Official Press Release
Antioch Classical Theatre Company Presents Shakespeare's Twelfth Night in its 4th Delightful Summer Season
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 7, 2009
Event: Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night
Presented by: The Antioch Classical Theatre Company
www.antiochtheatre.org
Where: El Campanil Theatre, 602 West Second Street in downtown Antioch
When: July 16th-17th at 8pm, July 18th at 2pm and 8pm
Tickets: Adults - $12 / Seniors,Children,Students - $10
www.elcampaniltheatre.com or call the Box Office at (925) 757-9500
Contact: Heddy Lahmann, Publicity Director
(619) 208-3866
The Antioch Classical Theatre Company (ACTC) proudly presents its 4th summer season with Shakespeare’s delightfully witty Twelfth Night, July 16 – 18.
"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them." Viola and Sebastian are twins separated
by shipwreck, but when they wash up in an unknown land, sorrow turns to laughter as Viola disguises herself as a boy and soon everything is turned topsy-turvy
by love. Twelfth Night is on of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies for it’s marvelous wit, exquisite language, and rich and lovable characters.
For season three, ACTC welcomes back Rob Addison to direct Twelfth Night. Addison’s previous directing credits at ACTC include last season’s celebrated
production of As You Like It and The Comedy of Errors in 2007. Regarding Twelfth Night, Addison says, “it’s one of my favorite’s because it blends comedy
and romance. I’ve always been attracted Viola’s story: this woman forging her own way in unknown country.” Addison says he loves returning to ACTC each year
because he knows the company and he’s comfortable working with his actors. “As I learn where the student actors’ safety zones are, I try and push them past
those safety zones. I learn something new here every year.” Addison earned his BA in Drama from UCI, an MFA in Acting from Florida State University/Asolo
Conservatory, and will be heading the drama department at Clover High School in South Carolina in the fall. He's performed at the Utah Shakespearean Festival,
the Laguna Playhouse, and Summer Repertory Theatre.
In her 4th season at ACTC, Victoria Zachary returns in the role of Viola. “Viola’s ability to adapt to her situation and her passion for living are what make
her so likeable,” says Victoria. Her favorite credits at ACTC include Audrey in As You Like It and the Courtesan in The Comedy of Errors. Kacey Waisanen, playing
Olivia, says her favorite ACTC roles include Celia in As You Like It and the Widow in The Taming of the Shrew. Waisanen is completing her Cinema degree at San
Francisco State University and currently works with the Mr. Funnelhead Show.
Nick Jackson, also a 4th year company member, returns to play Malvolio, a role he says he enjoys because “the audience finds him so funny, but Malvolio takes
everything he says and does completely seriously. So it’s a great challenge.” Jackson recently completed productions with the Impact Theatre and the San Francisco
Shakespeare Festival, where he will be returning in the fall for the school tour of Hamlet.
Favorite roles of original company member Carly Palmer include Helena in ACTC’s debut production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Phoebe in As You Like It.
Playing Valentine in Twelfth Night, Palmer says, “ACTC is great because I like working with people I’ve grown up with; it’s the company and the environment,
we’re a team.” Palmer is earning her Journalism Degree at Southern Oregon University in Ashland where she also works as an entertainment writer.
Nick Wong is collaborating with fellow company members and musicians to compose original music for his 5th production at ACTC in the role of Feste the Clown.
In addition to teaching dance and creating an original physical theatre piece, Wong recently worked with Bay Area theatre company Butterfield 8 in The Merchant
of Venice and Cymbeline. He says, “ACTC is like a godsend because I learn so much every summer; it has special place in my heart.”
ACTC’s pioneer Sean J. O’Neil acknowledges that the company is dealing with the current financial times just like everyone else. ACTC is doing one show instead
of two in repertory as it has in previous years, which he says that this year is “financially good for us and for our audiences.” As founder of Antioch's first
resident professional theatre company, O'Neil's proud that his vision to create a company combining professional actors with students and local talent has been
a fruitful one. He’s pleased that in spite of tighter economic times, ACTC is still putting on professional theatre for the local community. O'Neil remarks, “you
know when things are a little sparse, it forces you to be creative in ways you wouldn’t normally be, which I think is a good thing.”