COMMEDIA REP Launches Hawaii Shakespeare Festival's 14th Season Today

The Hawaii Shakespeare Festival (HSF) celebrates its fourteenth season at The ARTS at Marks Garage in the center of the vibrant downtown arts district. This year, HSF continues its post-canon-completion tradition of scheduling experimental or non-Shakespeare plays alongside traditional works. The upcoming season includes a commedia dell'arte rep, opening tonight, July 10; Winter's Tale, opening July 24; and Othello, opening August 14.

The commedia rep features two shows running on alternate nights, improvised in the style of commedia dell'arte-with broad, physical comedy, leather masks, and archetypal characters-around scenarios inspired by Shakespeare. The first, Temper, Temper, Tempest, a riff on the Bard's final play, features a hack magician with a chip on his shoulder and touch of real magic, his beautiful daughter, and a storm of epic proportions. The second, Dromio and Juliet, is a mash-up of Romeo and Juliet with Comedy of Errors, featuring forbidden love and two households both alike in more ways than one. The rep is adapted and directed by HSF co-founder and producer Tony Pisculli, and stars HSF and local improv scene veterans Garrick Paikai, Diana Wan, and Po`okela-award winners Stephanie Keiko Kong and Victoria Brown-Wilson.

The season continues with Winter's Tale, the solo-directorial debut of Eleanor Svaton who co-directed Timon of Athens and assistant directed the Henry VI trilogy and Merry Wives of Windsor. Winter's Tale, while lesser known, is one of Shakespeare's most ambitious plays in terms of the scope story and variety of spectacle. The play's treatment of women and children in a world ruled by men raises difficult questions still relevant 400 years later. Starring Reb Beau Allen as Leontes, Rachael Uyeno as Herminoe and Joe Abraham as Polixenes.

The Festival concludes with Othello, a tale of love, lies, jealousy and revenge, and considered to be one of Shakespeare's four great tragedies. Directed by Festival co-found R. Kevin Garcia Doyle and starring Q as Othello, Shawn Forsythe as Iago, Sharon R. Garcia Doyle as Emilia, with Jaime Bradner and Christine Lamborn sharing the role of Desdemona and her shadow.

Advance tickets are available through Brown Paper Tickets by calling 1-800-838-3006 or online at HawaiiShakes.org. Prices are $20 for Friday and Saturday evenings and Sunday matinees, $15 on Thursdays and $10 on Wednesdays. 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 2015 Schedule:

COMMEDIA REP
Temper, Temper, Tempest
Friday, July 10, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, July 12, 3:30pm, $20
Thursday, July 16, 7:30pm, $15
Saturday, July 18, 7:30pm, $20

Dromio and Juliet
Saturday, July 11, 7:30pm, $20
Wednesday, July 15, 7:30pm, $10
Friday, July 17, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, July 19, 3:30pm, $20

WINTER'S TALE
Friday, July 24, 7:30pm, $20
Saturday, July 25, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, July 26, 3:30pm, $20
Wednesday, July 29, 7:30pm, $10
Thursday, July 30, 7:30pm, $15
Friday, July 31, 7:30pm, $20
Saturday, August 1, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, August 2, 3:30pm, $20

OTHELLO
Friday, August 14, 7:30pm, $20
Saturday, August 15, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, August 16, 3:30pm, $20
Wednesday, August 19, 7:30pm, $10
Thursday, August 20, 7:30pm, $15
Friday, August 21, 7:30pm, $20
Saturday, August 22, 7:30pm, $20
Sunday, August 23, 3:30pm, $20

Ticket prices
$20 Friday/Saturday/Sunday ($25 at the door)
$15 Thursday ($20 at the door)
$10 Wednesday ($15 at the door)

Tickets on sale now
Brown Paper Tickets
1-800-838-3006
HawaiiShakes.org

The ARTS at Marks Garage
1159 Nu'uanu Ave

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