Former teen heartthrob Joey McIntyre is performing in a play at Red Bank’s Two River Theatre.

McIntyre plays the love-stricken Duke Orsino in a rendition of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night.”

“Some people say he’s in love with being in love. He’s crazy about being crazy in love,” says McIntyre.

“Twelfth Night” is the Shakespeare comedy about the lengths Orsino will go to win the love of grieving Countess Olivia.

Some actors have said that Shakespeare is the ultimate test of their talent. McIntyre says that he isn’t exactly sure about this theory. But says that the role was challenging and that “the bar is very high.”

“Normally when you’re acting, you have your journey, you find the role and relate to the character in different ways and then you're in a groove. With Shakespeare, it's that, plus the text that's 400 years old,” he says.

Music plays a great part in the production. An actual band, The Lobbyists, was cast as many of the characters performing Shakespeare's text arranged in everything from punk rock to folk music.

“The play rides an emotional current that I think is actually really universal and modern,” says director Sara Holdren. “I wanted the feel of a band that could tap into a lot of different genres.”

McIntyre is no stranger to theater, though he is best known as a founding member of the pop band New Kids on the Block. But performing Shakespeare has been on his to-do list.

“This is something I’ve always wanted to do. So, I kind of get to do it in front of 400 people a night."

“Twelfth Night” is running at Two River Theatre through Feb. 2. More information can be found on the theater’s website.