Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, “Twelfth Night,” will be this season’s mainstage production for St. Louis Shakespeare Festival.
This year is the 23rd season of free and accessible Shakespeare in Forest Park. Public performances for “Twelfth Night” begin at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, and continue Tuesday through Sunday nights until June 25.
Often regarded as Shakespeare’s greatest comedy, “Twelfth Night” tells the tale of Viola and her shipwrecked twin brother, Sebastian, who are separated and are finding their way in a strange new world. The St. Louis production sets the story in glamorous, celebrity-filled Miami, where in a world of appearances, not everyone is who they seem, but love is love when it comes to longing and reinvention.
Celebrated Chicago-based artist Lisa Portes will direct, and lead a predominantly Latin creative team of set, costume, sound and lighting designers.
St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s 2023 season also includes TourCo, a program that brings free outdoor Shakespeare productions to public parks throughout the bi-state area. This year’s TourCo production of “The Merry Wives of Windsor” will be directed by Suki Peters and feature a traveling caravan of six actors performing a 90-minute ‘90s sitcom-style show. “Merry Wives” will run at 6:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, from Aug. 1 to 27. Locations include Love Bank Park on Cherokee Street, Chesterfield Amphitheater, Carondelet Park, Nine Mile Garden in Affton, Bellevue Park in Belleville, January-Wabash Park in Ferguson and Hermann Farm in Hermann.
In addition, Shakespeare in the Streets, the company’s acclaimed community engagement program, will step outside its traditional neighborhood setting to celebrate the uniting force of soccer in the region and across the globe. Written by St. Louis sports columnist Ben Hochman, the world premiere play, “Shakespeare in the Streets: Soccer in St. Louis,” will take local stories and weave them into a brand-new adaptation of Shakespeare’s “The Henriad.” The celebration will take place at Olive and 22nd streets downtown near CITYPARK on Sept. 14, 15 and 16.
For more information on the 2023 season, visit St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s website.
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