Stone Soup Shakespeare Announces Its 9th Tour: TWELFTH NIGHT

Shakespeare's comedy Twelfth Night is touring throughout the Midwest this spring and into summer, bringing Shakespeare in the Park to communities for free from May to July. After a rehearsal residency in Carbondale, IL, the tour will officially open on Friday, May 3 at Scratch Brewery (Ava, IL) and will travel throughout Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Wisconsin. Shakespeare's classic tale of twins shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria, both imagining the other drowned, will be set in a world inspired by fame and the fantastical spectacle David Bowie's music and persona created.

The impetus to produce a Bowie inspired Twelfth Night comes from Zed Menard. Menard approached members of Stone Soup Shakespeare following the 2018 Tour of The Taming of the Shrew during their meet and greet. When Menard found that the theme for the 2018 tour had initially come from working with high school students they showed enthusiasm by offering their own vision for a future Shakespeare production: a David Bowie-themed Twelfth Night. Stone Soup Shakespeare company member and oft tour director Eric Mercado ruminated on their idea and proposed a Queer-positive, Bowie-fueled world forTwelfth Night to live in. New Artistic Associate Samie Jo Johnson is set to direct.

In keeping with the spirit of the children's story Stone Soup, from which the company takes its name, audience members are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items to the free public performances, which will be collected and donated, to local food banks in the tour region. In addition to bringing food to donate we also encourage audiences to bring their own picnics to share with their friends and family while enjoying the evening of entertainment and community. Current tour schedule listed with additional dates and locations to be announced.

Ensemble: to be announced

Creatives: Samie Jo Johnson (director), Molly Bunder (music director), Mel McCray (choreography), Eric Mercado (dramaturgy)

Script Adaptation: Nicole Goeden, Samie Jo Johnson, Zed Menard, Eric Mercado, Julia Stemper and Ensemble

ZED MENARD

Menard is a nonbinary theatre artist who was born and raised in Saint Louis, Missouri and currently lives in Utrecht, The Netherlands. They first became involved in acting after attending a production of Twelfth Night and, shortly after, joining the Shakespeare Festival Saint Louis's teen acting ensemble: the Shakespeare Squadron. Since then, Zed has been dedicated to finding and exploring LGBTQ+ related themes in the works of William Shakespeare and Christopher Marlowe. They strive to ensure that all gender identities and romantic orientations can be represented onstage, especially in Shakespeare's works. In 2017, they co-wrote a play titled So Long as Men Can Breathe, a modern re-telling of Romeo and Juliet exploring the untold love story of characters Benvolio and Mercutio. They enjoy many Shakespeare plays and cannot ever decide on a favorite, but they have a special place in their heart for Henry IV, part one and Twelfth Night. In the future, Zed hopes to become both a stage actor, as well as a professor who teaches LGBTQ+ studies in theatre. When they are not partaking in Shakespeare-related activities, Zed enjoys writing stories, playing Dungeons & Dragons, thrift shopping, and getting emotional over the 2008 movie Mamma Mia!

SAMIE JO JOHNSON

Samie Jo Johnson is all about getting a show on the road, as it were. She's gone on tour with Stone Soup Shakespeare (Taming of the Shrew) and Round Room Image (Surrounded); performed internationally with La Mama Umbria (In. Sight. Out.); and hopped on poetry open mics in 5 cities across 3 countries (and counting). Directing credits include Generation Wh(Y) and Late: A Cowboy Song. Samie Jo has a BFA in Theatre Performance from the University of Evansville and has studied various theatre making techniques in Austria, Italy, England, and New York City. Catch her in Chicago performing with Quicksilver Shakespeare (Mercury Hamlet), walking dogs, writing/reading on the train, or leading bike tours.

STONE SOUP SHAKESPEARE

Jeffrey Golde and Julia Stemper founded Stone Soup Shakespeare in 2010. Its mission is to bring free professional theater to areas without access to it. Developed during Ms. Stemper's time studying at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, the company continues to present theater events in both the US and UK. Stone Soup's first tour was a production of Romeo and Juliet in 2011. It was seen in 3 states during a one-week tour and included professional actors from England, Scotland, New York, Chicago and the Southern Illinois region who have appeared off-Broadway, Regionally and on National and International tours. The subsequent tours have expanded the company's reach and artistic partners, increased audience size and expanded its educational programs nearly 400%.

TWELFTH NIGHT

Viola and her twin brother Sebastian have been shipwrecked near Illyria; each believes the other to be drowned. Viola disguises herself as a young man and, under the name of Cesario, gets a job as a servant for Duke Orsino.

Orsino is in love with the Lady Olivia who is in mourning for her dead brother, and has rejected all his advances so far. Orsino sends Cesario (who is really Viola) to woo Olivia on his behalf. Unfortunately for the Duke, Olivia is taken in by Cesario's disguise and falls in love with him. Meanwhile Viola has fallen in love with Orsino. So, Viola loves Orsino, Orsino loves Olivia and Olivia loves Cesario/Viola.

Meanwhile Olivia's butler, Malvolio, disapproves of all the other members of her household - her drunken uncle Sir Toby Belch, his friend Sir Andrew Aguecheek and her servants, Maria and Feste. Fed up with Malvolio constantly spoiling their fun, the household, sans Olivia, decide to play a practical joke on him.

Malvolio is secretly in love with Olivia, and the others trick him into believing that these feelings are returned. Maria forges a letter to Malvolio, supposedly from Olivia, suggesting that she loves him and he should wear yellow stockings and smile all the time. Malvolio does as the letter suggests, and Olivia thinks he has gone mad, so has him locked up.

Viola's brother, Sebastian, of course did survive the shipwreck, rescued by Antonio, a ship captain known in Illyria as a pirate. The two arrive in Illyria where Antonio, a wanted man in the land, hides while Sebastian explores on his own. While wandering the streets he meets Olivia. She mistakes him for Cesario and asks him to marry her, and he, confused, agrees.

Confusion continues around the mistaken identity of Sebastian and Cesario, and exactly who is promised to whom. Eventually all is revealed, the brother and sister are reunited, identities exposed and the love triangle is more or less resolved.

Twelfth Night Tour Schedule

• Fri, May 3, 7:00PM Scratch Brewing Company (Ava, IL)
• Sat, May 4, 6:00PM Cape Girardeau Public Library (Cape Girardeau, MO)
• Sun, May 5, 6:00PM Cole Memorial Park; In partnership with Chester Public Library (Chester, IL)
• Mon, May 6, 6:00PM John A. Logan Museum (Murphysboro, IL)
• Wed, May 8, 6:00PM Anne West Lindsey District Library (Carterville)
• Thur, May 9, 6:00PM Nashville Memorial Park; In partnership with the Washington Arts Council (Nashville, IL)
• Sat, May 11, 6:00PM Tower Grove Park, Sons of Rest Shelter (St. Louis, MO)
• Mon, May 12, 6:00PM Harrisburg Public Library; In partnership with Friends of Harrisburg Library and the Shakespeare Reading Group (Harrisburg, IL)
• Tue, May 14, 6:30PM Working Men's Institute Museum & Library (New Harmony, IN)
• Sat, May 18, 6:00PM Hickory Lodge - lawn; In partnership with Carbondale Park District (Carbondale, IL)
• Sun, May 19, 6:00PM Evergreen Park; in partnership with Carbondale Park District (Carbondale, IL)
• Fri, May 24, 6:30PM Chapel of the Good Shepherd - lawn; In partnership with Food Finders (West Lafayette, IN)
• Thur, May 30, 6:30PM Nelson Park (Decatur, IL)
• Fri, May 31, 6:00PM Huntley Park; in partnership with DeKalb Public Library (DeKalb, IL)
• Sat, June 1, 6:00PM Twin Lakes Park; In partnership with the Paris Public Library and the Friends of the Paris Public Library (Paris, IL)
• Sat, June 8, 6:00PM Shorewood Public Library (Shorewood, WI)
• Sat, July 6, 6:00PM Island Park (Geneva, IL) presented by the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission

Additional performances and locations still to be announced

All performances are free to the public, no seating is provided (audience is encouraged to bring blankets or lawn chairs)

Performances are subject to change based on inclement weather (updates are posted on social media)

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