The University of California, Santa Cruz, is presenting the 24th
annual Shakespeare Santa Cruz through Aug. 28. The festival will
feature Shakespeare’s
”
Twelfth Night
”
and
”
The Winter’s Tale
”
as well as W.S. Gilbert’s
”
Engaged.
”
The University of California, Santa Cruz, is presenting the 24th annual Shakespeare Santa Cruz through Aug. 28. The festival will feature Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” and “The Winter’s Tale” as well as W.S. Gilbert’s “Engaged.”
“Twelfth Night,” a lyrical and romantic comedy, contains some of Shakespeare’s most well-known characters including valiant Viola, love-sick Duke Orsino and Feste, the wise fool. The show is directed by PJ Paparelli, former associate director of the Shakespeare Theater in Washington, D.C.
“The Winter’s Tale” is a complex story involving a jealous king and a mistaken daughter engaged in a tale of loss, forgiveness, reconciliation and grace. The show is directed by Tim Ocel, who has directed several Shakespeare Santa Cruz shows in the past.
“Engaged,” a comedic play, is a story of a train that derails on the border between Scotland and England on its way from Glasgow to London. A satire on the rampant materialism and hypocrisy that characterized Britain as the world’s superpower in the 1870s, “Engaged” is directed by Shakespeare Santa Cruz Artistic Director Paul Whitworth.
Along with the shows, Shakespeare Santa Cruz also includes a variety of related activities. Noon at the Nick, a free lecture series, will take place Fridays, until Aug. 5, from noon to 1pm. Free backstage tours will take place Saturdays, Aug. 6-27, at 11am. Call (831) 459-5810 for reservations. Children younger than six will not be admitted.
Prior to a selected number of shows, the director of each show will give a pre-show discussion with time for questions from the audience and post-show discussions with actors. Tickets for preview performances are $19. Visit http://shakespearesantacruz.org for a schedule of discussions and complete description of festival-related events.
The festival takes place at the university’s outdoor Sinsheimer-Stanley Glen Theater in Santa Cruz. Parking is $2. Tickets range from $10 to $40. Call (831) 459-2159 or visit http://shakespearesantacruz.org.
