Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare is a comedic tale of mistaken identities, love and festive revelry. The story begins with Viola, who is shipwrecked and believes her twin brother, Sebastian, has drowned. Disguised as a man named Cesario, she enters the service of Duke Orsino, who is in love with Lady Olivia. However, Olivia falls for Cesario, unaware of Viola's true identity. Meanwhile, Viola harbors her own feelings for Orsino. The subplot involves Olivia's drunken uncle, Sir Toby, who schemes with others to humiliate the pompous steward, Malvolio. The confusion culminates in comic misunderstandings, leading to Sebastian's unexpected arrival. The play concludes with multiple marriages, the revelation of true identities and a celebration of love and harmony.
The Drilling Company's Shakespeare in the Parking Lot has been a Lower East Side neighborhood institution for almost three decades. Its concept—presenting Shakespeare plays with a "poor theater" aesthetic in a working parking lot—is now widely imitated around the US and around the world, with productions as far away as New Zealand. In 2023, a new Shakespeare in the Parking Lot emerged in Santa Rosa, CA.
