Review: Twelfth Night

Review: Twelfth Night | Colorado Shakespeare Festival | Boulder, CO | Curtain Up! | Eric Fitzgerald

After two years of renovation, the Mary Rippon Outdoor Theatre once again invites audiences to gather under the Colorado sky, restoring the Colorado Shakespeare Festival to the outdoor home that has defined its identity for generations. For this triumphant return, the company has chosen Twelfth Night, a play whose buoyant comedy, musicality, and gentle melancholy make it one of Shakespeare’s most welcoming works — especially well-suited to an open-air setting. Director Kevin Rich, who staged The Tempest for the festival in 2025, now imagines Illyria in an Edwardian world of crisp class distinctions and upstairs‑downstairs intrigue, a choice that adds fresh texture to the play’s mischief and mistaken identities. The result feels both celebratory and rooted: a return to tradition, renewed by thoughtful artistry.

Rich’s production leans into the play’s musical heartbeat, giving Feste (Jordan Coughtry) a central role in shaping the evening’s tone. His songs — lightly reimagined but rooted in Shakespeare’s lyrics — become the emotional compass of Illyria, threading melancholy and mischief through the Edwardian world Rich has built. Setting the story in the early 20th century sharpens the play’s class tensions and social constraints, yet Rich never lets the concept overshadow the language; he stays close to the text, trusting Shakespeare’s wit, rhythm, and emotional clarity to carry the production. The result is a staging that feels both freshly imagined and deeply respectful of the play’s original spirit.

The plot quickly expands into a lively mix of romance, deception, and household chaos: When Viola (Meg Rodgers) washes ashore in Illyria after a shipwreck, she disguises herself as Cesario and enters the service of Duke Orsino (Brandon Carter), who sends her to woo Olivia (Nisi Sturgis) on his behalf. Olivia, deep in mourning, refuses Orsino’s advances but quickly becomes smitten with Cesario instead, unaware of Viola’s true identity. Meanwhile, Olivia’s household erupts in comic chaos as Sir Toby Belch (Matthew Schneck), Sir Andrew Aguecheek (Sean Scrutchins), Maria (Tara Falk), and Fabian (Nathaniel Cushing) plot an elaborate prank on the pompous steward Malvolio (Brik Berkes), while Feste, the clown, drifts between worlds, needling everyone with sharp wit and unexpected wisdom. As Viola’s twin, Sebastian (Kenny Fedorko), arrives in Illyria, mistaken identities multiply, affections tangle, and the entire court is swept into a whirlwind of longing, mischief, and joyful confusion.

As Viola, Meg Rodgers offers an admirable and quietly assured performance, navigating both her true self and her disguise as Cesario with clarity and emotional ease. She moves through Illyria with grounded intelligence, letting the character’s vulnerability and wit emerge without strain. Rodgers’ work provides a steady, centering presence amid the play’s swirling mischief, giving the production a calm, confident through‑line that allows the surrounding chaos to sparkle.

L to R: Meg Rodgers as Viola/Cesario & Brandon Carter as Orsino | Photo Credit: Jennifer Koskinen

Brandon Carter brings a compelling presence to Orsino, blending charm, yearning, and a confident physical ease that makes the duke’s romantic indecision feel genuinely affecting.

As Sir Toby Belch, Matthew Schneck proves himself a true comedian, tossing off jokes and drunken bravado with impeccable timing. Tara Falk’s Maria is fully enmeshed in the household’s antics, sharp‑eyed and quick‑witted, clearly enjoying every scheme she helps set in motion. Sean Scrutchins gives Sir Andrew Aguecheek a wonderfully hapless energy, leaning into the character’s awkward bravado without ever tipping into caricature.

L to R: Jordan Coughtry as Feste, Sean Scrutchins as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Matthew Schneck as Sir Toby Belch | Photo credit: Jennifer Koskinen

Nisi Sturgis offers a regal, composed Olivia whose poise makes her sudden infatuation with Cesario all the more delightful. As Malvolio, Brik Berkes delivers a thoughtful, slightly understated performance that emphasizes the character’s self‑importance without overwhelming the comedy. And Jordan Coughtry’s Feste — also the production’s music composer — moves fluidly through the world of the play, his musicality and sly intelligence giving the evening much of its emotional texture.

Kevin Rich’s direction makes a strong impression from the start, with Act One unfolding in razor‑sharp fashion: clean storytelling, crisp pacing, and an Edwardian world that immediately clarifies relationships and social stakes. The period concept serves him well, giving the comedy a refined structure and allowing the music, especially through Feste, to thread naturally through the action. The second act, while still engaging, doesn’t maintain quite the same clarity; the intersecting plotlines become more diffuse, and the momentum softens as the various threads converge. Even so, Rich’s steady hand and fidelity to Shakespeare’s text keep the production grounded, ensuring that the emotional through‑lines remain intact and the play’s final harmonies land with warmth.

The physical production is uniformly strong, beginning with Matthew S. Crane’s excellent scenic design, which provides a flexible Edwardian environment that accommodates the play’s shifting locations with ease. Costume designer Meghan Anderson Doyle offers a suite of early‑20th‑century looks that feel thoughtfully tailored to each character, capturing personality and social standing without ever overwhelming the action. Once the sun dips behind the mountains, Shannon McKinney’s lighting brings a rich, atmospheric glow to the amphitheater, enhancing both the comedy and the more reflective moments. And throughout the evening, Max Silverman’s sound design fills the space with crisp dialogue and well‑balanced music, ensuring that even the subtlest exchanges carry clearly across the outdoor venue.

This production of Twelfth Night feels like a smart and satisfying choice to mark the return of the Mary Rippon Theatre, a production that honors the space’s history while embracing its renewed possibilities. Kevin Rich’s thoughtful direction, paired with an excellent ensemble that brings both clarity and charm to Illyria’s chaos, makes the evening a welcome return to the festival’s outdoor tradition. Audiences have until August 2 to enjoy this return to form — and to celebrate the reopening of a beloved Colorado stage.

For information and tickets: https://cupresents.org/show-details/twelfth-night-11