Sean Graney to Direct 'SHREW' for 2011 Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

On the heels of its most successful season ever, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis' Executive Director Rick Dildine announced today that award-winning Chicago director and playwright Sean Graney will direct its 2011 production of The Taming of the Shrew. Named "Chicagoan of the Year (Theater)" by the Chicago Tribune in 2004, Graney is Founder and Artistic Director of The Hypocrites and has directed most of its productions since 1997, including Equus and Machinal, for which he received Joseph Jefferson Citations in 2005 and 2003 respectively. Graney's Comedy of Errors, running currently at Chicago's Court Theatre, made the list of top 10 plays for the fall by Chris Jones, lead critic of the Chicago Tribune. Upcoming directing projects include Tartuffe, adapted with Northwestern University, a remount of The Hundred Dresses for the Chicago Children's Theatre, Pirates of Penzance and Woyzeck, both with The Hypocrites.

Recipient of the NEA/TCG Career Development for Directors Award in 2004-2006, Graney has directed for The Goodman Theatre, Chicago Shakespeare Theatre, Court Theatre, Steppenwolf Theatre Co, and Chicago Children's Theatre. Born and raised in Boston, he received his BFA in Theatre and Writing from Emerson College in Boston.

"Shakespeare Festival St. Louis is thrilled to bring such an enormous talent to direct The Taming of the Shrew," says Executive Director Rick Dildine. "Sean is nationally recognized for his creativity and bold, dynamic staging, and we are lucky to have him join us next spring."

"I am excited to work with Rick; I respect his vision and passion", Graney responds. "I am particularly attracted to Shrew, a play that has long been considered a problem play, but actually is exceedingly funny. Outdoor theatre is a great new playground for me and I look forward to creating for the St. Louis audience a unique and fun experience with this play."

No casting has been announced for The Taming of the Shrew. Additional members of the artistic team will be announced later in the fall.

Where: In Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park on Fine Arts Drive , northeast of the Saint Louis Art Museum.

Admission: Admission is free; chair rentals are available or bring blankets or low-backed lawn chairs; food and drink are available for purchase. Donations are gratefully accepted.

Performances: Performances run May 25st through June 19th, 2011, at 8:00pm nightly, except Tuesdays.

Festival activities include a nightly Green Show from 6:30 p.m., featuring dancers, singers, musicians, and showcasing local scholars, performances by St. Louis arts institutions, and Shakespeare Festival's Education Touring Ensemble performing a 20-minute adaptation that introduces the characters and plot to children of all ages. Performances are wheelchair accessible. Thursday performances are signed for the hearing impaired.

Shakespeare Festival St. Louis is in its eleventh year. Each year, in late spring, the Festival produces a Shakespeare play in Shakespeare Glen in Forest Park, free to the public. The Taming of the Shrew will be the Festival's 2011 production, running from May 25 through June 19, 2011 (except Tuesdays). Throughout the year, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis reaches diverse audiences by providing education programs for schools and the community. For more information, call 314.531.9800, or visit our website at www.shakespearefestivalstlouis.org.

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