The Hawaii Shakespeare Festival (HSF) returns to The ARTS at Marks Garage in the center of the vibrant downtown arts district for its thirteenth season. After completing the canon (all 38 of Shakespeare's plays in twelve years), HSF stretches out in new directions with classics from other playwrights, apocrypha and experimental work. The upcoming season includes She Stoops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith, opening July 18; Edward III by William Shakespeare and Thomas Kyd, opening August 8; and a three-play rep of King Lear, Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing opening August 21.
The 2014 season leads off with the first non-Shakespeare play in HSF history: Oliver Goldsmith's She Stoops to Conquer, directed by Festival co-founder R. Kevin Garcia Doyle. Deception, dirty tricks and desperation lead to true love in this classic comedy. HSF-newcomer Kyle Scholl stars as the scheming Miss Hardcastle alluded to in the title alongside HSF veterans Alvin Chan, Sharon Garcia Doyle, Marcus Lee, Mathias Maas, Garrick Paikai and Amanda Stone.
The season continues with Edward III, a history play of uncertain authorship but increasingly believed to be written by Shakespeare and Thomas Kyd. Jason Kanda directs this production featuring stylized movement inspired by console-based avatars of late 1990s videogames. Paul Yau stars as King Edward alongside HSF veterans Joe Abraham, Gerald Altwies, Kelsey Baehrens, Stu Hirayama, Brooke Jones and Ryan "Oki"naka with dancers Malia Yamamoto and Becky McGarvey as avatars.
The Festival concludes with an all-female, three-play rep of King Lear, Taming of the Shrew, and Much Ado About Nothing directed by Tony Pisculli. This slightly terrifying project forces the actors to work with side-scripts (just their own lines and cues), zero blocking and minimal rehearsal (just twenty-something hours per play) as an experiment in original staging practices, exploring the way that the plays were designed to work. The talented company includes Po'okela-award winners Ann Brandman (York in Henry VI) and Stephanie Keiko Kong (Richard in Richard III) alongside Betty Burdick, Jordan Clara Ihilani Sasaki, Diana Wan and Taurie Kinoshita.
Advance tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets by calling 1-800-838-3006 or online at HawaiiShakes.org. Prices for She Stoops to Conquer and Edward III are $20 for Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees, $15 on Thursdays and $10 on Wednesdays. Prices for the rep (King Lear, Taming of the Shrew and Much Ado About Nothing) are $15 for all performances. Remaining tickets are available at the door, for that night's performance only, for an additional $5. There are no other discounts. For more information, including maps and directions, visit HawaiiShakes.org.
Hawaii Shakespeare Festival Show 2014 ScheduleShe Stoops to Conquer
Friday, July 18, 7:30pm, $20
Saturday, July 19, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, July 20, 3:30pm, $20
Wednesday, July 23, 7:30pm, $10
Thursday, July 24, 7:30pm, $15
Friday, July 25, 7:30pm, $20
Saturday, July 26, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, July 27, 3:30pm, $20Edward III
Friday, August 8, 7:30pm, $20
Saturday, August 9, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, August 10, 3:30pm, $20
Wednesday, August 14, 7:30pm, $10
Thursday, August 14, 7:30pm, $15
Friday, August 15, 7:30pm, $20
Saturday, August 16, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, August 17, 3:30pm, $20King Lear
Thursday, August 21, 7:30pm, $15
Sunday, August 24, 3:30pm, $15
Friday, August 29, 7:30pm, $15Taming of the Shrew
Friday, August 22, 7:30pm, $15
Wednesday, August 27, 7:30pm, $15
Saturday, August 30, 7:30pm, $15Much Ado About Nothing
Saturday, August 23, 7:30pm, $15
Thursday, August 28, 7:30pm, $15
Sunday, August 31, 3:30pm, $15
Tickets can be purchased by calling 1-800-838-3006 or visiting HawaiiShakes.org.
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