THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR to Open at Agecroft Hall

Agecroft Hall will once again host the Richmond Shakespeare Festival, a local favorite for fifteen years. Tickets are now on sale at www.tix.com. The Festival opened with Cymbeline (believed to be a Richmond premiere), running June 7th through 30th.

The second show of the summer is The Merry Wives of Windsor, which will run July 5-29. Directed by Dr. Shirley Kagan, head of the theatre program at Hampden-Sydney College, and staged in historical dress, this is the giddy story of misplaced love in the little town of Windsor, this most light-hearted of Shakespeare’s plays brings back one of his most beloved characters of all time: the fat old rogue, Sir John Falstaff.

Three of Richmond’s most beloved local actors play leading roles: the manager of the historic Byrd Theatre, Todd A. Schall-Vess, is Sir John Falstaff; Mistress Ford is played by Richmond Shakespeare co-founder and Head of Education, Cynde Liffick; and Mistress Page will be played by Melissa Johnston Price, voted Richmond’s Favorite Actress for two years running (2011 and 2012) by readers of Style Magazine.

The ensemble cast also includes Thomas Bell, Thomas Cunningham, Sam Fairley, Jeremy Gershman, David Janosik, Evan Nasteff, Thomas Nowlin, Stephen Ryan, Brittany Simmons, Dan Stearns, and Brooke Turner, with live music by Matt Treacy.

Interim artistic director Jan Powell says, “The Festival’s fifteenth year at Agecroft promises to be the best yet! With such surprises and delights as are in these two plays, and a cast and company teeming with talent, as Susan Haubenstock said: ‘the peak theatrical experience to be had in Richmond is back: summer Shakespeare at Agecroft Hall.’”