Virginia Shakespeare Festival 2016
The 2016 season features two of Shakespeare’s romances, Romeo & Juliet and Cymbeline. These two plays marry well together, as they feature stories of forbidden love, just a touch of family drama, and hard-learned lessons in the importance of communication.
We open our season on June 29th with the timeless tale of Romeo & Juliet. Directed by our own Artistic Director Christopher Owens, this show is dressed to impress with thrilling fight choreography done by Joseph Travers and exciting dances choreographed by Denise Wade. And with an incredible cast including William & Mary alumni Brittany Liu as Juliet and Houston native Mateo Mpinduzi-Mott as Romeo, this is one show that should not be missed.
Heads will roll in Cymbeline, Shakespeare’s last “romance”, a story involving vast kingdoms, evil queens, and an elaborate slanderous
This season will wrap up with an exciting collaboration with the Folger Theatre in Gravedigger’s Tale. This is a one-man show directed by Robert Richmond and led up by the Gravedigger himself, played by Louis Butelli. This show puts the great tragedy of Hamlet in the hands of the Gravedigger, a character who shows up in Act V to perform a comic exchange with a fellow gravedigger before presenting Hamlet with Yorick the Jester’s skull.
Gravedigger’s Tale pulls the audience in -quite literally- using Shakespeare’s words to move the story along and is sure to delight fans of the original tragedy and newcomers alike, though you might want to brush up on your knowledge of Hamlet to really indulge in this character’s humor.
Make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Snapchat for quick updates, meet and greets with cast and crew, and other behind the scenes sneak peeks. We can’t wait to share this season with you!
Show Dates:
Romeo and Juliet — June 29 – July 10
Cymbeline — July 14 – 24
Gravedigger’s Tale — July 26 – Aug. 7
Stop by the Phi Beta Kappa Hall Box Office or visit the the website to purchase tickets.
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