The American Shakespeare Center will return to Austin for its fourth annual visit to the University of Texas campus. Direct from the stage of the American Shakespeare Center's celebrated Blackfriars Playhouse, the world's only re-creation of Shakespeare's indoor theatre, the ASC touring troupe brings Renaissance drama to life in exciting and accessible performances. On February 12 and 13, at 7:00 pm in Hogg Auditorium, the ASC's touring troupe will perform Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night and John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi.

Kicking off the ASC residency, the Mary Lu Joynes Endowment in the Plan II Honors Program, the English Department and Shakespeare at Winedale will be presenting a special lecture on The Duchess of Malfi.

The Duchess of Malfi is considered by many to be the greatest Renaissance tragedy not written by Shakespeare. For those interested in learning more about the play, English

Professor Frank Whigham will be giving a free lecture in the Joynes Reading Room in the Honors quad on UT campus on Thursday, February 7 at 7:00 pm.

Professor Whigham is one of the world's experts on the play. His article "Sexual and Social Mobility in The Duchess of Malfi," originally published in PMLA and reprinted multiple times, is one of the most important works of recent criticism on the play, which is also discussed in his book, Seizures of the Will in Early Modern English Drama(Cambridge University Press, 1996). He will introduce some of the play's key ideas and answer questions from the audience.

The American Shakespeare Center (formerly the Shenandoah Shakespeare Express) has gained a national reputation by performing according to the principles of the Renaissance stage. Careful attention to the language, a fast and fluid performance style, and a creative use of music and dance are hallmarks of ASC productions. Actors and audience share the same lighting, as they would have in Shakespeare’s playhouse, encouraging an intimate and festive atmosphere.

Tuesday, February 12, 7:00pm – Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare

Why, this is very midsummer madness. - III.iv

Writing at the height of his powers, Shakespeare provides a feast of language and songs — and a stage full of memorable characters — from the lovesick Orsino and Viola to the alesick Toby Belch, from the acquiescent Sir Andrew Aguecheek to the pompous Malvolio. Sublime and subversive, Twelfth Night breaks rules and bends gender to show love in all its guises and disguises.

Wednesday, February 13, 7:00pm – The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster

We are merely the stars' tennis balls, struck and bandied which way please them. - V.iv

John Webster’s brutal and astonishing play tells the story of one of the stage’s greatest women and two of its greatest villains. The widowed Duchess of Malfi tragically defies her two powerful brothers by secretly marrying her household steward. When they uncover her deception, the brothers plot a series of horrific events that leads them all to destruction in this dark tapestry of sibling rivalry, forbidden love, unquenchable ambition, and ensuing madness.

Performances will take place on the UT campus at Hogg Auditorium. Parking is available on the street and at UT’s San Antonio Garage.

Tickets are $15 and $10 for students, as well as UT faculty and staff. They can be purchased online in advance through the Shakespeare at Winedale web site. (www.shakespeare-winedale.org)

The theatre will open for seating at 7:00 pm. At this time, live pre-show music will also begin. The performance will begin at 7:30 pm. Seats for the performances are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so audience members are encouraged to arrive early, take their seats, and enjoy the music.

There will be a post-show discussion with members of the company immediately after

Twelfth Night.

This visit is made possible by the English Department, Shakespeare at Winedale, SHOUT, the Mary Lu Joynes Endowment in the Plan II Honors Program, the Center for European Studies, the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, and the Department of Theatre and Dance.

For more information, contact:

Liz Fisher, Program Coordinator

Shakespeare at Winedale

512.471.4726

lfisher@austin.utexas.edu