News & Events
Houston’s Summer of Shakespeare is now
School of Theatre & Dance and Brazos Bookstore present faculty-led discussions and performances in celebratory preview of the 41st annual Houston Shakespeare Festival
The School of Theatre & Dance and Brazos Bookstore have teamed up to present the inaugural Summer of Shakespeare, a celebration of all things related to the Bard as a new kickoff for the annual Houston Shakespeare Festival (HSF).
This year, the School of Theatre & Dance presents the 41st edition of the Houston Shakespeare Festival Aug. 1 – 9 at Miller Outdoor Theatre. Alternating performances of “Macbeth” and “The Merchant of Venice” begin at 8:30 p.m. each night of the festival.
As part of the preview celebration, UH faculty are doing dramatic readings of memorable Shakespeare passages and sharing their insights on his works -- including HSF plays “Macbeth” and “The Merchant of Venice.”
Summer of Shakespeare events are free. They started on June 12 and run through Aug. 12 at Brazos Bookstore (2421 Bissonnet St.). The remaining events are as follows:
Performances
“The Soliloquies” – 6 p.m., July 24: Jack Young, head of UH’s graduate acting program and HSF actor, performs the Bard’s most stirring speeches.
“Scenes for Kids” – 2 p.m., Aug. 8: Houston’s Main Street Theatre presents an abridged version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for young audiences.
Book Groups
“The Merchant of Venice” – 7 p.m., July 8: Jack Young and Ann Christensen, associate professor of English, will discuss one of the Bard’s most controversial works.
“The Tempest” – 7 p.m., Aug. 12: Rob Shimko examines one of Shakespeare’s final plays.
- By Mike Emery