William Shakespeare News

The gorgeous first poster for Tony Award-winning actor and passionate director Mark Rylance's new UK production of William Shakespeare's classic comedy MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING starring Hollywood/Broadway/West End icons James Earl Jones and Vanessa Redgrave has been unveiled. Depicting two embracing lovers in silhouette astride suitcases packed and ready for travel, the mostly sepia-hued, monochrome image expertly depicts the romantic allure of the oft-performed canonical comic trifle.

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, announced today additional casting for its upcoming production of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet starring Elizabeth Olsen as Juliet. Academy Award winner William Hurt will play the role of Friar Laurence; Emmy Award nominee T.R. Knight has been cast as Mercutio and Tony Award nominee Daphne Rubin-Vega as the Nurse. CSC also announced that Finn Wittrock, previously announced to co-star as Romeo, has withdrawn from the production due to a film offer. A new Romeo and complete casting will be announced shortly. CSC's Romeo & Juliet, which begins performances Friday, September 27, will be directed by Tea Alagi? (Jackie). The official opening night is Wednesday, October 16. Romeo & Juliet will play a limited engagement through Sunday, November 3. Tickets will go on sale Thursday, September 5 at 12pm.

SPOTLIGHTERS Theatre presents a Young Actors Academy Performance -- the 2013 Upper School performance of AS YOU LIKE IT by William Shakespeare, directed by Janel Miley & Jonas Grey, running Aug 7, 8 & 9, 2013 at 7:00pm.

We Players (Artistic Director, Ava Roy; Managing Director, Lauren Dietrich Chavez), in partnership with the National Park Service/ Golden Gate National Recreation Area begin ticket sales for the site-integrated production of Shakespeare's Macbeth at Fort Point, the civil war era fortress located beneath the Golden Gate bridge on August 1, 2013. The production previews August 30 -September 1, then runs September 5 through October 6, 2013, Thursday through Sunday. For tickets and more information please call 415.547.0189 or visit www.weplayers.org.

Shakespeare gets the royal treatment with Capital Classics' THE WINTER'S TALE

Founded in 1979 by its Artistic Director, Jeffrey Horowitz, Theatre for a New Audience's next act is about to begin with the opening of its Center for Shakespeare and Classical Drama in Brooklyn. The inaugural production is Julie Taymor's staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream by William Shakespeare with original music by Elliot Goldenthal. Previews begin October 19 for an opening on November 2.

Theater for a New Audience has announced its 2013-2014 inaugural season, featuring A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, directed by Julie Taymor, KING LEAR, featuring Michael Pennington, and THE KILLER, starring Michael Shannon. Details below!

Playhouse Technical Director, Sean F. Gray is trying his hand at the Bard this summer with his own adaptation of A Midsummer Night's Dream. 'When I heard the first read I had remind myself that this was an adaptation and that i the original play the couples were not in fact same-sex,' said artistic director, Andrew Vonderschmitt, 'It just felt organic to the original script and I think makes even more sense than it did before.' Whether you like the Bard or not this production is sure to catch your attention from the sexy fairies to the imposing nobles to the mischievous Puck you ca't take your eyes of the stage. This show will prove to be an excellent example of how relevant Shakespeare's words are even today.

Marin Shakespeare Company continues its 2013 outdoor summer season with a new adaptation of 'A Comedy of Errors.' Check out a first look below!Marin Shakespeare Company continues its 2013 outdoor summer season with a new adaptation of 'A Comedy of Errors.' Check out a first look below!

Oak Park Festival Theatre, Oak Park's only Equity theatre and the Midwest's oldest professional outdoor classical theatre, is proud to award the first annual Young Artist Award to two remarkably generous and gifted 2013 Oak Park River Forest High School (OPRF) graduates, Scott Daniel and Jake Shadrake. Festival Theatre audiences for TWELFTH NIGHT tonight, July 26 will get a special treat - a short concert by the honorees and some of their gifted and generous friends. The performance will take place at 7:15 p.m. before the 8 p.m. show.

Chicago Shakespeare Theater (CST) presents William Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors, this summer's Chicago Shakespeare in the Parks production touring FREE FOR ALL to neighborhood parks across Chicago, today, July 26-August 25, 2013.

The Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) announces its 2013 - 2014 season which will include theatrical productions focused on the simplicity and beauty, as well as the awesome complexity, of love. For detailed information and tickets call the box office at 860-486-2113 or visit www.crt.uconn.edu.

Outrageous high comedy ensues as the pangs of unrequited love affect the unforgettable characters of Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, on stage at Hershey Area Playhouse August 15-18, 2013. Shows are at 7:30 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Elements Theatre Company of Cape Cod kicks off its 2013-14 year-long tribute to William Shakespeare with one of his most popular comedies, A Midsummer Night's Dream, August 9-11 and 16-18 at Paraclete House, Rock Harbor, Orleans. The inspiration for numerous adaptations, including Ingmar Bergman's "Smiles of a Summer Night," Stephen Sondheim's "A Little Night Music," and a star-studded 1999 feature film with Kevin Kline and Michelle Pfeiffer, A Midsummer Night's Dream is the perfect escape on a hot summer's eve.

El próximo 3 de agosto el Festival de Verano de Salzburgo presentará un montaje del clásico de Shakeaspeare coreografiado por el español Francesc Abós y dirigido por Henry Mason.

Milwaukee Repertory Theater announced casting today for Ragtime, the sweeping musical which will kick off The Rep's 2013/14 60th Anniversary Season in the Quadracci Powerhouse theater.

The new Shakespeare In The Park production of William Shakespeare's LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST kicks off tonight in Central Park at the Delacorte Theater and the star of the show and creative team discuss the fresh musical adaptation of the classic in a new interview as well as preview some of the rockin' new tunes penned precisely for this Public Theater production.

Orlando Shakespeare Theater in Partnership with UCF cools down this summer with 'Christmas in July'. During the three-day promotion, running today, July 25, 26, and 27, the Theater will offer $25 tickets for all seats to its three Signature Series shows this fall.

Students from Everyman Theatre's High School Summer Acting Intensive will wrap up their month-long program at the theatre with a performance of scenes from William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. The final performance will take place on Friday, August 2nd at 1:00pm in the theatre's second-floor rehearsal hall.

The 10-play season includes four exhilarating world premieres selected from the 2013 Colorado New Play Summit. Karen Zacarias' adaptation of Helen Thorpe's book Just Like Us, Catherine Trieschmann's comedy The Most Deserving, Matthew Lopez's heartfelt The Legend of Georgia McBride and Marcus Gardley's adaptation of Homer's epic poem, black odyssey, will all take to the stage to dazzle Denver audiences. Also selected for the season is a Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, an adaptation of a Marx Brother's script, Shakespeare's tragic masterpiece, a powerful and poignant love story and the return of a Christmas classic.