Houston Shakespeare Festival

Houston Shakespeare Festival
GenreRepertory theatre
BeginsApril
EndsAugust
FrequencyAnnual
LocationsHouston, Texas, USA
Years active51
Inaugurated1975
Attendanceover 1 million
Websitewww.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]

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][4]

Year Show Director Notable Actors
1975 The Taming of the Shrew Sidney Berger Richard McWilliams
A Midsummer Night's Dream Cecil Pickett Richard McWilliams, Cindy Pickett
1976 The Tempest Cecil Pickett Brett Cullen, Christopher Rich
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 James Harper, 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, Blue Deckert
As You Like It Cecil Pickett Blue Deckert
1981 A Midsummer Night's Dream Sidney Berger Mark Voland, Jeff Bennett
The Merchant of Venice Cecil Pickett Mark Voland
1982 The Tempest Cecil Pickett James Robert Daniels
Love's Labor's Lost Sidney Berger James Robert Daniels
1983 The Winter's Tale Charles Krohn Jeff Bennett
The Comedy of Errors Sydney Berger Jeff Bennett
1984 Hamlet Sidney Berger Kenneth Marshall, Dante Di Loreto, Jeff Bennett
The Two Gentlemen of Verona Charles Krohn Dante Di Loreto, Jeff Bennett
1985 Richard III Sidney Berger Frank Barrie, Rutherford Cravens
Measure For Measure Charles Krohn Rutherford Cravens
1986 Othello Sidney Berger Richard Lawson, Rutherford Cravens, Jeff Bennett
All's Well That Ends Well Charles Krohn Jeff Bennett
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 Jim Parsons, William Hardy, Howard French, Rutherford Cravens
The Comedy of Errors Sidney Berger William Hardy, Rutherford Cravens, James Belcher
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 Reel Jack 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 Young Dylan Paul, Tracie Thomason, Meg Rodgers, Mike Lee, Patrick Poole
Richard III Lenny Banovez Jack Young, Madison Hart, Patrick Poole, Carlton Warnberg, Dylan Paul
2018 Hamlet Jack Young Shannon Hill, Demetria Thomas, Crash Buist, Shannon Uphold
Comedy of Errors Jack Young Andrew Garrett, Crash Buist
2019 Julius Caesar Jack Young Dean Coutris, Crash Buist, Andrew Garret, David Huynh
As You Like It Stephanie Shine Laura Frye Banovez, David Huynh
2020 Canceled
Canceled
2021 Canceled
Canceled
2022 Cymbeline Jack Young
King Lear Stephanie Shine Jack Young
2023 Much Ado About Nothing Amelia Fischer Allison Pistorius,
Macbeth Demetria Thomas Alan Brincks, Laura Frye
2024 A Midsummer Night's Dream Amelia Fischer Alan Brincks, Laura Frye, Michael Sifuentes, Wesley Whitson
Romeo & Juliet Jack Young Sophia Marcelle, Kyle Clark
2025 Henry V Jack Young Michael Thatcher, Brandon Carter
As You Like It Sophia Watt Michael Thatcher, Brandon Carter

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.
  4. ↑ "Houston Shakespeare Festival". About The Artists. Retrieved 2025-05-05.

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