by Brandon Stone

Catch the opening night of Shakespeare in The Park’s Twelfth Night

Location: Delaware Park in Buffalo

Cost: FREE!!!

Performance begins at 7:30pm and will run June 19th-July 13th, Thursday-Sunday.

Twelfth Night is a romantic comedy about mistaken identity, love, and self-discovery. After a shipwreck, Viola (Solange Gosselin) is separated from her twin brother, Sebastian (Richard Thomas Robbins), and believes he has drowned. Disguising herself as a man named Cesario, she enters the service of Duke Orsino (Chris Hatch), who sends her to woo the Countess Olivia (Rebecca Elkin) on his behalf. But Olivia falls in love with “Cesario,” while Viola secretly loves Orsino. Chaos and comedy ensue, especially when Sebastian reappears. In the end, true identities are revealed, couples are united, and love triumphs.

Performance begins at 7:30pm and will run Thursday-Sunday. Attendees are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, snacks, anything you would want to bring to enjoy the warm summer night under the stars with a performance!

I make an effort to attend a Shakespeare in The Park play with a group of friends every summer. Delaware Park is a great place to hang out and enjoy the fresh air, scenery, paddle boats, lounging near the water, or catching local talent whom may be performing in the park. Unwinding with a Shakespeare performance makes the day even better! You can make an entire day trip out of Shakespeare in The Park, as there’s so much to do in the area, with shopping and places to eat on Elmwood nearby, and the AKG Museum located right in front of Delaware Park. My personal favorite spot to grab something to eat before the show is right in Delaware Park: ‘The Terrace‘ (check them out here: terracebuffalo.com). If you’re looking to make the most out of your “Shakesperience”, I’d suggest bringing picnic style snacks and beverages. Personally, I firmly believe you can never go wrong with a charcuterie board!

I’ve never left a Shakespeare in The Park performance feeling anything other than overjoyed, emotionally moved, pondering the depth of the script, and eager to see the next performance (Richard III will be the next performance, running from July 24th-August 17th, same location, time, and free viewing).

I would encourage you to get there early to grab a good spot, as the space and parking fills up fast!

Check out the official cast list:

VIOLA – Solange Gosselin
OLIVIA – Rebecca Elkin
MARIA – VerNia Garvin
ORSINO – Chris Hatch
SEBASTIAN – Richard Thomas Robbins
ANTONIO – Nathanial Higgins
SIR TOBY BELCH – Norm Sham
SIR ANDREW AGUECHEEK – Todd Benzin
MALVOLIO – Daniel Lendzian
FESTE – Kevin Craig
FABIAN – Isaiah Brown
VALENTINE – Maeve Garvey
SEA CAPTAIN/FIRST OFFICER – Mike Garvey
PRIEST – Bill Baldwin
LADY IN WAITING – Katie Osborn
LADY IN WAITING – Sue McCormack
SECOND OFFICER/REVELER – Sean McCormack