THE BELLE OF AMHERST, OTHELLO and AS YOU LIKE IT Set for Austin Shakespeare's 2013-14 Season

Celebrating its 30th year in 2014, Austin Shakespeare announces its new season starting with the acclaimed solo portrait of Emily Dickinson, The Belle of Amherst, starring Helen Merino (Hamlet) Nov. 14-Dec. 1, 2013; and Shakespeare's masterpiece, Othello, Feb. 12-Mar. 2, 2014; both performed at The Long Center's Rollins Theater, where Austin Shakespeare is a resident company. The season ends May 1-25, 2014 with Shakespeare's perfect romantic comedy, As You Like It. The company will return to Zilker Park for the 30th anniversary of "FREE Shakespeare in the Park."

The season kicks off with a delightful evening's entertainment of the now-famous poet, Emily Dickinson: The Belle of Amherst by William Luce. Artistic Director Ann Ciccolella comments: "Join Emily Dickinson in her home and share her incandescent gaiety and touching sadness as this New England recluse lives to innovate poetry with her new style of writing." November 14 - December 1, 2013, with a low-priced preview on November 13.

Austin Shakespeare invites audiences to a new experience of Shakespeare's great tale of jealousy and passion in a new production of Othello, February 13-March 2, 2014 at the Long Center's Rollins Theater, with a low-priced preview on February 12.

In the spring, teens are invited to open auditions (March 22 & 29, 2014) for Austin Shakespeare's "Young Shakespeare" company to perform in the comic romance of magic and mayhem, The Tempest, to be staged at Richard Garriott de Cayeux' replica of an Elizabethan stage, The Curtain Theater, June 19-29, 2014. Now in its sixth year, Young Shakespeare is a company of teen actors who will be directed by Austin Shakespeare professional actor and teaching artist, Nancy Eyermann (Love's Labours Lost, The Winter's Tale).

For its "FREE Shakespeare in the Park" show, Austin Shakespeare will bring the sexy, cross-dressing romp in the green world to Zilker Hillside Theater with Shakespeare's As You Like It, May 1-25, 2014. Artistic Director Ann Ciccolella will direct and describes it as: "In the city and in the country, Rosalind, the smartest girl in the world, falls in love with the most desirable man in the world! Hear the famous "Seven Ages of Man" speech and meet Touchstone, the jester! The show culminates in a RenFaire fun fest while we all sing - 'With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino!'"

Alongside the 2013-14 season in three locations with four Austin productions, Austin Shakespeare will be performing Off-Broadway in New York City for the first time in its history with Ayn Rand's Anthem, adapted by Jeff Britting, Sept. 25-Dec. 1, 2013at the Baryshnikov Arts Center, Jerome Robbins Theater. Austin Shakespeare experienced sold-out success for Anthem at the Long Center's Rollins Theater in 2011.

Austin Shakespeare - Classic theater in Central Texas - The Belle of Amherst: Emily Dickinson and Shakespeare's Othello, both performed at the Rollins Theater and As You Like It at Zilker Park; Young Shakespeare performs Shakespeare's The Tempest (with some Spanish language). Dates: Nov. 14, 2013-June 29, 2014 at Long Center's Rollins Theater and Zilker Hillside Theatre and Curtain Theater

Austin Shakespeare's mission is to present professional theatre of the highest quality with an emphasis on the plays of William Shakespeare, bringing to the public performances that are fresh, imaginative, thought-provoking, and eminently accessible, connecting the truths of the past with the challenges and possibilities of today. Founded in 1984 Austin Shakespeare is the only professional classic theater company in Central Texas. Austin Shakespeare also brings professional actors and directors directly into the classroom throughout Central Texas. For more information, contact Austin Shakespeare Managing Director Alex Alford at alex@austinshakespeare.org.