Go Deeper: Reading, Music & More

For a quick who’s-who and who’s-doing-what in Twelfth Night, read a character list and brief synopsis of the plot from OSF’s 2016 Illuminations magazine. Or take in a 12-minute animated summary and analysis of the play with professor Regina Buccola. Or, for a full Shakespeare immersion, read Twelfth Night in an exquisitely clear scan directly from the First Folio, courtesy of Brandeis University.

Orsino famously begins Twelfth Night with the declaration “If music be the food of love, play on.” And director Dawn Monique Williams has filled this production with music, inspired by blues great Bessie Smith and other artists. In turn, dramaturg Martine Kei Green-Rogers and composer/sound designer Everett Elton Bradman put together song playlists to keep the actors, artists, and crew tuned in to the flavor of the show. Stay tuned in yourself and give them a listen, both available with a free Spotify account.

This Is Bessie Smith playlist

Twelfth Night Inspiration playlist

Dramaturg Martine Kei Green-Rogers compiled a deep Twelfth Night dramaturgy website for the actors and artists working on the show. She’s generously shared it with us. Some of the links above are included, but be sure to scroll down through the landing for articles and videos on the Jazz Age, the Blues, Black nightclubs in the early 20th century, queer perspectives on the play, “doubling” in Twelfth Night, and much more!

OSF Study Guides offer resources and links to use in preparation for reading, streaming, or attending a play. These materials also offer teaching suggestions, discussion questions, research topics, related websites, and additional resources for each production. Visit the Twelfth Night Study Guide to delve into the story’s themes, historical background, and contemporary interpretations.