as Fabian, Roger Freitas as Antonio and the Sea Captain, Chris Morano as Valentine and Sir Tobas the Priest, and Frank Leonhart as Curio and the Officer.

“I love my character, Viola, a strong female character (or male if she’s in disguise) beloved immediately by all who meet her,” said Mueller, who is a resident of Fair Haven.

“First of all, she is amazingly clever, resourceful, witty enough to keep up with the clown, and above all, the only seemingly normal person in all of Illyria. While everyone else is being emotional and/or crazy, she seems to keep her cool.

“I wish I could say I’m the same as her in that regard, but I’m usually the crazy one,” Mueller said. “I do, however, share her love for puns, which she shares with the audience, often for some great laughs.

“I have always loved Shakespeare shows and ‘Twelfth Night’ is no different. It has an amazing and funny set of characters, and a cast to match. I think it will be a lot of fun for everyone who comes to see it,” she said.

“Maria is a bit of a smart-mouth, as my mom used to say, but she is also a bit on the devious side,” said Abatemarco, who is a resident of Howell. “It’s her plan that makes the character of Malvolio look like such a fool. I am more like her than I would like to admit, but I don’t have the guts to pull off the tricks she does.

” ‘Twelfth Night’ is a good one, I think, for a Book in Hand production because there is a lot going on,” Abatemarco said. “By doing it as a reading, Dave was able to add in extra narration that I think will prove beneficial to the audience. It’s a fun script whether you like Shakespeare or not, and I’m excited to be a part of the show.”

“Fabian is a servant/attendant to the Countess Olivia,” said Berry, who is a resident of East Brunswick. “He seems to know everyone inside Olivia’s home and out. He has a sense of humor about him and appears to get along with everyone, so he tends to be the middle man trying to keep the peace between two battling parties, but he goes along with the others to prank Malvolio.

“With that description, I feel like I was perfectly cast for this role because like the character, I also have a sense of humor and tend to get along with most people no matter what,” he said. “However, I am least likely to prank anyone like Malvolio because I’m too nice to consider those mischievous acts.

“Shakespeare’s ‘Twelfth Night’ is often described as one of his most popular comedic plays, full of mistaken identities, love-struck counts, confused servants and great wit,” Berry said.

“This show was the first play I took part in during high school and performing in it then helped me understand the obvious language barrier. Performing it now as a staged read-through might help me appreciate more. If you love the poetry that is Shakespeare, come on over and listen to our rendition of ‘Twelfth Night,’ ” he said.

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