George Mount News

Duels, dandies, deceptions, and dudes with daddy issues stir up a comic frenzy in Richard Brinsley Sheridan's witty gem The Rivals at Seattle Shakespeare Company. George Mount directs the production which begins previews on Jan. 7, opens Jan. 10 and runs through Feb. 2 at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center.

Magical spirits aid an exiled duke towards reconciliation and release in Shakespeare's final solo masterpiece, The Tempest. Annie Lareau directs the production which begins previews on Oct. 15, opens Oct. 18 and runs through Nov. 10 at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center.

For acclaimed British actor Michael Pennington, Shakespeare has been a companion and inspiration for more than 50 years. Lisa Wolpe, who may have played more of Shakespeare's male roles than any other actress, has outright stated, "I feel like Shakespeare saved my life." After his tour of duty in the army, it was Shakespeare that helped veteran Stephan Wofert cope with PTSD and find his own way in the civilian world. All three artists are a part of Seattle Shakespeare's new performance series that shares personal and unique relationships with Shakespeare.

 An all-male Twelfth Night and a Romeo and Juliet comprised of female and non-binary artists have been cast for Seattle Shakespeare Company's free Wooden O productions which start performances on Thursday, July 11.

Rosalind and Orlando engage in a glorious game of love, lust, and mistaken identities in a magical forest in Shakespeare's As You Like It. Kelly Kitchens directs the production which begins previews on April 23, opens April 26, and runs through May 19 at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center.

Characters at the crossroads of love, power, war, or forgiveness populate Seattle Shakespeare Company's upcoming season just announced by Artistic Director George Mount. Plans for the company's 2019-2020 season include The Tempest, The Rivals, Troilus and Cressida, and Macbeth. "Each of these plays in their own way has a moment when it comes down to a singular choice," said Mount. "The course of the action is set by that defining decision out of which things will never be the same."

Can a practical joke go too far? What if you're clever enough to use it to your advantage? Seattle Shakespeare Company presents a Restoration Comedy mashup of ska music, hipster bars, gender dynamics, and mistaken identities in Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer. Makaela Pollock directs the production which begins previews on March 19, opens March 22, and runs through April 14 at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center.

This summer Seattle Shakespeare Company brings free Shakespeare to our region's parks with productions of Twelfth Night and Romeo and Juliet. Both shows will start performances on July 11 and will perform in 15 different park venues through August 11 including a new venue at Wiggums Hollow park in Everett. The full schedule of venues, dates and performance times is located on Seattle Shakespeare Company's website.

With all the focus dedicated to the language and story, Seattle Shakespeare breaths new life into this old classic while maintaining all its traditions. While current trends rely on new interpretations, new locations, different time periods, this production stays true to the Bard and delivers the goods. ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL is a bittersweet tale of love, war, and relationships. The show questions why we love who we love and who is deserving of love, romantic and familial.

Two young souls learn to navigate a new world and discover each other. Seattle Shakespeare Company starts the New Year with Shakespeare's fairytale of love and war - All's Well That Ends Well. Victor Pappas returns to the company to direct the production which begins previews on January 8, opens January 11, and runs through February 3 at the Center Theatre at Seattle Center.

Seattle Shakespeare's ARMS & THE MAN visits the past and finds the present. With wit, humor, and richness of production, the show presents a classic tale of a chance encounter that changes everything. From the pithy dialogue to the talented cast, Seattle Shakespeare has chosen well for its second show of the season.

George Bernard Shaw's recipe for fun mixes smarts with silliness and adds just a dash of morality. Arms and the Man takes center stage at Seattle Shakespeare Company helmed by David Armstrong, former artistic director of the 5th Avenue Theatre. Arms and the Man previews October 23-25, opens October 26 and runs through November 18 at the Center Theatre at the Seattle Center.

A wheeler-dealer charlatan has taken control of the country… and everybody underestimated him. Seattle Shakespeare Company launches its 2018-2019 season with a masterclass in political intrigue, Shakespeare's Richard III. The production is a collaboration with upstart crow collective, and features an all-female acting company. Richard III will be directed by Rosa Joshi, and previews September 12 and 13, opens September 14, and runs through October 7 at the Leo K. Theatre.

A wheeler-dealer charlatan has taken control of the country… and everybody underestimated him. Seattle Shakespeare Company launches its 2018-2019 season with a masterclass in political intrigue, Shakespeare's Richard III. The production is a collaboration with upstart crow collective, and features an all-female acting company. Richard III will be directed by Rosa Joshi, and previews September 12 and 13, opens September 14, and runs through October 7 at the Leo K. Theatre.

A wheeler-dealer charlatan has taken control of the country… and everybody underestimated him. Seattle Shakespeare Company launches its 2018-2019 season with a masterclass in political intrigue, Shakespeare's Richard III. The production is a collaboration with upstart crow collective, and features an all-female acting company. Richard III will be directed by Rosa Joshi, and previews September 12 and 13, opens September 14, and runs through October 7 at the Leo K. Theatre.

This summer Seattle Shakespeare Company will celebrate 25 years of bringing free Shakespeare to our region's parks with productions of King Lear and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Both shows will start performances on July 12 and will perform in 12 different park venues through August 12. The full schedule of venues, dates and performance times is located on Seattle Shakespeare Company's website.

 Casting is announced for Seattle Shakespeare Company's free Wooden O productions of King Lear and The Merry Wives of Windsor which start performances on Thursday, July 12. Both productions will perform in park venues throughout King and Pierce Counties (please see attached schedule). This summer marks the 25th Anniversary for Wooden O productions in the parks.

During the curtain speech Seattle Shakespeare Company Artistic Director (and director of the night's show) George Mount and Managing Director John Bradshaw joked on how they don't often get to present a Washington premiere since they usually deal in 400-year-old plays. What they also don't usually contend with is the trend of turning every successful movie into a theatrical endeavor but here we are with the Seattle Shakespeare Company presenting the stage version of 'Shakespeare in Love' based on the 1998 film. Now don't get me wrong, not all stage adaptations are awful and this one seems to be almost directly lifted from the wonderful Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard screenplay by the adapter Lee Hall so the script isn't entirely the problem here. No, the problems I have are threefold and amount to two very egregious things for a show entitled 'Shakespeare in Love'. There's not enough 'Shakespeare' and not enough 'Love'. But let's start from the top.

Seattle Shakespeare Company closes its 2017-2018 season with Shakespeare in Love, the delightful new stage adaptation of Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard's Academy Award-winning film. This warm and witty romantic comedy will be helmed by Seattle Shakespeare Company's Artistic Director George Mount. Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions and Sonia Friedman Productions and adapted for the stage by Lee Hall with music by Paddy Cuneen, Shakespeare in Love previews May 2 and 3, opens May 4 and runs through June 3 at the Cornish Playhouse at the Seattle Center.

Seattle Shakespeare Company closes its 2017-2018 season with Shakespeare in Love, the delightful new stage adaptation of Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard's Academy Award-winning film. This warm and witty romantic comedy will be helmed by Seattle Shakespeare Company's Artistic Director George Mount. Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions and Sonia Friedman Productions and adapted for the stage by Lee Hall with music by Paddy Cuneen, Shakespeare in Love previews May 2 and 3, opens May 4 and runs through June 3 at the Cornish Playhouse at the Seattle Center.