‘Why This Is Very Midsummer Madness!’: Vibrant South Brooklyn Shakespeare To Offer Twelfth Night

Have you passed by the old Aaron’s at the corner of 5th Avenue and 18th Street lately? It may seem quiet on the outside, but you’d be surprised at what’s going on behind those walls.

Illyria, of course.

That’s the fantasia setting for Twelfth Night, Shakespeare’s stunner of a play. Richly textured with comedy, cruelty, gender identity, and disguise, the work is considered one of the richest in Shakespeare’s canon.

South Brooklyn Shakespeare (SBS) is heavy into rehearsals for what is surely to be one of the highlights of the summer.

This will be the company’s fourth year of free Shakespeare in the neighborhood, which debuts on Saturday, July 23 at 6:30pm.

Their past productions have been A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2013), Romeo and Juliet (2014), and Much Ado About Nothing (2015).

Paul Molnar — in collaboration with his wife and SBS co-founder Dee Byrd-Molnar — are familiar neighborhood faces. You’ve likely stopped by their beloved South Pub (629 5th Avenue between 17th and 18th Streets), which they’ve owned for over six years.

And in a short period of time, the company has been able to both grow and develop a core of actors who will be returning this season. Exciting newcomers are also part of the cast.

“50% of deciding the show you want to do is having the actors who make the show work,” says Molnar, who is co-directing this production with Byrd-Molnar, as well as playing the role of Duke Orsino. Byrd-Molnar is also doing double-duty, as she is performing Maria.

Molnar is quick to credit the actors as crucial to the work. “We’re happy to have John Bergdahl play Malvolio. His casting is one of the big decisions for this production,” says Molnar. Berghdahl returns after playing Don John last year in Much Ado About Nothing. Heather Kelley, a company member who has been with SBS since the beginning, also returns to play Viola.

Molnar gives us a tour of the rehearsal space on a late weekday morning. The room is well-organized, and reflects the co-director’s ability to clearly articulate his ideas about their production.

“Illyria starts out as dark and shadowy. The country starts out in mourning,” he says. The aesthetic of film noir will be put to use. “The full title of the play is Twelfth Night, or What You Will. It’s about the coming of salvation in human form – and Viola is the salvation, bringing love and life to Illyria.” The production will use color to help tell the story.

Music plays a particularly important role in Twelfth Night, including full-fledged songs which take place during the play. Gypsy George Mihalopoulos, the company’s Musical Director/Composer and Associate Producer, returns for his fourth season to create a live score for the show.

For the first time, SBS will have four performances in two different spaces. The first will take place on a closed-off 5th Avenue on Saturday, July 23 as part of the Park Slope Fifth Avenue Business Improvement District first of four Summer Strolls.

The company then moves to The Old Stone House (336 3rd Street between 4th and 5th Avenues) during August 4-6, enabling the North Slope to get their helping of Shakespeare.

Molnar often speaks about the sense of community the production creates for both the company and the neighborhood. “People realize this a communal event. You don’t even have to like Shakespeare or know the play. It’s an opportunity to come out and spend time with other people.”

Not many neighborhoods can claim a classical theater company of their own. And even fewer neighborhoods can claim a classical theater company of their own that offers Shakespeare for free.

But we can.

You can donate online throughout the year to help support the company.