‘If music be the food of love, play on.” This is probably the most famous quote from Shakespeare’s romantic comedy masterpiece, and Shakespeare makes the music of love come to life with some on his most stirring and beautiful language.

But it’s not just the poetry that stirs the soul when going to Shakespeare’s works. I am always amazed how one playwright could possess such comprehensive knowledge about the human experience.

In his works, and this play in particular, he reveals the many emotions that falling in love elicits from the human spirit. Shakespeare so clearly shows us all the beauty and the pain of this gift of life we’ve all been given.

It’s no wonder we are still drawn to him. Almost 420 years after Twelfth Night was first performed, it still speaks to us so clearly.

And funny? This is a comedy filled with some of Shakespeare’s most memorable clowns. The aging adolescent, Sir Toby Belch, who just can’t seem to grow up; his little buddy and Elizabethan cash machine, the goofy Sir Andrew Aguecheek; the very moral and proper (that is until he thinks someone might be in love with him) Malvolio. All these characters revel in the stupidity of human behavior, which (if we’re honest) we all succumb to from time to time.

The production was conceptualized by Ranae Butler, who co-directed it with her colleague June Rambo. Sets are designed by Rae Surface, costumes by Jeanette Walsh, and lights by Thom Hofrichter.

Twelfth Night has a preview performance Thursday, Feb. 28, at 7:30 p.m. with all seats $12—no presale—available at the door. The play then runs Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. from March 1 through 16, with one Sunday matinee at 2 p.m. on March 10. Tickets are $20 general admission, $18 for patrons age 65+, and free for the first 30 full-time students per performance who make reservations.

You can buy tickets, as well as find out all about FPT, by going to our website, firstpresbyteriantheater.com.