California Shakespeare Theater Announces 40th Anniversary Season with Pygmalion, A Midsummer Night's Dream, A Raisin in the Sun and Comedy of Errors

California Shakespeare Theater today announced its plans for 40thanniversary season, which includes a play that "changed American theater forever" according to the New York Times in its Broadway premiere; George Bernard Shaw's brilliant anti-romantic comedy, and two wildly inventive Shakespeare productions. The season will feature the return of directors Shana Cooper (Romeo and Juliet, Taming of the Shrew), Patricia McGregor (Spunk, A Winter's Tale), and Aaron Posner (A Midsummer Night's Dream), and choreographer Erika Chong Shuch (The Tempest).

Cal Shakes' 40th anniversary year will also include the launch of the Triangle Lab's newest project, Shakespeare in Communities, with an all-female production of Twelfth Night,directed by Michelle Hensley of Minneapolis' acclaimed Ten Thousand Things theater company. Twelfth Night will be performed free at community venues throughout the Bay Area in February, 2014, including paid performances at Intersection for the Arts in San Francisco's Tenderloin/SOMA district. Dates and ticket prices for the Intersection performances will be announced at a later date; Cal Shakes 2014 season subscribers will receive priority for tickets to the limited run, which is not part of the subscription season.

Opening the season at the Bruns will be A Raisin in the Sun, directed by Patricia McGregor, helming our current production of A Winter's Tale, and last season's Spunk(2012), which was hailed by audiences and critics alike. Lorraine Hansberry's brilliant evocation of the Younger family and a dream deferred was the first production by a woman of color ever to appear on the Broadway stage; it plays at the Bruns from May 21-June 15.

Next up, director Aaron Posner returns to Cal Shakes after his wildly successful 2009 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream with a theatrically inventive romp through one of Shakespeare's earliest comedies, The Comedy of Errors, from June 25-July 20. Then, Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone directs Pygmalion, George Bernard Shaw's most famous comedy-and the basis for the musical My Fair Lady-from July 30-August 24. The company will conclude the season with Shana Cooper and Erika Chong Shuch's rousing, dance-filled take on Shakespeare's youthful comedy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, fromSeptember 3-September 28.

"There is not a more supportive, challenging, intelligent, and adventurous community of theater goers around," says Moscone. "Every year, as we figure out a new seasons of work up at the Bruns, I want to provide as surprising and dynamic a roster of works of theater for as many people as possible-from long-time subscribers, to new audiences who are just getting to know the gem that is Cal Shakes. I'm thrilled to present this eclectic and varied slate of plays as we move forward with our commitment to making theater that resonates with the broad community of diverse audiences throughout the Bay Area."

Cal Shakes has several complimentary Audience Enrichment events scheduled throughout the season: the nightly Grove Talks provide valuable insight into the work as members of the artistic staff discuss the relationship between the play and the production; Inside Scoopallows audience members to meet directors and designers during the rehearsal process to learn about directorial points of view and design ideas; Insight Matinees explore the world of the play through an informal dialogue with the production's dramaturg following the 4pm performance; and Meet the Artists Matinees provide the audience an opportunity to discuss the production with cast members following the performance.

Season packages for the four play season and group tickets for parties of 10 or more are available now; single tickets go on sale March 31, 2014. Prices start at $124 for a four-play subscription, with discounts available for seniors, youth, and full-time K-12 educators. Tickets to Twelfth Night are not part of the season package.

For information or to charge tickets by phone with VISA, MasterCard, Discover, or American Express, call the Cal Shakes Box Office at 510.548.9666. Additional information and online ticketing is available at www.calshakes.org.

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