<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 12 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.MsoNoSpacing, li.MsoNoSpacing, div.MsoNoSpacing
{mso-style-priority:1;
margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal-compose;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ohio Shakespeare Festival<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>507 E. Crain Avenue<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Kent, OH 44240<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>330-673-8761 box office<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><a href="http://www.ohioshakespeare.com"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>www.ohioshakespeare.com</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>For Immediate Release<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>Ohio Shakespeare Festival Opening <i>The Tragedy of King Richard III</i><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:9.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ohio Shakespeare Festival is performing for the tenth summer at beautiful Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens in Akron. Following upon the success of last season’s <i>The History of King Lear</i>, OSF will present another of William Shakespeare’s more challenging pieces, <i>The Tragedy of King Richard III</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Called in Shakespeare’s first folio <i>The History of King Richard III</i>, and in the quarto version re-titled <i>The Tragedy of..., </i>this rarely performed play is widely considered one of the Bard’s finest works. Richard, Duke of Gloucester, is an ugly hunchback, "rudely stamp'd", "deformed, unfinish'd,” whose jealousy and ambition lead to the multiple plots and murders of the evening, beginning with the assassination of his own brother (King Edward IV) and the seizing of his throne. <i>Richard III</i> features Artistic Director Terry Burgler in the title role as England’s Machiavellian monarch. Joining him is the largest OSF Company assembled in our ten-year history, including Lara Knox (<i>Love’s Labours Lost</i>) as Queen Elizabeth, Robert Hawkes (<i>Lear</i>) as the Duke of Buckingham, Timothy Champion (<i>Lear</i>) as King Edward IV, and Tess Burgler (<i>Love’s Labours Lost</i>) as Lady Anne, along with Dede Klein, Eric Lualdi, Henry Bishop, Joe Pine, Jim Fippin and Scott Shriner.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><i><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Richard III</span></i><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> will preview on July 28 (all seats $12), open July 29, and perform through August 14. Performances are Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at 8pm, with a Greenshow at 7:30pm consisting of songs, dances and a parody of last season’s tragedy, all performed by the younger Company members. Stan Hywet’s grounds open at 6pm for picnicking in a wide variety of scenic locations, and concessions are available, including OSF Picnic Suppers, which may also be pre-ordered through the box office. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is located at 714 N. Portage Path in Akron. Tickets are $30 for reserved seating (the first 100 seats closest to the stage), or $25 for festival (open) seating. Student tickets are $15, and further discounts on adult tickets are available for OSF and Stan Hywet Members. Reservations may be made any time through OSF’s web site at </span><a href="http://www.ohioshakespeare.com"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>www.ohioshakespeare.com</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>, or by calling the box office at (330) 673-8761 daily (except Mondays) from noon to 5pm.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>“B</span><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>urgler and his band of actors perform Shakespeare for the sheer joy of it. We audience members are fortunate to partake in such a gorgeous treat.” <i>(Akron Beacon Journal)<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>-- End --<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>