Piper Perabo to Lead “Twelfth Night, or What You Will” Cast

[caption id="attachment_41545" align="alignright" width="800"] Piper Perabo.[/caption]

The Bay Street Shakespeare Initiative and Hamptons Shakespeare Festival announced this week that Piper Perabo will star as Viola in their upcoming co-production of outdoor staged readings of William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night, or What You Will” August 14 and 15 at Mashashimuet Park in Sag Harbor. The two readings are free to the public and will start at 7 p.m. A VIP Benefit performance will take place on August 16 at a private, oceanfront estate.

“Twelfth Night, or What You Will” is Shakespeare's romantic comedy filled with unrequited love, disguise, and cross dressing. The readings will be presented without intermission and will run under two hours. They will feature direction by Bay Street’s Artistic Director, Scott Schwartz, and original music and sound design by Hamptons Shakespeare Festival’s Artistic Director, David M. Brandenburg.

Ms. Perabo is a Golden Globe nominated actress who recently wrapped up a five season run on “Covert Affairs,” a spy drama on the USA Network. In May 2009, she made her stage debut in Neil Labute’s controversial play “Reasons to be Pretty,” directed by Terry Kinney. Some of her more recent films include “Looper” alongside Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon Levitt, Emily Blunt and Jeff Daniels, Adam Shankman’s “Cheaper by the Dozen 2” in which she reprised her role as the eldest daughter to Steve Martin and Bonnie Hunt, the romantic comedy “Imagine Me & You” with Lena Heady and Matthew Goode, and the crime drama “10th & Wolf” with an ensemble cast that included James Marsden and Dennis Hopper.

In addition to Piper Perabo, “Twelfth Night” will also star Julia Motyka as Olivia, Josh Gladstone as Sir Toby Belch, and Kate Mueth as Maria.

"Last summer, the Bay Street Shakespeare Initiative’s outdoor reading of The Tempest starring John Glover was one of the highlights of our season,” says Mr. Schwartz, Artistic Director of Bay Street Theater. “I’m so excited this summer to partner with Hamptons Shakespeare Festival, and to work with Piper Perabo and the rest of a marvelous cast as we present “Twelfth Night,” one of the Bard’s most romantic and delightful comedies, outside under the stars in Sag Harbor.”

For more information, or for tickets to the VIP event, visit baystreet.org.