Twelfth Night
A Fun-Filled Comedy Romp
Written by William Shakespeare
This hilarious Shakespeare comedy is full of mischief and sure to delight! After losing her twin brother, Sebastian, in a shipwreck, Viola disguises herself as a man named Cesario and goes to work for Duke Orsino, who she promptly falls in love with. Orsino, however, is in love with the beautiful Lady Olivia, so he sends Cesario (Viola) to woo her for him. And though she doesn't care for Orsino, Lady Olivia falls in love with Cesario (Viola) almost immediately. Add to this love triangle a wise fool, a rowdy drunk and his unfortunate sidekick, and a dizzying amount of miscommunication, and you've got a play of epic proportions!
Friday, June 25th and Saturday, June 26th
Tickets are $17 General Public, $12 NMU Employee/Senior/Military, and $5 NMU Students.
A link to the filmed performance will be emailed to ticket holders before their chosen date. Ticket holders will be able to watch the performance as many times as they would like during the dates listed above.
Cast List
| Viola | Lilith Kontos |
| Duke Orsino | Griffin Pepin |
| Olivia | Ella Bartlett Filipowicz |
| Malvolia | Teagan Olivia Sturmer |
| Sir Toby Belch | Jacob Laitinen |
| Sir Andrew Aguecheek | Megan Hibbard |
| Maria | Riley Fields |
| Feste the Clown | Ben Filipowicz |
| Sebastian | Nick Salin |
| Antonio | Riley Fields |
| Captain | Megan Hibbard |
| Valentine/Servant/Priest/Officer | Ethan Puisto |
Creative Team
| Director | David Wood |
| Scenic Designer | Bill Digneit |
| Costume Designer | Clair Kaminski |
| Lighting Designer | Megan Hibbard |
| Sound Designer | Dan Zini |
| Director of Photography | Dan Zini |
| Properties Designer | Keli Crawford-Truckey |
| Production Stage Manager | Clair Kaminski |
Additional Artistic Staff
| Assistant Directors | Lilith Kontos, Teagan Sturmer |
| Assistant Stage Manager | Aubrey Wolck |
| Editor | Dan Zini |
| Head Seamstress | Ann Juidici |
| Fight Choreographer | Jacob Laitinen |
| Audio Mixer | Dan Zini |
| Board Operator | Clair Kaminski |
| Master Electrician | Megan Hibbard |
| Piano Accompaniment | Megan Hibbard |
| Scenic Artist | Keli Crawford-Truckey |
| Builders and Painters | Erin Hope, Clair Kaminski, Lilith Kontos, Aubrey Wolck |
| Audio 2 | Aubrey Wolck |
| Boom Operator | Aubrey Wolck |
| Rail Operators | Jacob Laitinen, Nick Salin |
| Run Crew | Manpreet Chandi, Erin Hope, Aubrey Wolck, Nate Wood |
Forest Roberts Theatre Summer Staff
| Director of Theatre | Bill Digneit |
| Production Manager | Bill Digneit |
| Costume Shop Supervisor | Ann Juidici |
| Properties Artisan/Manager | Keli Crawford-Truckey |
| Lighting Supervisor | Dan Zini |
| Sound Supervisor | Bill Digneit |
| Marketing Manager | Lilith Kontos |
| Summer Work Crew | Megan Hibbard, Erin Hope, Clair Kaminski, Aubrey Wolck |
Cast Bios
Lilith Kontos (Viola) received her B.S. in English literature from Northern in 2019 and currently works as the marketing manager and playwriting competition coordinator for the NMU Theatre and Dance Department. Previous roles include Nina in The Seagull (Wolf’s Head Theater Co.), Hermia in A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Presque Isle Bandshell), Ali in Mamma Mia! (Forest Roberts Theatre), Toby in Sweeney Todd (Forest Roberts Theatre), Annelle in Steel Magnolias (Lake Superior Theatre), and Jan in Grease (Lake Superior Theatre). She is overjoyed to be onstage again, and would like to thank the incredible cast and creative team, as well as her family and friends, for their endless love and support.
Griffin Pepin (Duke Orsino) is beyond excited to share this incredible production with you! He’s been in several shows in both Marquette and Houghton throughout the years including Grease (2017), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2018 and 2019), Mamma Mia! (2019), and most recently I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (2020). Griffin is looking forward to you getting to see all the hard work that this wonderful cast has been putting in.
Ella Bartlett Filipowicz (Olivia) is a transplant to Marquette where she’s happy to be putting down roots and raising a family. Most recently she has been seen in The Vagina Monologues, Mamma Mia!, as Tamora in Titus Andronicus, and as Mindy in Five Women Wearing the Same Dress. Ella is delighted to have been able to play with this extraordinary cast and crew.
Teagan Olivia Sturmer (Malvolia) is a Marquette local and NMU creative writing alumna. She is a middle grade and young adult author represented by Amy Giuffrida of the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency based out of NYC. Teagan’s previous roles include Shelby in Steel Magnolias and Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Additionally, she has directed both Shakespeare’s As You Like It and A Midsummer Night’s Dream with Superior Arts Youth Theatre and A Christmas Story with NMU Theatre and Dance. She wants to thank the rest of the cast and crew for creating such a safe and loving place to gather and make art come alive again.
Jacob Laitinen (Sir Toby Belch) is a native of Marquette and a recent graduate of the theatre program at Northern Michigan University. Jacob will be attending Mary Baldwin University in the fall to pursue his MLitt/MFA in Shakespeare & Performance. His previous roles in at NMU include Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, Beadle Bamford in Sweeney Todd, Professor Porter in Tarzan, Creon in Antigone, and Thenardier in Les Miserables. He has performed with several professional companies including Tecumseh Outdoor Drama in Ohio and the Pine Mountain Music Festival, including the world premiere of Rockland the Opera. Jacob wants to thank everyone for supporting the arts and hopes you enjoy this wonderful production of Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare!
Megan Hibbard (Sir Andrew/Captain) is a senior at NMU pursuing a BA in Theatre with a focus in lighting design and a minor in art and design. She loves to be on and behind the FRT stage! In the past she has performed as Lisa in Mamma Mia!, worked as a dancer/choreographer and assistant lighting designer on What We Leave Behind, performed as Bombalurina and worked as assistant lighting designer on Cats. Her latest designs include North Coast Dance Festival, Spotlight Variety Show, and North x North Coast. She is so excited to be with everyone again and would like to thank the cast, crew, and her family for all the support.
Riley Fields (Maria/Antonio) is a Marquette community member who wandered in off the street one day in the fall of 2017 and has ostensibly never left. This is her fifth show with NMU; past performances include Isabel in Scrooge, Antigone in Antigone, Ensemble in Tarzan, and Miss Shields in A Christmas Story. Before moving to the Marquette area, Riley had previously worked with the West End Players of Iron River where she choreographed six musical theatre productions and costumed seven. Offstage, Riley is the Director of Coffee at local business Velodrome Coffee Company.
Benjamen Filipowicz (Feste the Clown) is a teacher at Bothwell Middle School and an NMU alum. Most recently he was in the chorus of Mamma Mia! (2019, FRT), but he has also had roles in numerous other productions, including Saturninus in Titus Andronicus (2017, UPShakes), Rapunzel's Prince and the Wolf in Into the Woods (2015, FRT), Mark Cohen in RENT (2010, FRT), Trinculo in The Tempest (2009, FRT), John Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest (2008, FRT), and Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey (2007, FRT). He is excited to be working with this talented cast and under the guidance of Dr. Wood.
Nick Salin (Sebastian) graduated from NMU's theatre and dance program in the winter of 2019. He has been in numerous shows over the years. Some include Building Madness (Vito Deleoni), Nightfall with Edgar Allan Poe (Poe), and The Full Monty (Dave). He was also Lead Animator for Superior Arts Youth Theater on their recent animation series. He would like to thank his family and friends for their continued support. Nick is very excited to be back on the stage and hopes that everyone enjoys the show!
Creative Team Bios
David Wood (Director) serves as Professor of English at Northern Michigan University, where, in 2007, he began teaching English Renaissance, medieval, and classical literature. Named the 2017 Michigan Association of State Universities Distinguished Professor of the Year, he has published widely in the field of English Renaissance drama, focused largely on the plays of William Shakespeare and his contemporaries. This production is his directorial debut working with NMU’s Department of Theatre and Dance, and he’d like to offer immense thanks to the cast and crew. He’d also like to thank his wife, Vicki, and children, Maddie, Henry, and Nate.
Clair Kaminski (Production Stage Manager, Costume Design) is a senior BFA Theatre Technology and Design student at NMU with a concentration in stage management. Shows she’s worked on at NMU include What We Leave Behind (ASM), Significant Other (PSM), Romeo and Juliet (Co-Costume Designer), Spotlight Variety Show (PSM), and North Coast Dance Festival (PSM). Clair is thrilled to be a part of NMU’s summer stock theatre, and has loved every moment of working with the incredible cast and crew of Twelfth Night. She is so thankful to see this show as both a stage manager and costume designer.
Megan Hibbard (Lighting Design) is a senior at NMU pursuing a BA in Theatre with a focus in lighting design and a minor in art and design. She loves to be on and behind the FRT stage! In the past she has performed as Lisa in Mamma Mia!, worked as a dancer/choreographer and assistant lighting designer on What We Leave Behind, performed as Bombalurina and worked as assistant lighting designer on Cats. Her latest designs include North Coast Dance Festival, Spotlight Variety Show, and North x North Coast. She is so excited to be with everyone again and would like to thank the cast, crew, and her family for all the support.