Meet the Cast of Twelfth Night! Spotlight on Mathew Dean Wood (Sebastian)
In Twelfth Night, Sebastian has an epic experience. First, he's saved from a shipwreck by a kind pirate, then he's accosted by some drunken fools who want to pick a fight, and then the most beautiful woman in town throws herself at him and asks him to marry her. Illyria is certainly a mad, mad, mad, mad world for Sebastian.
If anyone can portray a character lost in total wonderment and excitement and enthusiasm for the strange yet wonderful things happening to him - it's Matthew Dean Wood. His sweet innocence and chill attitude towards all the crazy around him brings a beautiful genuineness to Sebastian's predicament.
Get Matt's take on the brilliant bard and Twelfth Night below!
Name: Matthew Dean Wood
What character do you play in Twelfth Night?
Sebastian
Where are you originally from?
Whitestone, Queens, New York
When you're not onstage, what can you be found doing?
I am a teaching artist currently teaching theatre at Camp Jacobson for children ages 3-13 in Old Westbury.
What intrigues you most about Shakespeare?
The challenge of first reading it, having no idea how to process it. Then keeping on motivating myself to figure things out and develop a character.
What character is on your Shakespeare "bucket list" to play?
There's two. I would love to revisit Malcolm. also the amazing challenge as an actor that it would be to play Iago.
Favorite Shakespearean quote:
"Come, go we to the king. Our power is ready;" - The Scottish Play
Twelfth Night is a classic tale of twins shipwrecked and separated in a foreign land. Both assuming the other has perished - search for a way to survive in this strange new world. In doing so, they find themselves quickly caught up in the shenanigans of a world filled with clowns, pirates, and lovers.
Twelfth Night performs July 14, 15, 21, 22 at 7pm and July 23 at 5pm at the Alchemical Theatre Laboratory. Tickets may be purchased in advance here.
About Classics on the Rocks:
At Classics on the Rocks, we believe that just as whiskey doesn't need anything more than rocks to tame it's bite. Shakespeare doesn't need fancy concepts, modernizations, frilly costumes, or big sets to make it relatable. All you need are talented actors who trust the text and tell the story. It's classics served simply on the rocks.
