Shakespeare Orange County Announces 2013 Season

Shakespeare Orange County has announced that their 22nd season will include TWELFTH NIGHT or WHAT YOU WILL and THE TRAGEDIE OF MACBETH. The award winning professional theatre company performs in the 550-seat Festival Amphitheatre in Garden Grove, CA.

TWELFTH NIGHT or WHAT YOU WILL is the ultimate fairy tale, previewing on July 18 and running through August 3. When shipwreck and storm deliver the beautiful Viola to the shores of Illyria, she dresses as a man in order to gain willful employment. A lost brother found, a bizarre love triangle, and a resolution of mistaken identities bring lovers together in one of the Bard's most loved comedies. Veteran actors John Walcutt will play the part of Malvolio and John FreDeRick Jones returns in the role of Sir Toby Belch.

Widely acknowledged as one of William Shakespeare's greatest tragedies, MACBETH is a story of murder, corruption and deceit. The tale of Macbeth is also one of pure evil--and the pursuit of power as potent today as it was in ancient Scotland. Macbeth depicts the struggle between honor and ambition, good and evil as the witches tempt Macbeth with ultimate power and the cunning Lady Macbeth prods him to murder. In time paranoia evolves and Macbeth discovers that power achieved by bloodshed can only be maintained by more bloodshed. The production will run August 15-31.

Both John Walcutt and Evelyn Carol Case return to the Festival Amphitheatre in the roles of Macbeth and his lady after performing in last season's production of RICHARD III. Walcutt is a seasoned actor whose theatre credits include the title role in RICHARD III, and Cassius in JULIUS CAESAR with SOC, as well as work with SCR, the Mark Taper Forum, La Jolla Playhouse, The Old Globe, and the Folger Theatre Company, among others. He has guest-starred in nearly 200 television shows and has appeared in numerous films. Credits include TITANIC, SEA BISCUIT, GREY'S ANATOMY, GHOST WHISPERER, JAG, and MAD MEN. Evelyn Carol Case has appeared with SOC as Elizabeth in RICHARD III, Gertrude in HAMLET, Goneril in KING LEAR, Beatrice in MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Venus in VENUS AND ADONIS, and many other roles. She has performed extensively throughout the U.S., and has appeared at the Laguna Playhouse, Shakespeare Orange County, Theatre on the Green, American Stage Company, Pennsylvania Stage Company, and Arkansas Repertory Theatre, among others.

Over a forty plus year career of producing professional theatre, SOC Founding Artistic Producing Director Thomas F. Bradac has staged both plays on multiple occasions. "This season I feel confident that we can approach them from a fresh new perspective, giving them a new life for our audiences-even better than ever," says Bradac. "We have the actors available in our company who are right for these roles, and plan to introduce some new faces as well." Bradac will direct MACBETH, and co-direct TWELFTH NIGHT with his daughter Alyssa.

Season tickets may currently be purchased online at www.shakespeareoc.org or by calling (714) 744-7016. The Festival Amphitheater is located in Euclid Park, 12762 Main St., Garden Grove, CA. 92840. Performances for all SOC productions begin at 8:15 p.m. A speciAl Green show will be presented nightly at 7:30 p.m., and free pre-performance discussions with Dr. Kent Lehnhoff will be conducted on selected evenings. Picnic areas are available. For more information, call (714) 744-7016.

THE SEASON:
TWELFTH NIGHT or WHAT YOU WILL: Previews on July 18, opens on Friday, July 19 and plays through August 3, 2013.

MACBETH: Previews on August 15, opens on Friday, August 16 and plays through August 31, 2013.

Both productions will be presented at The Festival Amphitheatre, 12740 Main Street, Garden Grove. Performances run Thursdays thru Saturdays at 8:15 p.m. Season subscriptions are now available from $62-$64 and include both TWELFTH NIGHT and MACBETH. For more information call (714) 744-7016.

Ellen Dostal is based in Los Angeles and currently writes a musical theatre blog called Musicals in LA http://musicalsinla.blogspot.com. An actress, singer and voiceover artist, she is also a producer with the Academy for New Musical Theatre, and works with the development of new musicals for theatres across the country.

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