Upcoming Shakespeare Summer 2013 to Summer 2014

Because I'm going to try to be better about making it to local Shakespeare, I've once again compiled a list of what's happening when. Many of the local colleges (MHCC, PCC, Reed, PSU, George Fox) don’t have their theatre schedule up on their web sites yet, but I'll try to update this closer to the beginning of the school year, if any of them are doing Shakespeare. (I'll also update this with links to my reviews... if and when I write them!)

And on a completely random note... how in the world are we getting so many productions of Cymbeline lately? In 2011, Northwest Classical did it... and then in 2012 Portland Center Stage... and now we have PAE and Oregon Shakespeare Festival and next spring University of Portland?!?! I'm not complaining -- I love Cymbeline! -- but for one of the lesser known plays, it's certainly getting a lot of attention!

The good news is that it looks like even without going to Ashland, there's quite a bit of Shakespeare this year. Not enough for one play a month (because there's a dry spell November through January), but otherwise, it looks like an interesting year. Maybe a little heavy on the tragedies... but oh well.

2013

Now – Aug. 24 

Romeo and Juliet –Willamette Shakespeare
My Review: Fun and Frustration in Romeo and Juliet

Now – Sept. 2 

Cymbeline – PAE

*Now – Oct. 11 

Cymbeline – Oregon Shakespeare Festival

*Now – Oct. 13 

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Oregon Shakespeare Festival

*Now – Nov. 3 

Taming of the Shrew – Oregon Shakespeare Festival

*Now – Nov. 3 

King Lear – Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Aug. 17 – Sept. 29 

Julius Caesar – Post5

Aug. 17, 25, Sept. 29

Comedie of Errors – OpsFest

Sept. 20 – Oct. 13

Richard III – NWCTC 

2014
Feb. 28 – March 30

King Lear – NWCTC

April 5 – May 11 

Othello – Portland Center Stage

April 8 – 12 

Cymbeline – University of Portland

May 23 – June 22 

Macbeth – NWCTC

May 23 – June 22 

Titus Andronicus – Post5

Summer 2014 

Antony and Cleopatra – PAE 
A Midsummer Night's Dream – PAE     

*Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland (not quite local... but I feel compelled to include them because, I mean, it's Shakespeare!)

Joss Whedon's Much Ado Trailer

After hearing rumors about Joss Whedon doing Much Ado About Nothing for a while, it's nice to know that it's actually happening! Look out, June! What do you think? What are you looking forward to the most about this? What are you dreading? (I will admit to being ridiculously excited about the casting! I mean... Nathan Fillion? Doing Shakespeare? Dogberry, no less? Yes, please!)

In random other news, I did read Shrew in February... and have been having troubles collecting my thoughts on it. Perhaps this weekend I'll try to pull some thoughts together.

In March I'm reading King Lear, one of my favorites.

So... nothing really profound... but I'm planning a trip to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival to see Shrew, Lear and My Fair Lady... so there should be some reviews happening when I get back from that.

A Year of Shakespeare

Looks like I need to do some dusting in here. I've been a little low on Shakespeare lately. But to fix that, I've got a plan for 2013: Read one Shakespeare play each month. It's not much... but it's a start. I've made a list -- originally this was going to be a reading / discussion group, but logistics haven't fallen into place yet. So I thought I'd just post my list, and anyone who was vaguely interested might read along with me.

If I'm diligent, I might post "things to look for while reading" for each play.

So here's my reading list. I realize that January is gone... but maybe you can sneak Macbeth into the beginning of February.


January              Macbeth                                              
February            The Taming of the Shrew
March                King Lear
April                  The Winter’s Tale
May                   Merchant of Venice
June                   Cymbeline
July                    Romeo and Juliet
August               As You Like It
September         Troilus and Cressida
October              Julius Caesar
November          A Midsummer Night’s Dream
December          Twelfth Night

If you are interested in reading along and maybe finding a way to discuss these (even with comments on here or via email?), leave me a note. By the way, a lot of these are ones happening in the Portland area this Spring / Summer (or in Ashland)... and I've tried to set it up so that you can read the play before going to see it.