Ann Ciccolella News

BroadwayWorld has a first look at THE MERCHANT OF VENICE at Austin Shakespeare! Check out the photos!

Austin Shakespeare will bring the romance, comedy and dramatic clashes of The Merchant of Venice to the Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater in May.

Tom Stoppard is regarded as one of the greatest living playwrights of our day. His time spent in India in the 1940's as a boy, no doubt influenced the author's point of view in writing INDIAN INK. By modern terms, Stoppard's writing would be described as a slow burn, with a style gradually revealing plot and character as the play progresses. In INDIAN INK, the scenes travel long distances in both space and time, to reveal the heart of Flora Crewe played by Jill Blackwood. Examining the imperial British rule in early 20th century India - the clash of cultures between India and the British, display both the casualties and inspiration of such a combination. At the heart of our story Flora leaves England for a warmer climate amid advice from her doctor for her failing health. The story jumps back and forth between Flora navigating India in the early 1900's to more modern times detailing a biographer and her sister investigating the aftermath of her fascinating life. The story gently exposes itself as a subtle tale of love in many capacities. Love between sisters, scholarly love and the forbidden budding relationship between Flora and her portrait artist Nirad Das (played by Tamil Periasamy). As described of Flora throughout the show, her many affairs were fleeting, which made the building of her love for Nirad sweet, leaving the audience wanting more.

Songs from Cole Porter's delightful musical Kiss Me, Kate, performed by some of Austin's best singers on Jan. 13, will benefit Austin Shakespeare. Jill Blackwood, Leslie Bonnell, Sharron Bower Anderson and Jacqui Cross will sing with Brian Coughlin, Colum Morgan, Kyle Stephens and Scott Shipman at the Parker Jazz Club on W 4th St. just off Congress. The evening will also feature Tapestry Artistic Director Acia Gray tap-dancing to "Too Darn Hot." Austin Chronicle Arts Editor Robert Faires will be master of ceremonies for the evening.

]Austin Shakespeare today announced that it is a grantee recipient of Bloomberg Philanthropies' Arts Innovation and Management (AIM) program. The invitation-only program seeks to strengthen the organizational capacity and programming of small and mid-size cultural organizations within Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Denver, New Orleans, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. Through the $43 million multi-year initiative, Bloomberg Philanthropies will provide unrestricted general operating support as well as arts management training in areas that include fundraising, strategic planning, marketing and board development.

Austin Shakespeare will transform the Beverly S. Sheffield Zilker Hillside Theater into the world of a classic '50s sitcom for their Free Shakespeare in the Park production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. Produced in collaboration with the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department for the 34th year, Shakespeare's famous comedy will be performed under the stars from May 3 - May 27 on Thursdays - Sundays at 8 pm, with a preview performance on Wednesday, May 2. Co-directed by artistic director Ann Ciccolella and Gwendolyn Kelso, this year's play will be a nostalgic tribute to shows like "I Love Lucy."

Austin Shakespeare known predominantly for their love of the renaissance, jumps to the turn of the century Russian dramatist, Anton Chekhov, for his beloved play THE SEAGULL. Set aside a lake, our cast of characters desperately seek happiness despite the tragedy that befalls them during the play. Beginning with a play within a play, Konstantin (played by Andrew Matthews) is pining over his latest production and his love of the Russian countryside girl next store, Nina (play by Corinna Browning). Plagued by uncertainty, Konstantin debuts his original work to his family and house workers to receive mixed reviews from the onlookers and nasty commentary from his actress mother, Irina (played by Tyler Layton). Presenting all the relationships at once in the lakeside audience of Konstantin's play, all members seem to have mixed intentions with each other, with a majority of the characters loving the wrong person. Nina, the Russian countryside girl next door, ends up falling in love with a famous novelist Trigorin (played by Matt Radford Davies) attached to Irina, Konstantin's mother. Within the premise of love and ego, Austin Shakespeare brilliantly found Chekhov's comedy within character relationship and premise. The tragedy that unravels offstage to our cast of characters is equally as heart-breaking when reflecting on the hope our characters began with.

Austin Shakespeare brings Chekhov's revolutionary play, The Seagull, to the Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center from February 7 - 25, 2018. This is the first time the legendary Russian playwright's work will be performed by the professional (Actors' Equity) company.

Austin Shakespeare has long ruled the 'Bard scene' in Shakespearean production here in central Texas. Oh, sure, others produce a play or two, but Austin Shakes has been the top of the heap for decades. Their productions have always been filled with the best Austin has to offer and have delighted audiences time and time again. More recently there are some serious contenders for the throne, Something for Nothing, Present Company and The Hidden Room produce stellar Shakespearean fare with their own unique spin. I for one am excited to watch the healthy competition between these various companies because I know who the winner will be...us, the viewing public and what could be better than that?

For its 9th season, Young Shakespeare, Austin Shakespeare's teen company, will transform Richard Garriott de Cayeux's outdoor Curtain Theater (7400 Coldwater Canyon Drive) into the Forest of Arden for a production of the romantic comedy As You Like It. Featuring auditioned actors performing Shakespeare's beautiful poetry, As You Like It will run Thursdays through Sundays at 8 pm, tonight, June 15, through June 25, 2017. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

OLD TIMES is an enigmatic play by Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter that centers on a trio of characters and produced flawlessly by Austin Shakespeare at Austin's Long Center.

Austin Shakespeare seats the audience in the round for Harold Pinter's Old Times at The Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. This sensual, poetic and deeply unnerving drama is the 33-year-old company's first Pinter production. Performances will run at 8pm on Thursday - Saturday and 3pm on Sunday, tonight, February 16, through March 5, 2017. Scroll down for a first look at the cast in action!

Austin Shakespeare seats the audience in the round for Harold Pinter's Old Times at The Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

Austin Shakespeare seats the audience in the round for Harold Pinter's Old Times at The Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

Austin Shakespeare seats the audience in the round for Harold Pinter's Old Times at The Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center for the Performing Arts.

PRESENT LAUGHTER is a 1939 comedy by Noel Coward. The play's title comes from a song in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, 'present mirth hath present laughter', that urges the sense of carpe diem. Coward repeats one of his signature theatrical devices at the end of the play, where the main characters tiptoe out as the curtain falls - a device that he also used in Private Lives, Hay Fever and Blithe Spirit. The plot follows the life of self-obsessed actor Garry Essendine (Marc Pouhe) as he prepares for a theatrical tour in Africa. Amid a series of events that border on farce, Garry has to deal with women who want to be with him, placate both his secretary and his estranged wife, cope with a more than slightly crazed young playwright, and overcome an impending mid-life crisis. The story has been described by Coward as 'a series of semi-autobiographical pyrotechnics'.

A public reading of scenes from Ayn Rand's We the Living/The Unconquered will be performed today, September 29th, at 2pm at The Westside Theatre Downstairs (407 West 43rdStreet).

Austin Shakespeare's short run, staged reading of WOLF HALL, PART 1, transports the audience to the court of King Henry VIII with smooth staging and lavish costuming.

Austin Shakespeare is kicking off the 2016-2017 season with a staged reading of Hilary Mantel's Wolf Hall (Part I only), running September 22 - 25, 2016 at the Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. Mantel's best-selling novel, which was adapted for stage by Michael Poulton, is a thrilling reimagining of life under Henry VIII with an unlikely hero at the center, Thomas Cromwell, the son of a blacksmith who rose to become one of the most powerful men in England. After a sold-out Broadway run and rave reviews, Austin Shakespeare is thrilled to produce the Southwest premiere of Wolf Hall with a fully costumed staged reading directed by Artistic Director Ann Ciccolella.

A public reading of scenes from Ayn Rand's We the Living/The Unconquered will be performed on September 29th at 2pm at The Westside Theatre Downstairs (407 West 43rdStreet). Directed by Ann Ciccolella, We the Living/The Unconquered is produced by Austin Shakespeare, who produced a stage adaptation of Ayn Rand's Anthem Off-Broadway in 2013.