The award-winning theatre students of Bordentown Regional High School will present the musical Twelfth Night on Friday, Feb. 20, at 7:30 p.m., and Saturday, Feb. 21, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. at the Bordentown Performing Arts Center.
Based on the play by William Shakespeare, with music and lyrics by two-time Tony Award winner Shaina Taub, the contemporary musical adaptation is a romantic comedy centered on mistaken identity and self-discovery.
The story follows Viola, a young woman who washes ashore in Illyria, disguises herself as a man, is sent to court a countess and unexpectedly falls for a duke.
As she navigates her new surroundings, Viola discovers both her true self and true love. The jazz-funk score helped earn the production recognition as one of the best theatrical works of 2018 by Time, The Hollywood Reporter and The Washington Post. The show runs 90 minutes with no intermission and is appropriate for all audiences.
Tickets cost $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students. They can be purchased in advance at www.seatyourself.biz/brhs, and will also be available at the door, cash only.
The cast features Rylie Evans as Viola, Emmary McLaughlin as Olivia, Adam Pollard as Orsino, Brynn Bowyer as Sir Toby, Atlas Planas-Borgstrom as Sebastian, Sika Brenya as Maria, River Skalski as Malvolio, Alex Martucci as Sir Andrew, Andre McLaughlin as Antonio, Kade Sutton as Fabian and Gabriella Cuccia as Feste. Featured Illyrians include Alicia Kitner, Leah Eisele, Emilie Kelly, Peyton Todaro, Ansley Magby, Ari Rios, Ella James and Juliet Kraus.
Wren Magby and Nora Chestnut perform as part of the Horn Trio, with Rylan Phillips and Ben Sexton appearing as officers. The Illyrian ensemble includes Persephone Borsuk, Evelyn DeIeso, Aron Erdos, Brecklyn Giangrasso, Hansikia Gokavarapu, Rocco Gutin, Rhylan James, Brooke Jeffery, Madelyn Jones, Julianna Kelly, Jack McCarney, Anthony Nami, Oliver Sano and Leo Silverman.
The pit orchestra includes BRHS students Finn Conroy, Cara Gallagher, Danger Stevenson, Samantha Karolkiewicz, Adrian Sucuzhanay, Aiden Rich and Ceilidh Manigrasso.
Bordentown Regional High School’s theatre program won the Greater Philadelphia Cappie Award for Outstanding Musical in 2012 for Legally Blonde and was nominated for Outstanding Musical in 2023 for The Addams Family.
Over more than a decade, the program has earned 79 Cappie nominations and 19 awards, along with honors from the New Jersey State Thespian Festival and the New Jersey Theatre Night Awards. The school is home to International Thespian Society Troupe 6803.
The Bordentown Performing Arts Center is attached to Bordentown Regional High School at 318 Ward Ave., Bordentown.
More information about the school’s performing arts program is available at bordentown.k12.nj.us, by email at smorano@bordentown.k12.nj.us or by phone at 609-496-1452. Tickets for Twelfth Night and the upcoming production of The Lightning Thief are available at seatyourself.biz/brhs.
