Glendale Community College’s theater department will bring William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” to campus for two weekends of eight thrilling performances. Oct. 26 will mark the first day of the theater production and will continue until Nov. 5.

Shakespeare wrote “Twelfth Night” near the middle of his career. It later became known as one of the greatest comedies of the 17th century. The play, which became so loved by critics, focuses on twins, Viola and Sebastian, who get separated in a shipwreck. The story goes on to talk about the complex lives of the two as they try to find their way back to one another. As the story progresses, Shakespeare gives his audience a plot twist, where a love-triangle is formed.

GCC theatre producers worked closely with student actors to make sure they are ready for the stage. The team took their time to make important decisions ranging from selecting actors through auditions to putting in hectic rehearsal hours.

When asked about the selection of the show genre, Producer of Twelfth Night, Melissa Randel said, “The theatre department rotates the genre of the shows we work on, so that students get to work on a variety of styles of theatre.”

Of the six available theatre categories, the production team picked a play which fell into classical theater.

Prior to the long hours of practice sessions, auditions were held to select the 20 cast members to deliver the irreplaceable roles. “For many of them this is their first experience performing Shakespeare,” Randel commented.

To make sure that they bring the effortless liveliness of the play to the stage, GCC performers started rehearsing since Sept. 9. The group met four times a week and dedicated three hours to each rehearsal.

The production would not be complete without the support and creativity of staff members Ed Douglas, the director, and Guido Girardi, is the set and lighting designer, who have been meeting since June to plan and put the show together.

The GCC Theatre department hopes to put on an unforgettable production.