TSF China raffle still on despite trip being revoked

The Texas Shakespeare Festival was notified this week that its invitation to perform four shows in Beijing during the Olympics this summer has been revoked

The Festival was told the Chinese government needs the housing - originally reserved for the TSF - for Olympians and tourists.

However, the raffle for a trip to China this summer is still active. Two tickets will be drawn at 7 p.m. May 30 in Van Cliburn Auditorium for two all-expense-paid trips to China accompanied by two TSF company members. The trip will be Aug. 8-26. Winners will receive hotel accommodation, airfares, visas, meal allowances and tickets to four Olympic events.

"We were obviously very devastated by the news that we will not be able to perform the shows in China this summer, but the raffle is still on and it will still be a great trip," said Raymond Caldwell, TSF director. "The winners of the raffle will still have guided tours by two company members who will also make the trip and they will still receive four tickets to Olympic events."

The TSF had dorms reserved on the campus of Peking University, the site of two Olympic events, but the Chinese government made the decision to cancel all room reservations for conferences, convocations and other large-scale meetings that were non-Olympic in nature.

The trip also includes English speaking guides and chaperones to such famous Beijing sites as The Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, The Summer Palace, The Temple of Heaven, The Great Wall, The Fragrant Hills, The Peking Opera and Beihai Park. Approximately 250 tickets are still available for $50 each.

"Winners will also have two days of chaperoned shopping at the Pearl Market and the Silk Market," Caldwell said. "Since we will sell only 800 tickets and since we will have two drawings, the odds of winning the China Trip are quite good compared to most raffles."

To buy a ticket, contact Caldwell at (903) 983-8117 or email him: rcaldwell@kilgore.edu.