SHANE HENNESSY
LIGHTING DESIGNER

TWELFTH NIGHT, OR WHAT YOU WILL BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE TAKES PLACE IN THE FAR OFF LAND OF ILLYRIA. THIS COMIC PIECE OF IDENTITIES LOST, MIXED AROUND, AND FOUND AGAIN IS LEAD BY VIOLA, WHO AFTER A SHIPWRECK DONS HER THOUGHT TO BE DEAD BROTHER'S CLOTHES AND IS CAUGHT BETWEEN THE MISPLACED AFFECTIONS OF DUKE ORSINO AND THE LADY OLIVIA WHILE MASQUERADING AS A MAN NAMED CESARIO. TWELFTH NIGHT IS A PLAY ABOUT HIDING, BOTH FROM OTHERS AND YOURSELF. THIS STRUGGLE FOR THE ACCEPTANCE OF EMOTION PLAYS OUT IN MANY DIFFERENT FORMS, AND IS THE MOST VISIBLE IN VIOLA, WHO IS LITERALLY HIDING WHO SHE REALLY IS.

OUR SCENIC GOALS FOR THIS PRODUCTION WERE TO CREATE A DYNAMIC LOCATION THAT WAS ABLE TO HELP OUR ACTORS COMICALLY, AND ALLOW FOR HIDING PLACES ONSTAGE. I WAS INSPIRED BY THE RUINS OF DIOCLETIAN'S PALACE IN CROATIA IN MY DESIGN RESEARCH. A CENTRAL IDEA THAT WE DISCUSSED IN OUR PROCESS WAS THAT THESE CHARACTERS ARE THE NEW ROYALTY LIVING IN AN OLD CASTLE, AND SO THE STONE WORLD THAT ENCOMPASSES OUR CHARACTERS IS AGED AND CRUMBLING, TO MAKE WAY FOR THE NEW.