The 23rd annual Texas Shakespeare Festival continues through July in Kilgore.

Being staged are Shakespeare’s “Richard III” and “Much Ado About Nothing,” the romantic “Cyrano de Bergerac,” the musical “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” an original play by festival Executive Director Raymond Caldwell called “Did You Hear Thunder?” and the premiere of “The Witch of Pickle Patch,” a play for children.

The festival was first presented in 1986 as Kilgore College’s contribution to the Texas Sesquicentennial celebration. Raymond Caldwell, a theater teacher at the college, was the founder and remains its executive director.

Get tickets: http://www.texasshakespeare.com/

Performers are selected from video auditions submitted by professional actors from across the country.

Performances for “Much Ado About Nothing,” “Cyrano de Bergerac,” “Richard III,” “The Witch of Pickle Patch” and the “Marvelous Wonderettes,” will take in the Van Cliburn Auditorium located at Kilgore College’s Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center.

“Did You Hear Thunder?” will be staged in the UpStairs Theater, located in the Festival Center, 815 Houston St., Kilgore.

SCHEDULE

“Much Ado About Nothing”: 7:30 p.m. on July 6, 8, 21, 23 and 2 p.m. on July 14, 16, 27, 29.

“Cyrano de Bergerac”: 7:30 p.m. on June 30, July 14, 16, 27, 29 and 2 p.m. July 7, 9, 20, 22

“Richard III”: 7:30 p.m. on July 1, 7, 9, 20, 22 and 2 p.m. on July 13, 15, 28, 30

“The Marvelous Wonderettes”: 7:30 p.m. on July 2, 13, 15, 28, 30 and 2 p.m. on July 6, 8, 21 and 23

“The Witch of Pickle Patch”: 10 a.m. on July 19-22, 25-29

“Did You Hear Thunder?”: 7:30 p.m. on July 13, 15, 18 and 2 p.m. on July 19, 21 and 23.

SPECIAL PERFORMANCES

Performers and technicians from China who are attending a three-week theater workshop hosted by the festival will present an original production, “Fabulous,” at 7:30 p.m. July 25. Admission is free.Set for 7:30 p.m. July 26, “Broadway Unplugged” features company members presenting music and comedy. The cost is $20.

TICKETS

Tickets can be purchased online at texasshakespeare.com, by phone at 903-983-8601 or at the box office in the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts. Group discounts are available.

FYI

Two of the plays were written by longtime festival participants. “The Witch of Pickle Patch,” was written and is being director by company member Jason Richards. It is making its world premier. “Did You Hear Thunder?” was written by Caldwell, who also is directing it.Stephen Wyman, the director of “Richard III,” was longtime producer of the daytime drama “Days of Our Lives.”

BACKSTAGE TOURS

Tour the backstage, dressing rooms and scene shop at the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center. Tours cost $5 Call 903-983-8601 to make a reservation.

PRE-SHOW INTRODUCTIONS

Pre-show introductions, in which information is provided about the upcoming performance, are held at 6:30 p.m. each Thursday and Friday in the lobby.

OPENING-NIGHT TALKS

Following each opening-night performance, directors, designers and cast members will field questions and comments from the audience.

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

Join festival representatives at 11 a.m. each Saturday in the Technical Vocational building directly behind the theatre for a discussion of the previous night’s play.

OPEN CHANGEOVERS

After every matinee, the audience is invited to stay and watch crews change the set and lights for the evening performance.