Rider University’s fine arts department concludes its spring season with 18 student actors in William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”

The modern-dress production will run April 21, 22, 28 and 29 in The Yvonne Theater in the Fine Arts Building on Rider’s Lawrenceville campus. The curtain rises at 8 p.m.

Shakespeare uses the device of mistaken identity to create a comedy full of twists and turns. Set in Illyria, along the Adriatic Coast of Italy, the action unfolds when Viola, one of the main protagonists, is shipwrecked in a strange land. Confusion eventually ensues between lovers which sparks fights and duels.

This is Rider’s second Shakespeare production; the first one, “A Midsummer Night Dream,” directed by Dr. Richard Homan, professor of fine arts, ran in 1994.

Several of Rider’s actors took Dr. Homan’s Shakespearian acting course this past fall. “I needed actors who could develop fluency with Shakespeare’s language,” said Homan. “Beyond that each actor had to believably embody the character. Shakespeare’s audience had different assumptions about the world than we have.

“'Twelfth Night' reflects their ideas about social class, wealth, romantic love and other things,” continued Homan. “We translate these things into modern times and try to make clear to our audience what the play assumes. The audience should have a good laugh at the way Shakespeare portrays human nature. This is considered the best of Shakespeare’s comedies so I think it will please everyone.”

The Rider cast consists of Luke Klein of Clarksburg, a senior fine arts/theater major as Orsino; Arnaldo Ortiz of North Bergen, a senior fine arts major as Sebastion; Rahmael Magny of Irvington, a senior fine arts major as Antonio; Andrew Danish of Leonia, a senior communication major as Sea Captain; Michael Capuano of Deptford, a freshman fine arts major as Valentine; Nicole Lorenzetti of Lambertville, a freshman fine arts major as Curio; Joe Sabatino of Burlington, a sophomore fine arts major as Sir Toby Belch; Matt Cook, of Ship Bottom, a senior fine arts/theater major as Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Ed Egan of Cranford, a junior communication major and acting scholar as Malvolio.

Also, Chad Schubert of Englishtown, a senior fine arts/theater major as Fabian; Danny Lane of Staten Island, a junior fine arts/theater major as Feste; Michele Danna of Glen Rock, a sophomore secondary education/English major as Olivia; Kim Hausler of Paramus, a senior fine arts/theater major and acting scholar as Viola; Kerry Bowers of Deptford, a junior fine arts major as Maria; Kim Kendra of Little Egg Harbor, a sophomore fine arts major as First Officer; Akash Ramchandani of Livingston, a freshman liberal studies major as Second Officer; Gregory Binder of Ramsay, a sophomore communication major as Priest; and Allison Alter of Potomac, MD, a junior fine arts major as Servant.

Tickets are $10 for the general public, and $5 for students, faculty, staff and senior citizens. There is a preview performance on Thursday April 20 at 7 p.m. Tickets for the performance are $4 at the door. For more information, call (609) 896-5303.