Laura Rook News

Asolo Offers Sobering Drama in The Crucible

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST), the City of Chicago, Chicago Park District, and Boeing partner to present the annual citywide summer tradition, Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks. Made possible by production sponsor BMO Harris Bank, 25 performances of Shakespeare's timeless classic A Midsummer Night's Dream, adapted and directed by the Theater's founder and artistic director Barbara Gaines, will tour free for all to 18 neighborhood parks across the City, July 25-August 26, 2018.

With its stellar cast and direction, you are unlikely to find a better production of RHINOCEROS anywhere!

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, based on the Academy-Award winning film of the same name, opened at Asolo Rep on January 11th and runs through March 28th. Directed by Rachel Rockwell, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE imagines the life of a young William Shakespeare, a writer struggling to come up with an idea for his next play. Enter Viola, a young woman who begins as his admirer and ends up as his muse.

SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, based on the Academy-Award winning film of the same name, opened at Asolo Rep on January 11th and runs through March 28th. SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE imagines a young William Shakespeare, desperately trying to come up with an idea for his next play. Enter Viola, a young woman who begins as his admirer and ends up as his muse.

Asolo Rep proudly kicks off its repertory season with SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, the stunning new stage adaptation of Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard's triumphant Academy Award-winning film. The film starred Gwyneth Paltrow as Viola, who garnered an Oscar for the role, Joseph Fiennes as Will, and Dame Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth. This lush, sweeping and timeless romantic comedy will be helmed by director and choreographer Rachel Rockwell. Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions and Sonia Friedman Productions and adapted for the stage by Lee Hall, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE previews January 10 and 11, opens January 12 and runs in rotating repertory through March 28 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

Asolo Repertory Theatre continues its rep season with Eug ne Ionesco's RHINOCEROS. It is directed by two-time Tony Award-winner Frank Galati, who, with the support of the Ionesco estate, has streamlined the script from the original three acts to two, making it more relevant to today's audience. The satirical comic masterpiece previews February 7 and 8, opens February 9 and runs in rotating repertory through April 14 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

Asolo Rep proudly kicks off its repertory season with SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE, the stunning new stage adaptation of Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard's triumphant Academy Award-winning film. The film starred Gwyneth Paltrow as Viola, who garnered an Oscar for the role, Joseph Fiennes as Will, and Dame Judi Dench as Queen Elizabeth. This lush, sweeping and timeless romantic comedy will be helmed by director and choreographer Rachel Rockwell. Originally produced by Disney Theatrical Productions and Sonia Friedman Productions and adapted for the stage by Lee Hall, SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE previews January 10 and 11, opens January 12 and runs in rotating repertory through March 28 in the Mertz Theatre, located in the FSU Center for the Performing Arts.

Watch director James DeVita discuss CYRANO DE BERGERAC at American Players Theatre!

Watch director John Langs discuss staging A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at American Players Theatre!

One of Chekov's most well known works, THREE SISTERS will play at American Players Theatre until September 23. See what the critics are saying!

CYRANO DE BERGERAC at American Players Theatre's newly renovated Hill Theatre is a timeless romance filled with wit and heart-stopping action.

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at American Players Theatre's newly renovated Hill Theatre brings a modern spin on this Shakespearean classic, which first played on the American Players Theatre stage thirty seven years ago.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater presents Shakespeare's playful romantic comedy Love's Labor's Lost, staged by acclaimed director Marti Maraden as part of the Theater's 30th Anniversary Season. Four gentlemen foreswear love and worldly pleasures for scholarly pursuits, only to be put to the test by the arrival of four beautiful ladies from the French Court-and the ensuing hysterical misadventures.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for Shakespeare's playful romantic comedy Love's Labor's Lost, staged by acclaimed director Marti Maraden as part of the Theater's 30th Anniversary Season.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) announces the cast and creative team for Shakespeare's playful romantic comedy Love's Labor's Lost, staged by acclaimed director Marti Maraden as part of the Theater's 30th Anniversary Season.

  Theater should have an effect on the audience, and this show does exactly that. We are told in the beginning by Charlie (Nate Burger) that tomorrow is Mary's Wedding, tonight is a dream.

American Players Theater's William Brown Brings King Lear into the contemporary world, but does that make this Shakespearean Tragedy Relevant? In a word, Yes! The good King has his retirement all mapped out when lo and behold, his family all of people just refuse to cooperate.

When the audience arrives at American Players (APT) Up the Hill Theatre for the opening of William Shakespeare's King Lear, they might believe a presidential press conference will be staged. Green lawn expands into the audience, actors place contemporary white chairs in a distinct pattern and a glass podium greets the audience--and plenty of paparazzi appear to capture the King, the Duke of Gloucester and Duchess of Kent, and Lear's three daughters entering the lawn party. At night under the stars, the royal staging opens when the King appears announcing his 'retirement,' dividing his kingdom to his three progeny. Two dutiful daughters ascend to the podium pronouncing their love, while Cordelia speaks from the back row of chairs, the front of the Up The Hill Theatre. Goneril, Regan and Cordelia were 'dressed to kill', so to speak in sophisticated, fashion worthy coats and the appropriate fascinators, for English royalty, as were the men.This beginning places the audience firmly in a King Lear crafted for the current day, up to the very minute audiences.

Quite refreshing and revitalizing as a summer breeze, American Players Theater (APT) opened their 2016 Up the Hill season in Spring Green with a wild version of William Shakespeare's Comedy of Errors. Directed by the well-known David Frank, this condensed Comedy revisits a slight nod to Lewis Carroll's 'The Adventures of Alice in Wonderland.' The production plays broadly by quoting  Shakespeare's verse with a tongue in cheek delivery also heightened by Victorian costumes designed by Fabio Tablini.  The imaginative designer envisioned two Dromios which might resemble Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee, clothed in wide striped pants, vivid colored jackets and huge straw hats. The story set amid an Ephesus where square marble columns and a great gate placed on the left Up The Hill stage fashioned by Scenic Designer Nayna Ramey, gives Ephesus a rather dream like quality.