Tampa Shakespeare Festival Presents ROMEO AND JULIET and MACBETH in Repertory

Tampa Shakespeare Festival will be launching their inaugural season on Thursday, March 5th at Waterworks Park in downtown Tampa with William Shakespeare's Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet playing in repertory on alternating nights. The festival will run from Thursday, March 5th until Sunday, March 22nd. Performances will begin at 6pm Thursdays through Saturdays and at 2pm on Sundays. Admission is free to the general public. More information on Tampa Shakespeare Festival and their productions can be found at https://www.facebook.com/Tampashakes

Tampa Shakespeare Festival is a new organization working to bring the works of William Shakespeare and other classical playwrights to Tampa communities in a fun and accessible way. Our goal is to create productions that are fast paced and enjoyable for the whole family. Tampa Shakespeare Festival's inaugural season will be performed outdoors at Waterworks Park and will be free to the entire community.

Macbeth, Shakespeare's great tragedy about the false promises of success and ambition finds Macbeth, a Scottish noble, given guarantees of succession to the crown. He commits murder to achieve it, but it sits uneasily upon his head and he begins a downward spiral of increasingly horrible acts in an attempt to find peace.

Macbeth is directed by Dan Granke (Bethany) an associate member of the Stage Directors and Choreographers Society and is a certified teacher with the Society of American Fight Directors. Granke also teaches acting and movement at the University of South Florida. Macbeth will run March 5, 7, 13, 15, 19, and 21.

The well-known tale of Romeo and Juliet finds it's title characters caught in the midst of their families' long-fought feud. The couple meet at a feast thrown by the Capulets and are instantly drawn to one another. They struggle to ignite their love against their families hate. Romeo and Juliet is directed by Megan Lamasney (Disco Pigs, Alcestis) and will run March 6, 8, 12, 14, 20, and 22.

Tampa Shakespeare Festival has brought together a talented company of actors who will play roles in both productions. Associate Artistic Director, Jack Holloway will play the title in Macbeth and the Nurse in Romeo and Juliet. Sharing the stage with him will be Jamie Jones as Romeo and Derrick Phillips as Duncan and MacDuff and Melissa Ruchong as Lady Capulet and Lady Macbeth.