The Delaware Shakespeare’s Community Tour is returning after a two year pause with a new Spanish-English musical, “Twelfth Night, O Lo Que Quieras.” This will be the world premiere of the adaptation of Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “Twelfth Night, or What You Will” and is co-written by Liz Filios and Tanaquil Márquez with contributions by Robi Hager, Patricio Hidalgo and Ximena Violante. 

This year’s tour has a special focusing on serving Latinx and Hispanic audiences in Delaware. The production will tour the state and neighboring locations from Sept. 29—Oct. 23 offering free performances hosted by organizations such as community centers, libraries, youth detention facilities and re-entry programs. 

The story is reimagined by Filios and Márquez to explore immigration. Violeta and Sebastian, twins from Venezuela, are separated in a shipwreck and must find their way in Illyria, a land somewhat like contemporary America. The musical aims to celebrate the stories of Latinx immigrants and ask us what we can do to create more equitable conditions for people seeking a better life on our shores. 

Filios appeared in Community Tour productions of “As You Like It” and “The Merchant of Venice” in 2017 and 2018.  She was originally commissioned in 2019 to write a musical adaptation of “Twelfth Night.” Knowing that long-time tour partners Latin American Community Center and Groves Adult High School had significant Spanish-speaking populations, Filios proposed including bilingual elements in the musical. Márquez joined the creative team as co-writer and director. When the COVID-19 pandemic paused plans for a 2020 production, Márquez and Filios were able to further develop the musical and refine their focus. 

Del Shakes has scheduled 16 free full-length performances at venues in all three counties: 

September 29, 6 p.m. – ASPIRA Academy, Newark 
September 30, 6 p.m. – Latin American Community Center, Wilmington 
October 2, 1 p.m. – William C. Lewis Dual Language Elementary School, Wilmington  
October 4, 6 p.m. – Delaware State University, Dover 
October 5, 3:30 p.m. – Hermanitas (Kennett Square, PA)* 
October 6, 12 noon. – Stevenson House Detention Center, Milford* 
October 8, 1 p.m. – Georgetown Public Library 
October 9, 2 p.m. – University of Delaware, Newark 
October 11, 4 p.m. - Kingswood Community Center, Wilmington 
October 12, 6 p.m. – Wilmington Public Library 
October 13, 12 noon – The Challenge Program + Project New Start, Wilmington 
October 14, 3:30 p.m. – Seaford District Library 
October 15, 1 p.m. – Milford Public Library 
October 18 & 20, 5:30 p.m. – Groves Adult High School (Red Clay) 
October 21, 7 p.m. – CAMP Rehoboth (Rehoboth Beach) 
*Not open to the public 

The Community Tour will close with two ticketed performances at the Siegel JCC, 101 Garden of Eden Rd, Wilmington, Del., on October 22, 8 p.m. and 23, 2 p.m.  

Make it a Weekend Getaway!

“Twelfth Night, O Lo Que Quieras” is directed by Tanaquil Márquez and stars Del Shakes Artistic Squad member Izzy Sazak as Violeta. Sazak has been involved with the development of the musical since 2020, including a concert this spring in Rodney Square. Sazak is joined in the cast by Sydney Banks, Newton Buchanan, Paul Harrold, Jered McLenigan, Daniel L, Melo, Tai Verley, Ximena Violante and Justin Yoder. Buchanan and Verley are returning Community Tour actors. Violante has also been involved from the beginning of the piece’s development and brings with them valuable knowledge of the Mexican son jarocho musical tradition, which is reflected in some of the songs. McLenigan and Verley appear through the courtesy of Actors’ Equity Association, the Union of Professional Actors and Stage Managers in the United States. The musical direction is provided by Peter Vitale, who shares his experience as a long-time company member at Ten Thousand Things Theater, the Minneapolis company whose work inspired the Del Shakes Community Tour. 

Limited tickets are available for each of the free public “Twelfth Night, O Lo Que Quieras” performances, and must be requested in advance by email to info@delshakes.org, Only 125 tickets are available for each of two ticketed studio performances at Siegel JCC, priced at $25, and $18 for students. Tickets for the two final studio performances of “Twelfth Night, O Lo Que Quieras” are available at delshakes.org. 

“Twelfth Night, O Lo Que Quieras” and the Delaware Shakespeare Community Tour are made possible by gifts and grants from the Maurice Amado Foundation, Arsht Cannon Fund, Delaware Community Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Laffey-McHugh Foundation, New Castle County, Danaher Lynch Family Foundation, Kent County Fund for the Arts, University of Delaware, PNC Bank, Christiana Care, M&T Bank, and Laurel A. Riegel.