Manchester College Theater Director Debuts With Shakespeare Production
Posted
Staff Report-
New Director of Theater Kira Hawkins debuts at Manchester College with Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night."
The Wampler Auditorium curtain rises at 7:30 p.m. today and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $5, free for senior citizens; reservations are not necessary. The stage is dark Friday night.
Shakespeare's classic comedy seems an obvious choice for the Homecoming play, said Hawkins. She said, "He is intelligent and prolific and his words have lasted so long, and 'Twelfth Night' is very malleable, unlike a lot of other Shakespeare comedies that are fluffy."
Hawkins has selected a trimmed-down production for the Manchester College stage, with contemporary characters and sets. She urges the audience not to get distracted by the more-modern setting: "The less we focus on when and where it's set, the more we can focus on the words of Shakespeare."
Hawkins comes to Manchester College with a wealth of theater experience. The Minnesota native majored in music and theater at St. Olaf College and has performed for Minneapolis' famous Guthrie Theater. Since moving to North Manchester, she has been involved with Wagon Wheel Theatre, Warsaw, Manchester High School theater and performed in the college's production last spring of "Pirates of Penzance."
She co-manages the new Kenapoco Mocha coffeehouse in town with her husband, Zach.The cast of the show includes: Nicholas Kenny, junior biology-chemistry major from Fort Wayne, as Sebastian; David Moan, senior music major from Goshen, as Malvolio; Charles Lovett, junior music major from North Manchester, as Sir Andrew; Casey Lambert, sophomore English and Spanish major from Chesterton, as Olivia; Katrina Kardys, junior English major from Hoagland, as Fabian; John Comas, senior environmental studies major from Ridgefield Park, N.J., as Antonio; Nathan Driscoll, sophomore English major from Fort Wayne, as Curio and Priest; Katherine Pea, sophomore educational studies from Fort Wayne as Feste; Hannah Reed, sophomore biology major from Gas City, as Viola; Leigh Replogle, first-year undeclared major from Delphi, as Sea Captain and Maid; Zachary Rowe, junior computer science major from North Manchester, as Sir Toby; John Bruce, first-year undeclared major from North Manchester, as Valentine and Cop; and Nicholas Kauffman, junior peace studies from Goshen, as Orsino.
