KING LEAR Rounds Out Shakespeare Dallas' 2015 Season, Beginning Tonight

O! Let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven; keep me in temper; I would not be mad. There is no reason to be mad as the 2015 season of Shakespeare in the Park comes to a close. Shakespeare Dallas has one more treat in store for its audiences; Shakespeare's classic, KING LEAR.

Directed by Raphael Parry, Executive & Artistic Director of Shakespeare Dallas, the story begins when KING LEAR, an aging monarch obscured by the shadows of dementia, chooses to retire and to divide his kingdom between his three daughters. The gift is not freely given as Lear tests each of his daughters for their worthiness. As a result, he loses everything -- including his mind -- when he disowns his favorite daughter, and finds himself betrayed in return. A wrenching story of love, loss, endurance and reconciliation, KING LEAR has fascinated audiences for more than 400 years and is considered one of the deepest artistic explorations of the human condition.

The production opens with performances at the Samuell Grand Amphitheater on Wednesdays-Sundays, tonight, Sept. 16-26 and will conclude with performances at Addison Circle Park Wednesdays-Sundays, Oct. 1-11. Performance time for all shows is 8:00 p.m.

Tickets to Shakespeare in the Park performances are:

- Tuesdays and Wednesdays - FREE, but donations are encouraged

- Thursdays and Sundays - $10 for ages 13 and up. $7 students and seniors. Children 12 and under and members of the military are free.

- Fridays and Saturdays - $15 for ages 13 and up. $12 for students and seniors. Children 12 and under and members of the military are free.

- We are proud to support our active duty military personnel with FREE admission for personnel and their families.

A Season Pass grants unlimited free admission to Shakespeare in the Park performances, access to all Shakespeare in the Park seating areas and early admission at 7:00pm through the advanced ticket line. A Season Pass for one is $25; for two, $45; and for four, $75 with the option to add additional family members for $12 each. A parking pass is $15. Additional ticket information is available online at www.shakespearedallas.org/online-box-office.

Inspired by the egalitarian nature of the New York Shakespeare Festival, Robert "Bob" Glenn started The Shakespeare Festival of Dallas in 1971 as a free summer Shakespeare Festival. The company serves the community as one of North Texas' most treasured cultural institutions and the area's only producer of an education program focused on teaching Shakespeare. In 2005, the company revamped its operations and branded the organization "Shakespeare Dallas" to illustrate the company's new direction of year-round, affordable and accessible programming. Shakespeare Dallas aspires to use the works of William Shakespeare as a catalyst for creating unparalleled artistic and educational programs that are meaningful and enriching for the community it serves throughout North Texas. For more information, visit www.shakespearedallas.org.

Pictured: KING LEAR: Fred Curchak and Cordelia: Kelsey Godfrey. Photography by Jessica Helton.

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