“Lions in Illyria” makes college debut at Lincoln College
New show based on Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is good family fun

[February 14, 2015] LINCOLN - The Lincoln College Theater Department will present a brand new children’s show on Feb. 18. “Lions in Illyria,” written by Robert Kauzlaric, is based on “Twelfth Night,” William Shakespeare’s comedy about the adventures of twins who are separated in a shipwreck.

In addition to lions, the anthropomorphic cast of characters includes a gazelle, a peacock, a warthog, a dodo bird, a hyena, and a monkey. The play is recommended for children age five and up. “Lions in Illyria” had its world premiere at Lifeline Theatre in Chicago on Jan. 10, 2015. Lincoln College is only the second Theater program to produce the show.

Show dates are February 18 through 20 at 7 p.m., and February 21 and 22 at 2 p.m. All performances will take place in the Meyer Theatre in the Johnston Center for Performing Arts on the Lincoln campus. Each performance is about an hour. Tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for seniors and children under 12, and $1 for Lincoln College students with ID.

The cast includes: Kendall Katz (sophomore from Lincoln) as Violet/Maria; Charles Irby (freshman from Peoria) as Sebastian/Andrew; Tegan Follis (sophomore from Lincoln) as Olivia/Antonia; and Ryan Huggins (sophomore from Chicago) as Orsino/Toby. Understudies are India Stoddard and AJ Cook. Set design is by Levert Wilkins and Brett Vandy Nelson under the direction of Professor Martin Holden, and costume design is directed by Alexa Maxey.

The production is directed by Professor Kenneth Z Kendall, Lead Faculty for Theater at Lincoln College.

[Tracy Bergin, Lincoln College]