News Archives - 2007

“Twelfth Night” assistant director and senior Theatre major James Lekatz is having a busy week. The Augsburg Theatre Department’s upcoming production opens next Friday and tech week, as they call it in the biz, is in full swing.

The Shakespearean comedy is directed by guest artist and Theatre de la Jeune Lune matriarch Barbra Berlovitz. “Twelfth Night” is a classical romp celebrating romance, mistaken identities, and cross-dressing disguise. It is a delicious lesson in love, filled with desperation and delight that teaches us that love of any kind never runs smoothly.

Lekatz reports that the process from page to stage has been a wonderful experience. “In our production, the audience is very much a part of the action. The story is incredibly clear and the language barrier that sometimes occurs with Shakespeare does not exist.” The relationship between the performers and the audience is so close that the first row of the audience is right on the stage.

The opportunity to work with guest director Berlovitz is especially satisfying to Lekatz. The work of Berlovitz’s home theatre, Jeune Lune, exemplifies the style that he loves. His plans after graduation include studying his craft in either England or France.

James’ experience with Twelfth Night rounds out a theatre education that he has found to be quite rewarding. “The faculty is so supportive; they don't just create actors, or designers; that's not their job, they create artists in all fields of theatre. The connection to artists in the Twin Cities has been amazing.”

Twelfth Night opens Friday, February 2 and runs through February 11. For details on times and tickets visit www.augsburg.edu/theatre/mainstage.html.