Shakespeare Festival goes to work on new season

Shakespeare Festival cast and crew members were welcomed to Kilgore yesterday. One of Kilgore's favorite seasons began last night as the Texas Shakespeare Festival begins it's third decade.

Actors began arriving this week and were feted with a Welcome to Kilgore bash Tuesday night at Kilgore College. Now it's work for them, putting together five shows. Opening night for this, the 21st season, is June 22.

All performances will be staged at the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center on the Kilgore College campus.

The festival is underwritten by the Texas Shakespeare Festival Foundation, the Rosa May Griffin Foundation, the Texas Commission on the Arts, Kilgore College, Craig Eye Associates and - through a share of the tax on motel rooms - the City of Kilgore.

This year's lineup includes Shakespeare's "Coriolanus," a psychological study of the mother/son bond and the relationship between personality and politics. The Roman hero and his mother, Volumnia, are two of Shakespeare's most memorable characters.

"Coriolanus" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. June 22 and 28, July 1, 14, 16 and 18. Matinees are scheduled for 2 p.m. on July 6, 9 and 22.

"The School for Husbands," by Moliere and translated into English verse by Richard Wilbur, will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on June 23 and 29, July 7. 9. 11 and 22. Matinees are at 2 p.m. June 29 and July 2 and 15.

"Pericles, Prince of Tyre," will open June 24 at 7:30 p.m. Other evening performances are scheduled on June 30 and July 2, 4, 12, 15 and 20. Matinees are scheduled for 2 p.m. on July 8, 20 and 23.

Shakespeare's romantic and spectacular adventure is complete with a tyrant king, wicked stepmother, young heroine, shipwrecks and pirates. It's an epic tale of redemption that celebrates the power of virtue.

One of America's favorites, "Harvey" will be performed at 7:30 p.m. on June 25 and 27 and July 5, 8, 13, 21 and 28. Matinees at 2 p.m. are set for July 1, 13 and 16.

Mary Chase's classic, "Harvey," tells the touching story of Elwood P. Dowd and his friend, a six-foot white rabbit named Harvey.

"The Monkey King," translated and adapted by Xiaoqing Hu will have morning and afternoon performances. Morning performances begin at 10 a.m. on July 12, 14, 15, 19 and 21. Performances will start at 1:30 p.m. on 22 and July 11, 12, 14, 19 and 21.

Individual tickets are $25 for each show. A season package, which provides one ticket to each of the four productions, are $75.

For Thursday matinee performances and Sunday evening performances, TSF offers a "two for one" sale. Padded bench

seats are $15 per ticket for each performance. Only 25 are available.

Tickets for "The Monkey King" are $6 and are sold individually and not included in the season package. Group discounts are available.