Your Guide to the Texas Shakespeare Festival
Published 8:00 am Friday, July 6, 2018
- DJ Canaday plays "Ferdinand" and Cadence Lamb plays "Princess of France" in the play "Love's Labour's Lost" which is one of the shows at the Texas Shakespeare Festival in Kilgore. (Sarah A. Miller/Tyler Morning Telegraph)
The Texas Shakespeare Festival returns to Kilgore College for a season of performances that continues through July.
In 1986 the Texas Shakespeare Festival was launched as Kilgore College’s contribution to the Texas Sesquicentennial. It has been going strong ever since.
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The troupe is made up of actors from throughout the United States selected through auditions. Performers and crew members stay in dorms at Kilgore College during their summer residency.
Here is a guide to this year’s festival.
THE SHOWS
“King John,” one of Shakespeare’s historical dramas, deals with the topics of social and political unrest, the consequences of decisions, human shortcomings and royal infighting.
“Love’s Labour’s Lost” is a comedy by Shakespaere about men who vow to give up women for fasting and studying. This version is set in the 1920s and includes music from the period.
“Tartuffe” is a comedy by Molière that tells what happens when a French aristocrat foolishly lets Tartuffe, a pretentious religious zealot, into his home.
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“110 in the Shade” was adapted from Richard Nash’s play “The Rainmaker” into a musical by Meaghan Simpson, associate artistic director. It tells what happens when a traveling conman shows up in a drought-stricken Western town.
“The Lovely Stepsister,” a children’s show written by company member Grace Abele, tells the story of one of Cinderella’s stepsisters who discovers the true meaning of beauty thanks to other fairy tale characters.
“The Belle of Amherst,” a one-woman show on the life of Emily Dickinson.
On Chinese Theater Night, performers from Chongqing and Shanghai, China, present an original show created for Texas Shakespeare Festival. The Talent Showcase features company members showing their singing, dancing and comedy talents in a variety show.
SEEING A SHOW
Performances take place in the Van Cliburn Auditorium located in Kilgore College’s Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center. The theater seats 195 .
Performances of “The Belle of Amherst” take place in the UpStairs Theater at 815 Houston St.
Ticket prices vary depending on the show and seat location. A season ticket is available. Tickets can be bought at texasshakespeare.com. The box office number is 903-983-8601.
THE SCHEDULE
July 1
7:30 p.m.: “110 in the Shade”
July 5
2 p.m.: “110 in the Shade”
7:30 p.m.: “Love’s Labour’s Lost”
July 6
2 p.m.: “Tartuffe”
7:30 p.m.: “King John”
July 7
2 p.m.: “110 in the Shade”
7:30 p.m.: “Love’s Labour’s Lost”
July 8
2 p.m.: “Tartuffe”
7:30 p.m.: “King John”
July 11
2 p.m.: “The Belle of Amherst”
July 12
2 p.m.: “King John”
7:30 p.m.: “110 in the Shade”
7:30 p.m.: “The Belle of Amherst”
July 13
2 p.m.: “Love’s Labour’s Lost”
7:30 p.m.: “Tartuffe”
July 14
2 p.m.: “King John”
7:30 p.m.: “110 in the Shade”
7:30 p.m.: “The Belle of Amherst”
July 15
2 p.m.: “Love’s Labour’s Lost”
7:30 p.m.: “Tartuffe”
July 18
10 a.m.: “The Lovely Stepsister”
July 19
10 a.m.: “The Lovely Stepsister”
2 p.m.: “Tartuffe”
7:30 p.m.: “King John”
July 20
10 a.m.: “The Lovely Stepsister”
2 p.m.: “110 in the Shade”
7:30 p.m.: Love’s Labour’s Lost”
July 21
10 a.m.: “The Lovely Stepsister”
2 p.m.: “Tartuffe”
7:30 p.m.: “King John”
July 22
2 p.m.: “110 in the Shade”
7:30 p.m.: “Love’s Labour’s Lost”
July 24
7:30 p.m.: Chinese Theater Night
July 25
2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.: Talent Showcase
July 26
10 a.m.: “The Lovely Stepsister”
2 p.m.: “Love’s Labour’s Lost”
7:30 p.m.: “Tartuffe”
July 27
10 a.m.: “The Lovely Stepsister”
2 p.m.: “King John”
7:30 p.m.: “Tartuffe”
July 28
10 a.m.: “The Lovely Stepsister”
2 p.m.: “Love’s Labour’s Lost”
7:30 p.m.: “Tartuffe”
July 29
2 p.m.: “King John”
7:30 p.m.: “110 in the Shade”
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