McDonald, Esparza, Pittu, Cumpsty and More Join Twelfth Night Cast

By Adam Hetrick
15 Apr 2009

Audra McDonald
Audra McDonald
Photo by Michael Wilson

Four time Tony Award-winning actress Audra McDonald and Tony nominee Raśl Esparza have joined the cast of the Public Theater's upcoming Shakespeare in the Park production of Twelfth Night starring the previously announced Anne Hathaway.

In addition to Academy Award-nominee Hathaway as Viola, the Public has revealed that McDonald (110 in the Shade, Ragtime) will play Olivia with three-time Tony nominee Esparza (Company, Speed-the-Plow) as Orsino.

Also announced for the summer production are two-time Tony nominee David Pittu (What's That Smell?) as Feste, Michael Cumpsty (Sunday in the Park with George) as Malvolio, Hamish Linklater (The Busy World Is Hushed) as Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Jay O. Sanders (Midsummer Night's Dream) as Sir Toby Belch.

Daniel Sullivan will direct Twelfth Night, which will kick off the summer of free theatre at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. Sullivan previously staged A Midsummer Night's Dream for Shakespeare in the Park in 2007. Twelfth Night will run June 10-July 12.

Twelfth Night centers on Viola, who along with her twin Sebastian, finds herself washed ashore in the mysterious land of Illyria following a shipwreck.

Additional casting will be announced shortly.

For further information visit PublicTheater.