BERWYN PA – Mistaken identity, unrequited love, music, mayhem, and puppets (yes, puppets!) take the stage in a new Footlighters Theater production of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”
Directed by Suki and set in the fictional land of Illyria, Twelfth Night features a varied cast of characters. Some are played by human beings; some by puppets. The plot:
“After a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a young man named Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino. Orsino is in love with the Countess Olivia, who, in turn, falls for Cesario (Viola). Meanwhile, Viola’s twin brother, Sebastian, believed dead, arrives in Illyria with Antonio, a sea captain.”
“Confusion ensues as Olivia mistakes Sebastian for Cesario.” That leads to “a series of hilarious misunderstandings and romantic pairings, before the twins are reunited and the true identities are revealed.”
Top photo provided by Footlighters Theater
Taking Things Less Seriously
Suki notes that “the festival of Twelfth Night, a reference to the 12th night after Christmas Day, was one that entailed ‘licensed disorder.’ Revelers could enjoy festivities that included the carnivalesque reversal of gender, position, situation, and hierarchy in Elizabethan society. Those who attended the feast expected hilarity, reckless abandon, and a few tricks.”
Then, as now, the winter months were starting to brighten and the atmosphere was starting to lighten. “People wanted to take things a little less seriously for a moment.”
Above photo provided by Footlighters Theater
Tickets Now Available Online
Six performances of Twelfth Night will run from Feb. 6 (2026; Friday) through Feb. 15 (Sunday), with show times Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. All are held at the theater, 58 Main Ave., Berwyn.
General admission tickets are now available online. They cost $25 for adults, $20 for seniors age 62 and older, and $20 for students.
The theater offers open seating; patrons may sit anywhere they like. Be advised: patrons with special seating needs are recommended to arrive at the theater as early as possible. The running time for this two-act show is about two hours, with one intermission.
Two more shows remain on the Footlighters schedule through June 2026. On tap are “Alice By Heart” for March 20-29; and “Head Over Heels,” with music and lyrics by The Go-Gos. Its auditions are under way, with performances planned from May 29 to June 7.
Our entertainment reporting covers the arts and culture, shows, exhibits, performances, festivals, and history-related activities within, or that affect residents of, Montgomery, Berks, and Chester PA counties. Find more entertainment articles here. Also, see and join the Pottstown Arts and Cultural Alliance group on Facebook.
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