The VanGuard's "Twelfth Night" to bring Pride, Shakespeare, and Theater to Salem

“Better a witty fool, than a foolish wit,” - “Twelfth Night” by William Shakespeare.

Shakespeare is coming to Salem. The VanGuard presents William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.” After a shipwreck, Viola, a young woman, washes ashore on Illyria, an unfamiliar island. She disguises herself as a man named Cesario and works for Duke Orsino. A mix-up of love affairs and mistaken identities ensues as they try to resolve dilemmas.

Lydia Brendel and Corrie Owens-Beauchesne are the co-founders of The VanGuard. They launched it this past March. Brendel said they were passionate about continuing to make Shakespeare accessible to everyone and promoting community.

“Shakespeare is really cool, and I love sharing the joy,” Brendel said. Brendel earned her BFA in Acting from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy College and Conservatory of the Performing Arts. Recently, she directed “Things Get Ugly” at Firehouse Center in Newburyport.

In a unique process, the cast only has one rehearsal 24 hours before their performance. Brendel said that the cast arrives fully memorized and then rehearses for about ten hours. During this rehearsal time, the cast plays theater games and reads through the show.

“Then the day of the performance we meet, go over any fights, dances, music, and intimacy from the show in our performance space, and then we have dinner, and then we do the show,” Brendel explained.

Their first production was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” in April. Brendel said they had a lot of fun and a chaotic time with the show. Since most of the cast had prior quick-raise Shakespeare experience, it made their process easier.

In theater terms, a quick-raise is where a production is put together in a few days, in contrast to a typical rehearsal schedule. Brendel said she has been a part of quick-raise performances before with seven people involved.

Their next show is “Twelfth Night.” Brendel chose it for June because it felt right for Pride Month.

“The theme we’re focusing on, however, is gay. The show is gay. So gay. Very, very gay,” Brendel explained. “For four centuries, this play has been a staple of gay literature. What better time to perform it than Pride Month?”

Brendel described how the themes of gender, identity, and attraction have made the play resonate with the LGBTQ+ community. She added that “Twelfth Night” continues to explore relevant issues regarding sexism, power dynamics, and tension between personal desire and social obligation.

A cast of nine actors stars in “Twelfth Night.” Most actors are performers whom Brendel said she has worked with in previous quick-raises. The Vanguard currently operates as an invitation-only company, with the group actively welcoming newcomers into its process.

While the cast doesn’t spend much time with Shakespeare’s complex language, Brendel said they are allowed to make their own character decisions.

“‘Anyone can cook,’” Brendel said, quoting the French chef Auguste Gusteau from Pixar’s “Ratatouille.” “We believe that anyone can do Shakespeare.”

When the performance day arrives, Brendel wishes audiences to have fun. She also included that the performance is not about understanding the language, but about enjoying the experience.

In the future, Brendel said she’d like to make the Vanguard a regular in Salem and have more performances. Not only in Salem, but also in other cities. Brendel is also figuring out winter programming with a series of readings to stop the boredom of being stuck inside during the colder months.

“Twelfth Night” will be held at Far From the Tree Cider in Salem, MA, on Wednesday, June 24, at 7:00 p.m. All are welcome to attend. Drinks will be served to customers aged 21+. The event is free. More info is on the website.