"If music

be the food of love, play on."

Those are the

first words uttered in Shakespeare's raucous comedy, "Twelfth Night"

or "What You Will," a play full of music, comedy, adventure

and love. Offshoot productions will present "Twelfth Night"

starting this Thursday evening at the Royce Regeon Band Hall at the LaFayette

Educational Center (old Fayette high school).

The story begins

with a shipwreck off the coast of Illyria. Twin siblings, Viola and Sebastian,

both survive the wreck unbeknownst to the other. Viola washes up on shore

and decides to dress up like a man and attempt to gain work with the duke,

with whom she is in love. The duke, however, is in love with Olivia, who

claims she will love no man for seven years while she is in mourning.

Many people

are in love with Olivia, though she is completely unaware. Andrew, a friend

of Olivia's cousin, Toby, is in love with Olivia as well, but has been

unsuccessful with her so far. Toby and his friends also fool Malvolio,

Olivia's servant, into thinking she is in love with him by sending him

fake letters.

When Olivia

meets Viola, dressed as a man and going by the name Cesario, she falls

in love with him. Andrew's friends convince him to duel Cesario (Viola)

so that he may impress Olivia. Meanwhile, Malvolio imagines what his life

would be like if he were married to Olivia and begins to act more pompous

than usual.

Viola's brother

makes it to Illyria and starts to search for his sister. He is mistaken

for Cesario, which leads him to get into arguments and fights, but also

leads him to Olivia, who is of course madly in love with Cesario.

And that is

just the tip of the iceberg.

The cast of

"Twelfth Night" is largely composed of professional actors from

the metro Atlanta area, including Laura Cole as Viola. Cole has performed

at the Shakespeare Tavern in Atlanta and has recently taught a local workshop

on "Acting Shakespeare." The play is directed by Susan Steadman

and a large portion of the music was written by her daughter, Paige. There

are many Offshoot regulars in the production as well, including Brenda

Tymecki and Ethan Williams.

Group sale

tickets for these special performances are $5 each. (A minimum of 15 is

required to qualify as a group.)

The "Twelfth

Night" preview will be at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25. Regular performances

begin Friday, Jan. 26, and continue through Feb. 11. Regular ticket prices

are $10 general admission, and $7.50 for full-time students and senior

citizens. The play is presented at 8 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays,

and at 3 p.m. Sundays.

Matinees are

slated for Thursday, Feb. 1, at 10 a.m., and Thursday, Feb. 8, at 1 p.m.

Reservations should be made as soon as possible, as seating is limited.

Offshoot must receive a nonrefundable deposit of $25 by Jan. 26.

For information,

phone 770-631-2362 or e-mail [email protected].

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