THEATRE + COMEDY

Houstonians soon will celebrate 35 years of Shakespeare in the summertime. Since 1975, the Houston Shakespeare Festival (HSF) has brought the Bard’s works to the Bayou City. This year, the event will showcase productions of Twelfth Night and Pericles July 31 – Aug. 9 at Miller Outdoor Theatre.

Heralded by many historians as one of Shakespeare’s greatest comedies, Twelfth Night (directed by Sidney Berger) focuses on shipwrecked heroine Viola. Separated from her twin brother, she assumes the identity of Cesario, a male page for Duke Orsino. Soon, she finds herself in an awkward romantic predicament. She falls for the duke, who in turn is in love with Lady Olivia. Adding to the complication is Olivia’s attraction to Cesario (aka Viola).

“This is without a doubt one of Shakespeare’s most performed plays,” said Berger, the festival’s founder and John and Rebecca Moores Professor of Theatre. “To discuss his bent for comedy would take a book. These talents are clearly evident in this play, which has long remained an audience favorite.”

Pericles (directed by Carolyn Boone) is regarded as one of the Bard’s hidden gems. It tells the story of the titular character’s adventures during his search for a spouse. He finds love and a family but loses both. Pericles, his love Thaisa, and their daughter Marina, ultimately find themselves on separate…and sometimes dangerous… journeys toward a possible reunion.

Performances begin at 8:30 p.m. Admission is free, but tickets are required for covered seating and are available at the Miller Outdoor Theatre box office between 10:30am-1pm and one hour prior to each performance. For theater information, call 713-533-3276. For more details on HSF, visit www.houstonfestivalscompany.com.  

Performances begin at 8:30 p.m.
“Twelfth Night”: July 31, Aug. 2, 4, 6, 8
“Pericles”: Aug. 1, 5, 7, 9

Presented by the University of Houston and City of Houston with media sponsorship by KUHF 88.7 FM, HSF has entertained nearly half a million theatergoers with free outdoor performances.

Pictured (above and below):  Celeste Roberts as Olivia and Jennifer Cherry as Viola.  Photographer - Pin Lim, Forest Photography.