“It is richly comic and has dark undertones, which are rarely explored as fully as we are exploring in our production,” says , director and assistant professor, of his favorite Shakespearean work.

“ opens Wednesday, Nov. 19, at 7:30 p.m. in the Lee Eshleman Studio Theater and continues with nightly performances through Saturday, Nov. 22. Matinees are on Saturday, Nov. 22, and Sunday, Nov. 23 at 3 p.m.

The story revolves around Viola, played by Rachelle Kratz. After the shipwreck, she is rescued on the shores of Illyria, thinking that her twin brother Sebastian (Jeremiah Hines) is dead. She disguises herself as a young man named Cesario, and enters the service of Duke Orsino (Sam Swartzendruber). The Duke believes he is in love with a woman named Olivia (Clara Bush), who falls for Viola’s masculine persona. Love triangles, pranks, and hilarity ensue.

“The language of Shakespeare is passion put to pen,” says Poole. “It takes all of an actor’s physical and mental capacity to play it well.”

Baker, who plays Olivia’s gentlewoman Maria, reads not only lines but personality from the script. “My biggest challenge has been finding the pockets where Shakespeare is telling me secrets about the way I should deliver my lines,” she says. “My character never speaks in iambic pentameter, which means that she is rough around the edges with her speech.”

Her acting process involves taking the script and a backstory she creates, and filing that away. “I keep my brain clear and my body becomes the storyteller for my character,” Baker says.

Swartzendruber humorously describes the month-long experience of learning the Duke’s part, “squinting at a page and having no idea what you’re yelling about,” struggling to heed Poole’s instructions to behave naturally, “because nothing about the situation is anywhere close to natural.”

In the end, though, embodying that foreign character for an audience is what keeps Swartzendruber in the theater. “It’s one of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced,” he says.

Considering the complexities of the set, costumery and props, the technical crew working behind the scenes is multi-faceted. Assistant stage manager Mindy Esworthy calls herself a “jack of all trades during rehearsal.” On any given day, she’ll be taking notes or making props.

“Sometimes the writing [of Shakespeare] can be offputting, and people don’t see how truly creative it is,” says Esworthy. “I’m hoping that our interpretation of Twelfth Night will help show that creative side of the formal language.”

Creative interpretation is a driving force behind this production. An original score by local composer James E. (Jim) Clemens, who has collaborated with EMU musicians in the past, is a highlight, says Poole.

Swartendruber suggests that audience members familiarize themselves with the plot beforehand to better appreciate the show.

“Justin’s directing always twists things in different ways to kill any preconceived ideas people have about the way things are going to turn out,” he says.

Despite its complexity, playgoers should expect anything but stodginess in what Baker calls “the Moulin Rouge version of Twelfth Night.”

Tickets are available at the EMU Box Office in University Commons weekdays from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Costs are adult ($12), senior 65 + ($9), youth up to age 18 ($9), EMU student ($5), and EMU faculty/staff ($9). The Thursday evening performance is “pay what you will” for EMU faculty and staff to benefit the EMU theater scholarship fund.

Performances:

Wednesday, November 19, 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, November 20, 7:30 p.m.
Friday, November 21, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 22, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Sunday, November 23, 3 p.m.

Directed by , assistant professor of at EMU, Into the Woods will be performed in the Main Stage Theater at 7:30 p.m. on April 4, 5, 10, 11 and 12, plus a 3 p.m. matinee on Sunday, April 6. The show will run approximately three hours with intermission.

Information regarding age-appropriateness for EMU events is available through the  at 540-432-4360 or theater@emu.edu.

Into the Woods weaves together the main characters from fairy tales like Little Red Riding Hood, Jack and the Beanstalk, Rapunzel, Cinderella and others. The story revolves around a childless baker and his wife on a quest to begin a family, and their interaction with a witch who has placed a curse on them. In a departure from the standard plot line, the musical explores the consequences of these characters’ wishes.

“Into the Woods is a sprawling story filled to the brim with complex characters and dark magic,” said Poole. “The story provides ample opportunities to push the limits of our imaginations as we explore innovative ways to stage complex theatrical moments. I want audiences to leave the theater feeling that they have had a visceral, engaging experience that transcends what they have felt while watching a film or other mediated form of entertainment.”

Reserved tickets are $15 for adults ($17 at the door) and $12 for seniors, non-EMU students and EMU faculty/staff ($14 at the door) and $6 for EMU students. Tickets are available through EMU’s box office: 540-432-4582, . Group rates are available.

Cast:

Rachelle Kratz, stage manager

Dylan Bomgardner, assistant stage manager

Sierra Comer, assistant stage manager

Hailey Holcomb, assistant stage manager

Hattie Berg, assistant director

Chris Parks, dramaturg

Bethany Chupp (sophomore)

Shannon Dove

Heather Evans (junior)

Andrew French

Dorothy Hershey (first-year)

Jeremiah Hines (first-year)

Caitlin Holsapple (sophomore)

Heidi Jablonski (senior)

Holly Jensen (junior)

Elisha Keener (junior)

Eric King (senior)

Jaclyn Kratz (sophomore)

Katie Miller (senior)

Ezrionna Prioleau (first-year)

Emily Shenk (junior)

Sarah Sutter (first-year)

Sam Swartzendruber (sophomore)

Isaac Tice (senior)

Robert Weaver (first-year)

Phil Yoder (junior)

Rebekah York (sophomore)

Ten of Eastern Mennonite’s 11 cross country men set their personal records at the meet.  The Royals took 21st out of 28 teams in the gold race, but were in second place out of the D-III schools, topping ODAC rival Lynchburg by one place, but finishing behind Guilford College.

As he has at every race this fall, junior (Millersville, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) led the way.  He finished 59th with a time of 25:53.79 on the 8k course, whacking nearly 35 seconds of his PR.  Running in a field of 229 runners, mostly from D-I programs, Gehman was fourth among the D-III athletes, coming in behind a trio of Guilford men.

(Sterling, Ill./Sterling) continued his rise after running his first race two weeks ago.  The junior crossed 123rd with a time of 26:56.24, an improvement of more than a minute from his previous race.  Freshmen (Staunton, Va./Fort Defiance) and (Lancaster, Pa./Lancaster Mennonite) weren’t that far apart from each other, with Thibodeaux timing at 27:30.24 in 154th and Nisly charting at 27:43.64 in 163rd, both slicing time off their PRs as well.

EMU’s final three runners held together in a pack, finishing with three seconds of each other.  (Wichita, Kan./Wichita East) led the trio in 28:48.21, followed by (Lexington, Va./Parry McCluer) at 28:49.53 and (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) at 28:51.54.

There was also an 8k open race, giving all of the men on the Royals’ roster a chance to race.  (Bluffton, Ohio/Bluffton) charted a time of 28:43.36, while (Mt. Jackson, Va./Stonewall Jackson) came in at 29:08.12.  (Harrisonburg, Va./Harrisonburg) crossed the finish in 29:57.76, followed by (Dayton, Va./Benjamin Logan) in 30:42.46.  All the open times were PRs.

“I was really pleased with our guys today,” said Coach Jason Lewkowicz.  “Our top four were really strong and we had numerous personal best times from guys in both races.”

In the gold race, EMU finished with 580 team points, just one spot ahead of Lynchburg at 617.  The Hornets were picked to finish second in the ODAC’s preseason poll.  Guilford, which was tabbed third before the season started, had 447 points.

The Royals get a week off before seeing how much they have improved from the start of the year, running at the ODAC Championships on Nov. 2 in Farmville, Va. In the ODAC Preview meet on the same course on Aug. 30, the men finished sixth out of ODAC teams.