Four plays, ten days, and a dozen special events are planned for the inaugural Opera House Shakespeare Festival, a world-class Shakespeare experience at the Elgin Opera House in Elgin.
The 2022 Opera House Shakespeare Festival is being put on by the Opera House Shakespeare Company and will include an opening night event, a festival gala, and performances of four separate works of Shakespeare:
A Merchant of Venice (Adapted by Bill Alexander): Fresh from the London stage, this is the North American premiere of the play. Fast paced, edgy, and thoroughly modern, this production will cast a contemporary light on Shakespeare’s play and expose the bias in all of us.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Performed by the Opera House Youth Actors, this comedy will be the perfect way to introduce young ones to Shakespeare.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona: One of Shakespeare’s earliest plays. “It’s all about what it means to be young, in love, and alive,” said Grant Turner, the production’s director.
Othello: Produced in tandem with A Merchant of Venice, Othello too, addresses the impact of bias and prejudice on people and society.
In addition to the performances, the 2022 Opera House Shakespeare Festival will feature special events with the Festival Ambassadors, including an evening of conversation and Q&A with legendary British stage and screen actress Imogen Stubbs; an afternoon tea with Imogen Stubbs, an evening with Jonathan Guy Lewis; a staged reading of Soldier On with Jonathan Guy Lewis; and an Open Night Party with Bobby Bermea. Rounding out the festival are workshops and a Festival Gala.
Tickets and VIP passes are now available. Tickets to individual performances are $20; VIP Passes that include admission to all festival events are $200. Individual tickets can be purchased online at www.elginoperahouse.com, and passes can be purchased by contacting Kathy Bonney at 541-663-6324 or at kathy@elginoperahouse.com
Find more information and order passes and tickets online.
