Texas Shakespeare Festival Returns for Season 40!
[Kilgore, TX] East Texas’ only professional theatre will return this summer for its 40th season. The Texas Shakespeare Festival at Kilgore College will produce a diverse selection of productions for audiences opening June 26th and closing July 27th. Kilgore College, home of the world-famous Kilgore College Rangerettes, hosts TSF in the Van Cliburn Auditorium, named after the esteemed piano player of Texas fame. The 40th season will feature two plays by William Shakespeare: Twelfth Night and Macbeth, along with the Tony award winning Broadway hit Kiss Me, Kate with music and lyrics by Colr Porter and a book by Sam and Bella Spewack, and Robert Harling’s classic Steel Magnolias. Additionally, there will be a family friendly production of The Princess and the Players by Jason Richards, a staged reading of The Daisy Bradford 3 by Gifford Wingate and a company Talent Showcase.
Tickets are now available online at www.texasshakespeare.tix.com Tickets will be purchased in-person at the ticket window or by calling (903) 983-8601. Opening night is June 26th and closing night is July 27th. The plays run Thursday through Sunday at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. To learn more, visit www.texasshakespeare.com
The Texas Shakespeare Festival operates in true rotating repertory fashion, allowing audience members to take in every play over the course of two days. If you make the trip, be sure to see what else East Texas has to offer!
Shopping: 80 Acre Market, Gladewater’s Antique stores, Kilgore Farmer’s Market Dining: Jack Ryan’s Steakhouse, Zen Kitchen, Downtown D’Lites Café, Perk Bistro Outdoor: Creekside Walking and Bike Trails, Caldwell Zoo, Cherokee Trace Safari Museums: Kilgore College Rangerette and East Texas Oil Museum, Texas Broadcast Museum
TSF Season 40 Show Blurbs
Twelfth Night
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Jasmine Bracey
After a shipwreck separates twins Viola and Sebastian, they embark on a journey to recover and rebuild a new life in Illyria. In order to survive, Viola disguises herself as a man and becomes increasingly mistaken for her brother.
What to Expect: A surprising blend of humor and heart, this is one of Shakespeare’s most relatable romantic comedies, featuring a vast array of unforgettable characters, all fighting in the name of love!
You’ll Love it if you Loved: Much Ado About Nothing (2024), The Comedy of Errors (2023), The Taming of the Shrew (2022)
Rating: PG
Steel Magnolias
By Robert Harling
Directed by Lindsay Rae Taylor
Truvy’s salon in Chinquapin, Louisiana is the place to be for all things beauty and all things gossip. In this story, made famous by the film of the same name, the women who frequent the salon showcase their friendships and loyalty through the good times and the bad.
What to Expect: Powerhouse performances from an all-female cast bringing to life characters that will make you laugh and cry.
You’ll Love it if you Loved: Pride & Prejudice (2023), Nell Gwynn (2022), The Book of Will (2021)
Rating: PG
Macbeth
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Matthew Simpson
After three witches proclaim that Macbeth will become King of Scotland, there is nothing that can prevent him from fulfilling his destiny. A tragedy of the highest degree emerges as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth seek the power they feel they deserve. What to Expect: A haunting and bloody tale of a couple on the quest for power, featuring dynamic performances and some of Shakespeare’s most poetic text. You’ll Love it if you Loved: Julius Caesar (2024), Lear (2023), Romeo & Juliet (2021) Rating: PG-13
Kiss Me, Kate
Music and Lyrics by Cole Porter
Book by Sam and Bella Spewack
Directed and Choreographed by Whitney Branan
When two divorced performers find themselves starring opposite each other in a musical version of The Taming of the Shrew, their egos are centerstage, and the past comes back to haunt them as they contend with old feelings resurfacing.
What to Expect: A golden age musical with singing, dancing, humor, and romance. Featuring the songs “So in Love,” “Brush up your Shakespeare,” and “Too Darn Hot.” You’ll Love it if you Loved: Something Rotten! (2023), The Music Man (2022), My Fair Lady (2014)
Rating: PG
The Princess and the Players
A Play for All Ages
Written and Directed By Jason Richards
Once upon a time, Penelope was a sweet (but spoiled) princess. One magical and fateful day, she is visited by a troupe of actors who teach her a valuable lesson about kindness and gratitude.
What to Expect: Delightful and zany characters in an energetic performance that is a celebration of Shakespeare!
You’ll Love it if you Loved: Tinker Bell (2024), Todrick the Not-So-Terrible (2023), The Hog Princess (2022)
Rating: G
The Daisy Bradford 3, a Staged Reading
By Gifford W. Wingate
Directed by Val Winkelman
Experience the play that started it all! This original play, created for the Texas Shakespeare Festival’s inaugural season in 1986, tells the story of the discovery of the East Texas oil field.
What to Expect: Historical figures will be brought to life in this true to East Texas tale that tells the day oil gushed from Daisy Bradford’s discovery well.
You’ll Love it if you Loved: Jane Eyre (2024), Charlotte Collins (2023, 2022), The Belle of Amherst (2018, 2016, 2015)
Rating: PG