When the 2026 upper school spring play was announced as Twelfth Night, my first reaction was one of disinterest. Shakespeare had never made sense to me, no matter how strong my efforts, so I eventually just labeled it as not for me.
However, as I took a closer look into the show, I came to the realization that it was indeed exactly what the school needed to put on. We live in a time where the leader of our country is actively working to outlaw, suppress, and remove the rights that LGBTQ+ people have worked so hard for. I had the opportunity to speak to Sterling Bickford ‘27, who student-directs Twelfth Night and is one of the two clerks of the upper school Gender Sexuality Alliance (GSA).
Bickford said, “Everywhere you go, queer people are dealing with a lot of fear right now… Which is really unfortunate and that’s why it’s important to bring people together.”
With a cast of twenty-two students, all pouring their hearts into the play, it’s impossible to deny that people are being brought together here. They act, sing, and with a special addition from choreographers Maddie Freeman-Bibbs ‘27 and Isabella Stitt ‘28, dance in celebration of this comedic tale.
If you’re still unaware of the story, what you need to know for context is that Viola, a young woman, disguises herself as a man named Cesario. This isn’t described as something awful, or insane, just a fun change of roles. If you’re familiar with the 2006 film, She’s the Man, then you’ve already had this introduction.
Within the script, there’s also an early example of a queer relationship within literature. This is, of course, between Antonio and Sebastian. Between the two of them, they say the word love eight times throughout the script. Each of those times is towards the other. This is yet another thing that is never criticized or ostracized within the narrative.
It’s overwhelmingly important that we produce a show where queer and trans stories can be told while not having the entire problem or focus of the plot be the fact that it is queer or trans. This also applies to real life situations. Harper Flak ‘27, who’s playing a male role for the third show in a row, doesn’t seem to care that she’s not conforming to gender roles. The only frustration that she has at all isn’t with the fact that she’s playing a man, but instead that she can’t hit those low notes in a musical.
Flak said, “It’s sort of how it works out. I get placed in roles where I can be a good team player. Less like I feel uncomfortable, more like I can’t sing tenor. It’s less about the gender and more about the singing range.”
It’s overwhelmingly important to emphasize that handling topics of gender nonconformity or breaking heteronormativity is not an issue within itself. It’s only an issue when it’s made by those opposed to it.
All of that said, please see the tale play out in support of your classmates. No matter what story they tell, they’re still undeniably good at sharing it. Tickets are available for Twelfth Night which will be performed on April 16, 17, and 18 in the Josephine Muller Auditorium.
In the words of Julian Umile ‘28, “If you breathe air, you should go see Twelfth Night!”
Amelia Terry • May 4, 2026 at 1:39 pm
I was in this production of Twelfth Night. It is the fifth time I have been in a Shakespeare play, and the third time being in Twelfth Night alone. This is by far the best production I have been in. I loved all the visuals, and the acting was phenomenal. I understood it a lot more the third time performing it. Working on it helped me notice details in the language, blocking, and character relationships that I missed before. I especially loved the comedy in this production. The costumes and staging made the story feel more alive on stage. I loved being part of this cast so much!
Dillan • Apr 21, 2026 at 5:49 pm
I saw AFS’s production of Twelfth Night with my friends this past Wednesday. Though I am not a big fan of Shakespeare (I would rather read or watch a play that does not take so much mental energy to understand), I really enjoyed the show. It was clear how much fun the cast was having with each other and with the material. The comedic elements were especially engaging, and the set and costumes were some of my favorites of any AFS show I have seen or performed in. I did not even mind that I could not decipher some of the language. I did read the Wikipedia synopsis of She’s The Man before I went to see Twelfth Night, which helped with my understanding. I enjoyed AFS’s production so much that I may watch the movie now.