Meet the Artists of Shakespeare in the Parks' TWELFTH NIGHT: Lilian Oben

Back to Blog

Previous Article Next Article

Our touring production of Shakespeare in the Parks 2016: Twelfth Night continues its run tonight at Riverdale Elementary School (thanks to the expected thunderstorms). We'd like you to meet some of the artists bringing the Bard's beloved comedy to life. Next up is LILIAN OBEN who's playing Olivia, the noble lady in mourning who makes up one side of a delightfully absurd love triangle. Where are you from and how did you get to be doing what you’re doing now? “I'm from Cameroon, West Central Africa. I came to the United States for graduate school after finishing university in England. My father worked with the UN Economic Commission for Africa, so we moved around quite a bit. I complained (a lot) about that at the time, but in hindsight, the experience of living in eight different countries has definitely made for some invaluable life lessons. In terms of acting, the first real role I had in a play was when I was seven. It was a musical, the Bible story of Naaman, the King of Syria; I played Naaman's wife and had this one solo which I had to sing to my "husband" Naaman, who happened to be this (also seven-year-old) boy I had a huge crush on. It was terrifying and awesome at the same time! That was the start of the journey for me. “ What’s your favorite thing about performing for a live audience? “The immediacy and intimacy. There's the sense of empowerment and excitement you feel in sharing the story with them, but there's also that nakedness and vulnerability in being up there knowing that there is no buffer or "take two", and that if something "unexpected" happens (and it invariably will) you have to deal with it in real time. Also, since it's a live audience, you are able to sense whether they are lock step with you on the journey, or leaning out. Those elements and, ultimately, that fight to get the audience to care, are some of the things I love the most about it.” What about this rehearsal process so far has been the most surprising? “Hands down the most beautiful surprise for me has been the music and the sheer talent of the musicians. The band (I almost feel like we should call them an orchestra) is truly phenomenal. Each member is skilled in myriad instruments and together they have created so much truly beautiful and thematically fitting music for the show that it's hard sometimes to refrain from humming, singing or dancing along with them every time they strike up. Thankfully, we do get to do some of that as part of the show, so there is some release!” What about the story in Twelfth Night delights and/or frustrates you? “Delights: The sheer madness of it, it literally is "What You Will", or as some say "Have At It!" It covers the spectrum of every human emotion and that's fun to explore. Frustrates: I guess even some of the frustrating things about it are delightful in their own way. “ What about the 400 year old character of Olivia most directly intersects with your life today? “One thing that I've always loved about Olivia is the fact that she won't be told who to love or not love. She has a strong sense of who she is and what she values and she will fight for it, and won't be edited. This fact about Olivia is something that makes her so inspiring to me, especially today, 400 years later, when so many across the world are still (still) fighting for the right to just "be", in whatever way that manifests. Whether it's living your truest life, or pursuing your passion, or just the basic human right to the pursuit of love, happiness and economic and personal safety and freedom, Olivia to me encapsulates that, just living and loving "free", and I love that about her.” For more information about the rest of the performances click HERE