Georgia Shakespeare Announces 2012 Season: THE TEMPEST, MACBETH and More

Georgia Shakespeare welcomes Atlanta back to the Bard this spring, kicking off its 27th season with the return of free theatre in Piedmont Park.

Formerly known as "Shake at the Lake," the event has been renamed "Shakespeare in the Park," reflecting its new location at the Legacy Fountain in Piedmont Park. William Shakespeare's The Tempest will run May 9 - 13, with shows beginning at 7:30 p.m. and picnicking before and during the performances. The production is made possible by a three-year $300,000 grant from the Charles Loridans Foundation.

The season continues in June with the company's popular Summer Festival of shows.

Shakespeare's most musical play gets the royal treatment in Illyria: a Twelfth Night Musical (June 6 - Aug. 5), an adaptation by John R. Briggs, the creator of 2010's smash hit Shrew: the Musical. The production features Chris Kayser as Sir Toby Belch and Tess Malis Kincaid in the role of Maria.

Georgia Shakespeare continues its journey from the magical land of Illyria to the romantic hillsides of Italy with its production of Much Ado About Nothing (June 21 - Aug. 4), directed by Producing Artistic Director Richard Garner. Courtney Patterson and Joe Knezevich appear as lovers Beatrice and Benedick opposite Ann Marie Gideon and Eugene H. Russell IV as Hero and Claudio.

Next, Oscar Wilde's comedic masterpiece The Importance of Being Earnest (July 5 - Aug. 3) takes audiences back in time to Victorian England for a romp through London with two young men on a quest for their lady loves, played by Courtney Patterson and Bethany Anne Lind.

This year's Family Classic Series features a musical by the author of last summer's The Jungle Book. The Emperor and the Nightingale (July 14 - Aug. 3), adapted from the Hans Christian Andersen story, tells the tale of a beautiful songbird who transforms a troubled emperor into the land's wisest ruler. Terrance Jackson will portray the Emperor, with Ann Marie Gideon as his lovely Nightingale.

Finishing the season in the fall is a re-imagined production of Macbeth (Oct. 4 - 28), inspired by Orson Welles' 1936 Voodoo Macbeth and presented in partnership with NBAF (National Black Arts Festival).

Shakespeare in the Park performances begin at 7:30 p.m. Regular season performances are Tuesday through Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sunday at 2 and 7 p.m. Family Classic Series performances are Tuesday through Friday at 10 a.m., Saturday at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m., and Tuesday, July 17 and July 24 at 7 p.m.

Subscription packages are on sale now. Single tickets go on sale for Shakespeare in the Park on April 2 and for the rest of the season on April 23. For more information call the Box Office at 404.504.1473 or visit www.gashakespeare.org. Georgia Shakespeare is the Professional Theater in Residence at Oglethorpe University and is located at 4484 Peachtree Rd. NE, Atlanta, GA 30319.

Productions made possible by The Charles Loridans Foundation, The Kendeda Fund, The Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, The Metropolitan Atlanta Arts Fund, The Shubert Foundation, The Home Depot Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts and Turner Voices.