Theater at Monmouth comes to OHCHS by Kirsten Corey

Last Wednesday, Theater at Monmouth brought "Twelfth Night" to Oxford Hills Comprehensive High School and performed for almost 250 students. Most were from the high school, but there were also some elementary aged students present. 

The play "Twelfth Night" remained the way Shakespeare intended it to be but with a few modern twists. There was early '90s rock played to accompany the performance as well as a modern college set. The costuming was modern as well, but the language remained true to the script. The actors said their reason for doing this was to make it easier for teens to connect to Shakespeare.

During the performance teens laughed and were silent at just the right times. At one point they were sent into a chatter about a controversial situation. For those that have seen this play before, it was the part when Olivia falls in love with “Cesario,” who is really Viola dressed as a man. When the audience figured out what was going on, they all started talking to one another about the situation. Everyone was clearly engaged in the performance.

It was apparent the actors were more than happy to be involved in the play. The way they held themselves and appeared confident was very inspiring. 

Actress Rylee Doiron from Farmington, who played Olivia, said, “I love performing Shakespeare because his style is so sophisticated. I’m really quite an awkward person and I’m not very good at speaking. When I perform Shakespeare I feel much more literate and sophisticated. It’s also a lot of fun to tell a story and express your feelings through acting.” 

Another actor named Alex Pagels, who is from New York City, played Sir Toby. He connected doing this play for high school students around the state to his own experiences. He didn’t start performing until his junior year of high school. It was seeing live performances at his school that inspired him to begin a career in acting. “I saw Shakespeare when I was in high school. Actors came to perform for us and I loved it! When you act, you hope you give students the same great experiences you had.” 

As the play progressed, the audience became more and more intrigued, especially during the unveiling of the love aspect of the plot. The performance ended with the students applauding with great enthusiasm. Normally reading Shakespeare is something students detest, but seeing it performed live changed their outlook on the language. 

Everyone in audience was clearly affected by this performance and appreciated having the chance to see a Shakespearean play come to life. 

Photo by Pamela Chodosh
SHAKESPEARE AT OHCHS — A dramatic moment at the beginning of "Twelfth Night" at OHCHS.