Twelfth Night | Free Uptown Shakespeare in the Park

The Classical Theatre of Harlem (CTH), a non-profit, professional theater company that provides educational and literary programs to underserved communities in Harlem and has brought audiences Black artistic excellence for over two decades, in association with Yale Repertory Theatre, will present Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night at Marcus Garvey Park in East Harlem July 5-29. The play will be free to the public.

Continuing CTH’s mission to place diversity at the forefront of their performances, this interpretation of Twelfth Night will engage with the global conversation around equity and inclusion. It features a majority-Black creative team including director Carl Cofield, CTH’s Associate Artistic Director.

“With its Afrofuturistic aesthetic and diverse team of artists, our production of Twelfth Night will tackle the global conversation around equity, diversity, and inclusion,” said Cofield. “I look forward to showing audiences what the magical world of Illyria can teach us here and now.”

The Vendor Pop up Schedule is as follows:

7/7/22-7/10/22: Uptown Grand Central

7/14/22-7/17/22: Harlem Park to Park

7/21/22-7/24/22 Union Settlement

Vendors will sell their wares form 7-8:30 p.m. Thurs/Sat/Sun and Fridays they will vend from 5:30-7:30 p.m.

ARTISTIC TEAM:

Carl Cofield: Director

Tiffany Rae-Fisher: Choreographer

Rick Sordelet: Fight Director

Christian Kelly-Sordelet: Fight Director

Jessica Forella*: Production Stage Manager

Chris Steckel*: Stage Manager

DESIGN TEAM:

Riw Rakkulchon: Scenic Designer

Mika Eubanks: Costume Designer

Alan C. Edwards: Lighting Designer

Frederick Kennedy: Composer & Sound Designer

Brittany Bland: Projection Designer

Samantha Shoffner: Properties Designer

Earon Nealey: Hair & Makeup Designer

CAST:

Antonio - Denzel Fields*

Fabian - Donathan Walters

Feste - Israel Erron Ford*

First Officer - Jaylen Eashmond

Malvolio - Allen Gilmore*

Maria - Cassandra Lopez*

Olivia - Christina Sajous*

Orsino - William DeMeritt*

Viola - Kara Young*

Sebastian - J’Laney Allen

Sea Captain - Jaylen Eashmond

Sir Andrew Aguecheek - Carson Elrod*

Sir Toby - Chivas Michael*

Valentine - Othello Pratt, Jr. *

ENSEMBLE

Kat Files+

Denzzyl Green+

Alisa Gregory+

Maddy LaLonde+

Anthony Lalor*

Collin McConnell

Donathan Walters

UNDERSTUDIES

Sir Toby - Jaylen Eashmond

Viola & Olivia - Alexandria King*

Valentine, Sea Captain, Fabian, Antonio - Anthony Lalor*

Sir Andrew Aguecheek - Collin McConnell

Feste - Othello Pratt, Jr. *

* denotes member of Actors’ Equity Association + denotes member of Emerge125

Twelfth Night will mark the 10th consecutive year CTH has brought free theater to Marcus Garvey Park, continuing its mission to create a vibrant community hub for theater and the arts in the heart of Harlem.

“While BIPOC productions are popular at this moment, The Classical Theatre of Harlem has been at the forefront of changing the face of American theater for years,” said Ty Jones, Producing Artistic Director at CTH. “We have been persistent in challenging classical texts to make them more vibrant and relevant for the communities that have been unjustly sidelined for much of the history of American theater. Twelfth Night will not only continue the conversation but spark new opportunities with and for the communities we serve.”

Host or Publisher Classical Theatre of Harlem