Houston Shakespeare Festival

Last updated
Houston Shakespeare Festival
Genre Repertory theatre
BeginsApril
EndsAugust
FrequencyAnnual
Location(s) Houston, Texas, USA
Years active49
Inaugurated1975
Attendanceover 1 million
Website www.uh.edu/shakespeare

The Houston Shakespeare Festival (HSF) is a regional repertory theatre in Houston, Texas, United States. Each summer, the Houston Shakespeare Festival produces a season of two Shakespeare plays in repertory. Since its inception in 1975, HSF has entertained over a million theatergoers with free performances in Hermann Park's Miller Outdoor Theatre. The Houston Shakespeare Festival has since become one of the major events on Houston's summer entertainment calendar. HSF is a recognized Actors' Equity Association theatre. [1]

Contents

History

In the summer of 1975, Dr. Sidney Berger, the then Director of the University of Houston's School of Theatre and Dance, met with the college's administrators and the Miller Outdoor Theatre Advisory Council to enlist support for a two-production season of Shakespeare's works to be played in repertory on Miller Theatre's bill.

The first year was met with acclaim, with audience size exceeding projections and local citizens writing letter of support to the University of Houston. As years have passed, HSF's budget has increased. The University of Houston provides access to its scenery workshops, office rooms, a rehearsal area and more. In 1989, The Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts gifted an endowment for HSF to enter a seasonal agreement with Actors' Equity Association.

Berger, who had started work in Houston in 1969, retired in 2007. The last play he directed at the Festival was Much Ado About Nothing , in 2010. [2]

Leadership

Production history

[3]

YearShowDirectorNotable Actors
1975 The Taming of the Shrew Sidney Berger Brett Cullen
A Midsummer Night's Dream Cecil Pickett Brett Cullen
1976 The Tempest Cecil Pickett Brett Cullen
Romeo and Juliet Sidney Berger Brett Cullen
1977 The Comedy of Errors Cecil Pickett Brett Cullen
Hamlet Sidney Berger Brett Cullen
1978 The Merry Wives of Windsor Cecil Pickett Brett Cullen
Macbeth Sidney Berger James Harper, Brett Cullen
1979 Much Ado About Nothing Sidney Berger Brett Cullen
Twelfth Night Cecil Pickett Brett Cullen
1980 King Lear Sidney Berger Dan O'Herlihy
As You Like It Cecil Pickett
1981 A Midsummer Night's Dream Sidney Berger
The Merchant of Venice Cecil Pickett
1982 The Tempest Cecil Pickett
Love's Labor's Lost Sidney Berger
1983 The Winter's Tale Charles Krohn
The Comedy of Errors Sydney Berger
1984 Hamlet Sidney Berger Kenneth Marshall
The Two Gentlemen of Verona Charles Krohn
1985 Richard III Sidney Berger Frank Barrie, Rutherford Cravens
Measure For Measure Charles Krohn Rutherford Cravens
1986 Othello Sidney Berger Richard Lawson, Rutherford Cravens
All's Well That Ends Well Charles Krohn Rutherford Cravens
1987 Julius Caesar Kate Pogue Rutherford Cravens
The Taming of the Shrew Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
1988 Richard II Kate Pogue Rutherford Cravens, James Gale
Twelfth Night Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens, James Gale, Suzanne Savoy
1989 Coriolanus Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
As You Like It Greg Leaming Rutherford Cravens
1990 Troilus and Cressida Rutherford Cravens Rutherford Cravens
The Tempest Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
1991 The Merchant of Venice Sidney Berger Tom Klunis, Rutherford Cravens
The Merry Wives of Windsor Rutherford Cravens Rutherford Cravens
1992 Romeo and Juliet Carolyn Houston Boone Rutherford Cravens
Much Ado About Nothing Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
1993 Henry V Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
A Midsummer Night's Dream Carolyn Houston Boone Rutherford Cravens
1994 Hamlet Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
Love's Labor Lost Carolyn Houston Boone Rutherford Cravens
1995 Pericles Carolyn Houston Boone Rutherford Cravens
As You Like It Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
1996 The Winter's Tale Beth Sandford Rutherford Cravens
Macbeth Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
1997 The Tempest Carolyn Houston Boone Rutherford Cravens
The Comedy of Errors Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
1998 The Two Gentlemen of Verona Rutherford Cravens Rutherford Cravens
King Lear Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
1999 Twelfth Night Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
The Taming of the Shrew Beth Sandford Rutherford Cravens
2000 The Merry Wives of Windsor Rutherford Cravens Rutherford Cravens
Othello Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
2001 Romeo and Juliet Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
King John Rutherford Cravens Rutherford Cravens
2002 A Midsummer Night's Dream Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
Measure For Measure Rutherford Cravens Rutherford Cravens
2003 The Winter's Tale Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
Much Ado About Nothing Rod Bundy Rutherford Cravens, Jason Douglas
2004 Macbeth Rob Bundy Rutherford Cravens, Jason Douglas
The Taming of the Shrew Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
2005 Hamlet Carolyn Houston Boone Rutherford Cravens
As You Like It Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
2006 Titus Andronicus Carolyn Houston Boone Rutherford Cravens
The Tempest Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
2007 Romeo and Juliet Carolyn Houston Boone Jessica Boone, Rutherford Cravens
Love's Labor's Lost Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
2008 Julius Caesar Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
Cymbeline Carolyn Houston Boone Jessica Boone, Rutherford Cravens
2009 Twelfth Night Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens
Pericles Carolyn Houston Boone Rutherford Cravens
2010 Much Ado About Nothing Sidney Berger Rutherford Cravens, Bob Boudreaux
A Midsummer Night's Dream Carolyn Houston Boone Rutherford Cravens
2011 Othello Leah C. Gardiner Seth Gilliam, Rutherford Cravens
The Taming of the Shrew Jack Young Seth Gilliam, Rutherford Cravens
2012 Hamlet Steve Pickering Cindy Pickett, Mark Metcalf, Rutherford Cravens
The Comedy of Errors Paul Steger Cindy Pickett, Mark Metcalf, Rutherford Cravens
2013 Antony and Cleopatra Leah C. Gardiner Seth Gilliam, Rutherford Cravens
As You Like It Marc Masterson Seth Gilliam, Rutherford Cravens
2014 Henry IV, Part I Jack Young David Rainey, David Huynh
Two Gentlemen of Verona Brendon Fox Kiara Feliciano, Amelia Fischer
2015 Merchant of Venice Tiger ReelJack Young, Mirron Willis
Macbeth Jack Young Adam Noble, Tracie Thomason
2016 Henry V Lenny Banovez Brendon Marshall-Rashid, Susie Parr
Much Ado About Nothing Jack Young Demetria Thomas, Patrick Poole
2017 Twelfth Night Jack YoungDylan Paul, Tracie Thomason, Meg Rodgers, Mike Lee, Patrick Poole
Richard III Lenny BanovezJack Young, Madison Hart, Patrick Poole, Carlton Warnberg, Dylan Paul
2018 Hamlet Jack YoungShannon Hill, Demetria Thomas, Crash Buist, Shannon Uphold
Comedy of Errors Jack YoungAndrew Garrett, Crash Buist
2019 Julius Caesar Jack YoungDean Coutris, Crash Buist, Andrew Garret, David Huynh
As You Like It Stephanie ShineLaura Frye Banovez, David Huynh
2020Canceled
Canceled
2021Canceled
Canceled
2022 Cymbeline Jack Young
King Lear Stephanie ShineJack Young
2023 Much Ado About Nothing Amelia FischerAllison Pistorius,
Macbeth Demetria ThomasAlan Brincks, Laura Frye
2024 A Midsummer Night's Dream Amelia FischerAlan Brincks, Laura Frye, Michael Sifuentes, Wesley Whitson
Macbeth Jack YoungSophia Marcelle, Kyle Clark

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Repertory theatre</span> Theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire

A repertory theatre, also called repertory, rep, true rep or stock, which are also called producing theatres, is a theatre in which a resident company presents works from a specified repertoire, usually in alternation or rotation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stratford Festival</span> Theatre festival in Ontario, Canada

The Stratford Festival is a theatre festival which runs from April to October in the city of Stratford, Ontario, Canada. Founded by local journalist Tom Patterson in 1952, the festival was formerly known as the Stratford Shakespearean Festival, the Shakespeare Festival and the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. The festival was one of the first arts festivals in Canada and continues to be one of its most prominent. It is recognized worldwide for its productions of Shakespearean plays.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon Shakespeare Festival</span> Repertory theatre in Oregon, United States

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is a regional repertory theatre in Ashland, Oregon, United States, founded in 1935 by Angus L. Bowmer. The Festival now offers matinee and evening performances of a wide range of classic and contemporary plays not limited to Shakespeare. During the Festival, between five and eleven plays are offered in daily rotation six days a week in its three theatres. It welcomed its millionth visitor in 1971, its 10-millionth in 2001, and its 20-millionth visitor in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Utah Shakespeare Festival</span> Annual Theatrical Festival in Cedar City, Utah, United States

The Utah Shakespeare Festival is a theatrical festival that performs works by Shakespeare as their cornerstone. The Festival is held during the summer and fall on the campus of Southern Utah University in Cedar City, Utah, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">San Jose Repertory Theatre</span>

The San Jose Repertory Theatre was the first resident professional theatre company in San Jose, California. It was founded in 1980 by James P. Reber. In 2008, after the demise of the American Musical Theatre of San Jose, the San Jose Rep became the largest non-profit, professional theatre company in the South Bay with an annual operating budget of $5 million. In 2006, it was saved from impending insolvency by a $2 million bailout loan from the city of San Jose; this was later restructured into a long-term loan similar to a mortgage.

Joseph Bernard Fuqua is an American actor, director, instructor and playwright.

Intiman Theatre is a resident theater company in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1972 by Margaret "Megs" Booker, who named it after Strindberg's Intimate Theater in Stockholm. Through its history, the professional theatre company has been based at various venues in Seattle; since 2021, it has been located as theatre-in-residence at Seattle Central College, performing in two venues on that campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colorado Shakespeare Festival</span> Shakespeare festival in Boulder, Colorado

The Colorado Shakespeare Festival is a professional acting company in association with the University of Colorado at Boulder. It was established in 1958, making it one of the oldest such festivals in the United States, and has roots going back to the early 1900s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Repertory Theatre</span>

The Pacific Repertory Theatre is a non-profit California corporation, based in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, that produces theatrical productions and events, including the annual Carmel Shakespeare Festival. It is one of eight major arts institutions in Monterey County, as designated by the Community Foundation of Monterey County, and is supported in part by grants from the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, the Berkshire Foundation and the Monterey Peninsula Foundation.

The Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA), Formally known as The Shakespeare Theatre Association of America, was established to provide a forum for the artistic and managerial leadership of theatres whose central activity is the production of Shakespeare's plays; to discuss issues and share methods of work, resources, and information; and to act as an advocate for Shakespearean productions throughout the world. The name was changed in January 2011 to reflect the increasingly international reach of Shakespeare and the Shakespeare Theatre Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yvonne Arnaud Theatre</span> Theatre in Guildford, England

The Yvonne Arnaud Theatre is a theatre located in Guildford, Surrey, England. Named after the actress Yvonne Arnaud, it presents a series of locally produced and national touring productions, including opera, ballet and pantomime. The theatre has two performance venues, the main auditorium and the smaller Mill Studio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moores School of Music</span> Music school of the University of Houston

The Rebecca and John J. Moores School of Music is the music school of the University of Houston. The Moores School offers the Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Arts in Music, Master of Music, and Doctor of Musical Arts degrees in music performance, conducting, theory and composition, music history and literature, pedagogy, and music education and also offers a Certificate of Music Performance. It is a component of the University of Houston's Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts. The Moores School is a fully accredited member of the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM). Its namesakes are UH alumni John Moores and his former wife Rebecca. As of 2023–2024, the Director of the Moores School is Brian Kai Chin.

Main Street Theater is a theatre company in the city of Houston, Texas. It consistently produces a repertoire of classic and contemporary plays, and its seasons generally run throughout the entire year.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas Repertory Theatre</span>

Arkansas Repertory Theatre(The Rep) is the longest-running nonprofit resident theater in Arkansas. It is affiliated with Actors' Equity Association and offers a year-round season. The Rep is housed in a 377-seat facility in Little Rock, Arkansas. It was founded in 1976 by Cliff Fannin Baker.

Suzanne Savoy is an American actress and voice artist best known for playing Victoria Robertson in Steven Soderbergh's Cinemax series The Knick and DNC Chairwoman Patricia Whittaker in House of Cards, and for her one-woman touring show Je Christine about late-Medieval author Christine de Pizan. She appears in and does voice-overs for many commercials, and has roles ranging from minor to starring in both film and television. Savoy appears on the Breaking Bad fan site as lawyer Perry Trivedi in the award-winning prequel series, Better Call Saul.

The Actor's Workshop was a theatre company founded in San Francisco in 1952. It was the first professional theatre on the west coast to premiere many of the modern American classics such as Arthur Miller's Death of a Salesman and The Crucible, and the world dramas of Samuel Beckett, Bertolt Brecht, Jean Genet and Harold Pinter. For the 1953–1954 season, the Workshop offered six plays: Lysistrata, by Aristophanes; Venus Observed, by Christopher Fry; Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller; a revival of Playboy; The Cherry Orchard, by Anton Chekhov; and Tonight at 8.30, by Noël Coward. On April 15, 1955, the Actor's Workshop signed the first Off-Broadway Equity contract to be awarded outside New York City.

Oak Park Festival Theatre (OPFT) is a professional theatre company in Oak Park, Illinois, under contract with Actors' Equity Association. The company was founded in 1975 by Marion Kaczmar, an Oak Park resident and arts patron, and performed Renaissance works, almost exclusively by William Shakespeare, until 2004, when it broadened its scope to classics of other eras. Its outdoor venue has been Austin Gardens, a wooded park near downtown Oak Park within walking distance from restaurants, Frank Lloyd Wright landmarks, and Metra and CTA trains. To attract a greater following, Renaissance, classical, and modern American works were added to the offerings, some being produced indoors in historic Farson-Mills Home and, in the 2010-11 season, in the studio space in the Madison Street Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keith Fowler</span> American actor (1939-2023)

Keith Franklin Fowler was an American actor, director, producer, and educator. He was a professor of drama and former head of directing in the Drama Department of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts of the University of California, Irvine (UCI), and the artistic director of two LORT/Equity theaters.

The School of Theatre and Dance is a department within the Kathrine G. McGovern College of the Arts at the University of Houston. The School offers both Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Fine Arts programs, including a Bachelor of Fine Arts in acting, stage management, technical theatre, theatre education and a joint degree in both playwrighting and dramaturgy; all at the undergraduate level. Graduate programs are offered in: acting, theatre studies, theatrical design, technical direction, and theatre education. The current Director of the School of Theatre and Dance is Rob Shimko, a position he has held since 2016.

William Hardy was an American actor and theatre director with a lifelong career on both the stage and screen.

References

  1. "KUHF Night at the Houston Shakespeare Festival". Classical917.org. 2009-07-31. Retrieved 2013-06-24.
  2. "Remembering Longtime Theatre Director Sidney Berger". Targeted News Service. 16 Feb. 2013 – via Gale OneFile.
  3. "Houston Shakespeare Festival - Season History". Houstonfestivalscompany.com. Retrieved 2013-06-24.

29°43′31″N95°20′38″W / 29.725156°N 95.344017°W / 29.725156; -95.344017