Ken Ruta Stars in Houston Shakespeare Festival's Tempest

The Houston Shakespeare Festival will open its 32nd season July 29 with The Tempest, starring septuagenarian actor Ken Ruta.

Ruta, whose whose half century in the theatre includes a Broadway debut opposite Vivien Leigh in Jean Giraudoux's Duel of Angels in 1960 and most recently an acclaimed performance as the Voysey patriarch in David Mamet's world premiere adaptation of The Voysey Inheritance at American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, will return to a role he tackled 25 years ago, when the Houston Shakespeare Festival opens its 32nd season July 29th with The Tempest at the Miller Outdoor Theatre in Houston's Hermann Park (100 Concert Drive).

Directed by Sidney Berger, The Tempest will play in repertory with Titus Andronicus through August 11 at the Miller Outdoor Theatre, a 1500-seat arena the holds the distinction of being the only fully air-conditioned open-air theatre in the U.S.

Frank Rich in the New York Times wrote of Mr. Ruta's Prospero in the Guthrie Theatre's 1981 production of The Tempest (directed by Liviu Ciulei): "Prospero, played with world-weary intelligence and great feeling by Ken Ruta, is still a magician, stage manager and poet, but he's also a modern scientist of genius.  Indeed, with his gold rimmed glasses, ratty cardigan and abstracted demeanor, Mr. Ruta could pass for Einstein."

The Houston Shakespeare Festival, which features a professional company of actors (Actors Equity Association), is produced by the University of Houston's School of Theatre (where playwrights Edward Albee and Lanford Wilson are Distinguished Professors of Theatre).

 A native of Chicago, Ruta has appeared in numerous regional Shakespearean plays, taking on roles ranging from the Ghost in Guthrie Theatre's 1963 production of  Hamlet (opposite George Grizzard, Jessica Tandy and Zoe Caldwell) to leading roles including Falstaff and King Lear (whom he's portrayed in four separate productions). He appeared opposite David Bowie in The Elephant Man on tour. He has also appeared on Broadway in Terrence Rattigan's Ross (produced by David Merrick), and the 1969 revival of Chekov's The Three Sisters with Michael Learned.

The Tempest runs Saturday, July 29; Wednesday, August 2; Friday, August 4; Thursday, August 10 and Saturday, August 12. Titus Andronicus runs Sunday, July 30; Thursday, August 3; Saturday, August 5; Wednesday, August 9; and Friday, August 11.

All performances are at 8:30 pm at the Miller Outdoor Theatre located in Hermann Park. Performances are free to the public, but tickets are required for covered seating. Tickets are available (four per person) on the day of performance at the Miller Box Office between 11:30 am and 1:00 pm and again one hour before performance. All unclaimed seats are released 5 minutes before curtain.

For more information about Houston Shakespeare Festival, log on to www.hfac.uh.edu/theatre or call the Miller Theatre box office 713- 284-8352.

Test and expand your Broadway knowledge with our new game - The Broadway Match-Up! How well do you know your Broadway casting trivia?	Play the Daily Game, explore current shows, and delve into past decades like the 2000s, 80s, and the Golden Age. Challenge your friends and see where you rank!
How well do you know your Tony Awards history? Take our never-ending quiz of nominations and winner history and challenge your friends.	Can you beat your friends? Play today’s daily Broadway word game, featuring a new theatrically inspired word or phrase every day!