OXFORD, Miss. \u2013 She loves him, he loves her not. She loves him, he loves her, now.<\/p>\n
William Shakespeare\u2019s \u201cAll\u2019s Well that Ends Well\u201d kicks off the 2012 Oxford Shakespeare Festival at 7:30 p.m. Friday (June 15) in the Gertrude C. Ford Center at the University of Mississippi.<\/p>\n
This summer marks the ninth season for the festival, which has been dubbed \u201cA Season of Destiny,\u201d artistic director Joe Turner Cantu said. \u201cAll\u2019s Well that Ends Well,\u201d is the first of three productions, which also includes \u201cKing Lear,\u201d opening June 23, and Rodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s popular musical \u201cThe Sound of Music,\u201d opening June 28. Tickets are available by calling 662-915-7411 or by visiting the UM Box Office in the Student Union from noon to 4 p.m.
\n\u201cWe are proud to continue the tradition of summer theatre at the University of Mississippi and in Oxford,\u201d said Cantu, UM associate professor of theatre arts. \u201cThe festival was created with the public in mind and we truly hope you will join us as we celebrate theatre in Mississippi.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAll\u2019s Well that Ends Well,\u201d directed by Felipe Macias, is a comedy about unrequited love. When Bertram abandons Helena on their wedding night, Helena sets out on a pilgrimage, only to wind up in Florence, Italy, where she meets Bertram’s mistress, Diana. In a perplexing “bed trick,” Helena, pretending to be Diana, sleeps with Bertram. Later, Bertram matured by war, consents to happily love Helena and their future child.<\/p>\n
\u201cSet against a background of sexism, snobbery and a battle between the generations, Shakespeare’s wondrous, bittersweet story turns fairy tale logic on its head in this comedy wrapped in a romance,\u201d Cantu said.<\/p>\n
Performances of \u201cAll\u2019s Well that Ends Well\u201d are set for the Ford Center studio theatre at 7:30 p.m. June 15, 16 and 22 and July 6 and 7; and at 2 p.m. June 17 and 30 and July 8. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for seniors\/students\/youth.<\/p>\n
\u201cKing Lear,\u201d considered Shakespeare\u2019s darkest tragedy and one of his greatest works, is the tale of a king who descends into madness after foolishly dividing his estate between two of his three daughters based on their flattery, thus bringing about tragic consequences to all.<\/p>\n
\u201cKing Lear,\u201d directed by Cantu, will be performed at the Ford Center main stage at 7:30 p.m. June 23 and 29, and at 2 p.m. June 24. Tickets are $14 for adults and $12 for seniors\/students\/youth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Sound of Music\u201d is the tale of Maria, a failed nun whose Mother Superior sends her off to be governess for a retired naval captain\u2019s seven children. She goes to their house and finds that she is the latest in a long line of governesses run off by the children. She teaches the children to sing and that becomes their bonding force, of course leading her to fall in love with their father and marry him.<\/p>\n
Julia Aubrey, associate artistic director for the OSF and assistant chair of UM\u2019s Department of Music, directs Rodgers and Hammerstein\u2019s classic story, which includes \u201ca nice array of community, faculty, students and alumni performers,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot only is \u2018The Sound of Music\u2019 one of the most popular musicals ever, and my favorite, it\u2019s an opportunity for the entire community to get involved and get an exciting musical theater experience. The leads are fantastic and it\u2019s going to be a great show,\u201d said Aubrey, UM associate professor of music and director of opera theatre.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Sound of Music\u201d will be performed on the Ford Center main stage at 7:30 p.m. June 28 and 30, and at 2 p.m. July 1. Tickets are $18 for all seating levels. Robert Aubrey, instructional assistant professor of music at Ole Miss, is orchestra conductor.<\/p>\n
For more information on “A Season of Destiny,” visit http:\/\/shakespeare.olemiss.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"