Ashland's Elizabethan Stage Opens June 13-15

ASHLAND, ORE.--Two of William Shakespeare's most popular plays and Thornton Wilder's universally relevant tale about Grover's Corners will open on the outdoor Elizabethan Stage/Allen Pavilion June 13-15 and run through October 10-12. Some tickets remain available for previews and openings. To purchase tickets click here or call the Box Office at (541) 482-4331.

New artistic director Bill Rauch is pleased to celebrate these two Shakespearean classics as well as to stage the first American play in OSF's outdoor theater. "Our Town is the right play to push the boundaries," Rauch said, "because, like Shakespeare, Wilder put emphasis on the imaginative exchange between audience and the actors. Sitting outside with the moon and stars overhead, audiences will have a more immediate connection to Wilder's themes of human connection amidst the vastness of the universe," Rauch said.

The opening outdoor performance of the weekend begins at 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 13, with William Shakespeare's Othello. Director Lisa Peterson has set the play in the Jacobean period and the costumes, set and music emphasize the intensive divisions and dichotomies of this wartime story. Scenic design is by Rachel Hauck, costume design by Christopher Acebo and lighting design by Alexander V. Nichols. Dramaturg is Jeff Rogers, voice and text director is Scott Kaiser, movement director is John Sipes and sound designer is Paul James Prendergast.

Peter Macon, in his debut at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, plays Othello and veteran OSF actor Dan Donohue plays Iago. Sarah Rutan is Desdemona and Vilma Silva is Emilia. Others in the cast include Danforth Comins as Cassio, Christopher DuVal as Roderigo, and Tony DeBruno as Brabantio and Gratiano. For a complete list of cast and designers, visit our site.

Onstage Saturday evening, June 14, at 8:30 p.m. is Thornton Wilder's Our Town, the timeless story of the residents of a turn-of-the-century (20th) New Hampshire town. While on the surface the tale seems like a simple retelling of everyday life, underneath powerful currents of love, joy, disappointment and heartbreak transform ordinary lives into something extraordinary. Directed by Chay Yew, this production offers audiences an opportunity to revisit and be reminded of the depth and complexity of this play.

The cast of 25 includes a mix of OSF veterans and newcomers. Anthony Heald will play the Stage Manager; Todd Bjurstrom is George Gibbs, Mahira Kakkar is Emily Webb, Hassan El-Amin and Demetra Pittman play Dr. and Mrs. Gibbs, and Kimberly Scott and Richard Howard play Mr. and Mrs. Webb. Also in the cast are Rex Young, James Edmondson, Dan Donohue, Catherine E. Coulson, Jonathan Haugen, Bill Geisslinger, Dee Maaske and Robynn Rodriguez.

The costumes are designed by Anita Yavich, scenic design is by Richard L. Hay, lighting design by Robert Peterson, dramaturg is Judith Rosen, voice and text direction by Louis Colaianni and music by Todd Barton. Visit our website for a comprehensive list of cast and designers.

On Sunday, June 15, Shakespeare's The Comedy of Errors opens at 8:30 p.m. Longtime OSF favorite Penny Metropulos directs this zany Old West adaptation that features plenty of Shakespeare and a strong infusion of music and song. The two sets of separated-at-birth twins are played by Jeremy Peter Johnson and Mark Bedard (the Antipholi twins) and John Tufts and Tasso Feldman (the Dromio twins). Miriam A. Laube and Emily Sophia Knapp play Adriana and Luciana, respectively. Also in the cast are Hassan El-Amin, David Kelly, Ren Milln, Cristofer Jean, Armando Durn, Linda Alper, K.T. Vogt and many more. Musicians are Sterling Tinsley, Frank Sullivan, Bruce McKern and Crystal Reeves. A complete list of cast and designers is available here.

Scenic design is by Michael Ganio, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Robert Peterson, music by Sterling Tinsley and choreography by Suzanne Seiber. Jeff Rogers is dramaturg, Louis Colaianni is voice and text director, John Sipes is movement and fight director, with assistance from U. Jonathan Toppo. Rebecca Easton is the FAIR assistant director.

Check here for actor and designer biographical information.

The outdoor productions join six productions already in repertory at OSF. Playing in the Angus Bowmer Theatre are Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, August Wilson's Fences, Sudraka's The Clay Cart and Jeff Whitty's The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler. In the New Theatre is Julie Marie Myatt's world premiere production of Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter and Shakespeare's timely wartime and election story, Coriolanus. Luis Alfaro's Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner opens July 5 in the New Theatre, and Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge will open July 26 in the Angus Bowmer Theatre.

THE NEW GREEN SHOW
The new Green Show, produced by Claudia Alick (Associate Producer, Community), offers an ambitious and diverse line-up of artists performing June 3 - October 12 on the OSF courtyard stage (on the Bricks). The mix of acts range from Judy Kennedy and the original Green Show Renaissance dancers to Metal Shakespeare Company showcasing Shakespeare scenes adapted for heavy metal music performed in full costume. More than 50 different acts will be performed on the bricks during the Green Show season. Local favorites include Rutendo! Marimba, Siskiyou Violins, Rogue Valley Peace Choir, Rogue Opera, and the return of past OSF favorites Sue Carney and the Terra Nova Consort.

Green Show performances take place in the Festival courtyard before evening theatre performances, every night of the week but Monday. Start times are 7:15 p.m., June 3 - August 10, and 6:45 p.m., August 12 - October 12. The Green Show performances last approximately 35 minutes. More information, including the full Green Show schedule, is available here.

FEAST OF WILL
Join the Ashland Lions Club and the Early Bird Club as they serve up a hearty Feast of Will. Held in Lithia Park on Friday, June 13 at 6:00 p.m., the annual festive event celebrates the opening of the Elizabethan Stage and the beginning of summer. Dinner is BBQ chicken and vegetarian lasagna, and entertainment is provided by the Siskiyou Singers and bagpipers. Tickets are $14 and sold through the OSF Box Office.

PREVIEWS AND OPENINGS
Theatregoers can save 20 percent on preview performances that run June 3 through June 12 on the Elizabethan Stage (see the schedule below). Check ticket availability and buy online or call (541) 482-4331 or visit the Box Office at 15 South Pioneer Street, Ashland. The schedule of preview and opening shows is as follows. All performances begin at 8:30 p.m. There is no late seating.

Othello (June 3- October 10)
Previews: June 3, 6, 10
Opening: June 13