Emit Theatre to Present Binary-Breaking 12th NIGHT in November

Emit Theatre will present a binary-breaking production of William Shakespeare's 12th NIGHT, directed by Victoria Giambalvo (she/they). 12th NIGHT performs on Saturday, November 12 and Sunday, November 13 at 7 pm. Performances are outdoors at El Barrio Artspace PS109 (215 East 99th St., between 2nd and 3rd Avenues, off the Q and 6 trains). In order to keep the play accessible, tickets are Pick-Your-Price from $1 - $48. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit EmitTheatre.org. After its El Barrio Artspace performances, the show will tour tri-state area schools for the remaining academic year.

Emit Theatre's 12th Night turns the El Barrio Art Space's courtyard into Illyria, where audience members explore the town and watch the story unfold. In this abridged version, Shakespearean text blends with colloquial improvisation to provide a deeper understanding of the story for audiences of all ages. The performance is sensory friendly and interaction between audience and actors is welcome and encouraged for all ages. The show is recommended for ages 10 and up. Handwarmers will be provided.

lllyria is seeking change. The Illyrians know something in their culture is not working, but they can't identify what. Perhaps, their restriction of the gender spectrum is to blame.

After being washed ashore, Viola disguises themselves as a man named Cesario and finds themselves in a love triangle between Orsino, the Duke of Illyria, and Olivia, the Lady of Illyria. A series of shenanigans challenges Viola's ability to maintain their disguise while they interact with the intricacies of Illyrian society.

This adaptation challenges the gender binary by presenting Viola as a non-binary individual forced into a binary world. For this production, Emit Theatre has partnered with the Transgender Training Institute and is working with trans-advocate and performing artist Maybe Burke (they/she) to ensure the show is done safely for actors and audience members.

"Gender identity is not only a personal expression; how one identifies impacts their relationship to the world. Ideas of gender are instilled within us and help make up the identity we cultivate through every aspect of our lives. When ingrained gender expectations are questioned our relationship to the world can feel threatened. But if we are to move forward then these ideals must be questioned, otherwise it will be at the expense of our most vulnerable," says director Victoria Giambalvo. "This production will allow people already exploring gender a chance to dig deeper and people who have never explored a chance to dip their toes. By creating a secondary world related to our own but with different rules and values, all kinds of people can step in and explore these questions without it feeling so close to home."

The cast features Bradwin Amos (they/he), Rolls Andre (he/him), Nazlah Black (they/them), Logan Clingan (they/them), Daniel George (he/him), Annika Gullahorn (she/her), Delia Kemph (she/her), Marisa LaRuffa (she/her), Vincent Marcello (he/him), Taylor McKenzie (she/her), Caeden Musser (they/he), Grace Petrillo (hey/they/she), and Crystal Marie Stewart (she/her).

Jason Weiner (he/him) is the production designer. The associate director is José Noel (he/him).

BIOS

Victoria Giambalvo

(she/they, director) is an actor and creator, working across theatre and film, based in Edinburgh, Scotland. She received her BFA in Theatre and Acting from Long Island University in 2016 before beginning her career in NYC. She moved to Edinburgh in 2020 to expand her career in the film industry and received her MSc in Film Studies from the University of Edinburgh in 2021. She has directed and produced two short films with Light and Glass Productions: Pineapple Juice (released in 2019) and Arnie's Coupon Book (in post-production) and recently directed Emit's virtual/interactive production of What You Will (2022). As an actor with Emit, she has performed in several productions including the immersive Tempest (2018) and Romeo and Juliet (2019). She is currently developing her career in Scotland while maintaining her connections with NYC and hopes to bring the two together! victoriagiambalvo.com

About Emit Theatre:

At the core of Emit Theatre is a dedication to inclusive learning through the arts, placing artists and audiences side by side to provide one-of-a-kind opportunities for wonder and discovery. Emit is an interactive educational theatre company committed to sharing high-quality arts experiences with diverse young audiences in non-traditional settings and unique, ADA compliant spaces. By crafting portable productions lifted from Shakespearean texts as well as innovative new works, we invite each audience member to approach our immersive productions from their own curiosity.

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