‘Twelfth Night’ and ‘King Lear’ will run in repertory in Capital Classics’ 2025 Greater Hartford Shakespeare Festival, to be held at the University of Saint Joseph in West Hartford from July 9 through Aug. 3.

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Capital Classics Theatre Company announced the complete lineup of activities and entertainment for the two productions that will comprise the 2025 Greater Hartford Shakespeare Festival. Shakespeare’s beloved romantic comedy Twelfth Night and the towering tragedy King Lear will run in rotation July 9 and run through Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, outdoors on the campus of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) in West Hartford. In the event of inclement weather, the production moves inside the university’s Bruyette Atheneum.

Shakespeare’s effervescent Twelfth Night, under the direction of Brian Jennings, will feature Mauricio Miranda (member of Actors’ Equity Association), who performed to tremendous acclaim in the title role of Hamlet last summer, returns in the role of Malvolio. The cast also includes a combination of Capital Classics’ favorites and new faces: Rebecca Ellis (Feste), Abuzar Farrukh (Orsino), Meg Gwyn (Viola), Remy McCoy (Fabian), Jeremy Parrott (Curio & Others), Jason Pietroluongo (Sebastian), Zachary Russell (Andrew), Geoffrey Sheehan (Toby), Kiera Sheehan (Olivia), Laura Sheehan (Maria), Christina Rielle (Valentine & Officer), and Gavin Whelan (Antonio/Captain).

King Lear, directed by Sasha Brätt, will feature Capital Classics co-founder Geoffrey Sheehan in the title role and Stuart Rider(Member, Actors’ Equity Association) as Gloucester. The cast of Twelfth Night (with the exception of Miranda and McCoy), will appear in the following roles in King Lear: Rebecca Ellis (Goneril), Abuzar Farrukh (Albany/Soldier), Meg Gwyn (Fool), Jeremy Parrott (Burgundy & Others), Jason Pietroluongo (King of France & Others), Zachary Russell (Edmund), Kiera Sheehan (Regan), Laura Sheehan (Kent), Christina Rielle (Cordelia), and Gavin Whelan (Edgar). Kevoy Somerville rounds out the cast as Cornwall/Soldier.

The design team for the 2025 Greater Hartford Shakespeare Festival includes Steve Mountzoures (sets), Vivianna Lamb (costumes), and Robyn Joyce (lighting). Music for King Lear will be composed and performed by Nairobi Mouning. Music for Twelfth Night will be composed and performed by Jaeme McDonald with choreography by Christine Simoes. Stage Management for the festival include Fiona Jennings (Twelfth Night) and Allen Sager (King Lear).

Twelfth Night and King Lear will each be performed 10 times over the course of the four week festival. The alternating productions will begin on July 9 and run through Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025 outdoors, directly outside the Bruyette Atheneum on the campus of The University of Saint Joseph (1678 Asylum Avenue in West Hartford). Performances are rain or shine with a complete set awaiting onstage in the Hoffman Auditorium in the event of inclement weather.

Pre-show Festival Entertainment Announced

One of the hallmarks of the Greater Hartford Shakespeare Festival is the pre-show entertainment and this year’s festival is no different.

• Wednesday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. will be preceded with performances by the University of Saint Joseph Dance Ensemble at 7 p.m. (July 9, 16 and 23) or singer-songwriter Christopher John (July 16 and 30).
• Thursday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. will be preceded by South American music performed by the Elqui Duo at 7 p.m.
• Friday and Saturday evening performances at 7:30 p.m. will be preceded by the ever-popular Elizabethan Consort at 7 p.m.
• Sunday afternoon performances at 5:30 p.m. will be preceded by a brief pre-show scholarly preview at 5 p.m. Sunday afternoon talk backs occurring follow the July 20 and 27 performances. Featured scholars are: July 13 – Christina Flood, USJ Librarian and Professor of the First-Year Seminar in Theater; July 20 – Dr. Aidan Levy, USJ English Professor; July 27 – Dr. Anthony Johnston, USJ Education Professor and actor; Aug. 3 – Dan Russell, Co-Owner of Sea Tea Theater in Hartford and Improv Teacher.
• Before all performances and during intermission, guests can enjoy two visual arts exhibitions in the air-conditioned Bruyette Atheneum adjacent to the performing space. Showgoers can visit the Art Gallery at University of Saint Joseph (featuring its stunning array of work ranging from Georgia O’Keefe to Mary Cassat) and a lobby of exhibition of past Capital Classics’ show posters designed by Cipher Creative Group and one-of-a-kind dolls representing characters from Twelfth Night and King Lear.
• On Sunday, July 20 and Sunday, Aug. 3, the festival will host free activities for children from 4:30-5:15 p.m. The nonprofit P.E.A.C.E (Powerful Experiences for Art & Cultural Exchange) will lead children through a choice of two activities: (1) dressing paper dolls to represent characters in Twelfth Night or (2) painting a balsa model ship, representing the ship in Twelfth Night. Children must be accompanied by an adult. You can order free tickets for this activity when purchasing your performance tickets.
• Wednesday, July 23 will feature an interactive pre-show experience with “For All Ages” where two strangers of any age can engage in conversation.
• Pre-show food and beverage will be available for sale at select performances including Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck (July 9, 10, and 11) and OneSong Biscotti (all Sunday afternoons).

Performances are Wednesday through Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. with Sunday performances occurring at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 for general admission to Twelfth Night or King Lear; $20 if you purchase tickets to both shows or if you are a USJ alum. Seniors/Students/Military and Group discounts are $17 for one production; $15 if you book for both productions. Youth 11 and younger are free. The repertory performance schedule and tickets are now available at CapitalClassics.org.

Audiences are encouraged to bring blankets, chairs, picnics, friends and family.

Capital Classics Theatre Company and the 2025 Greater Hartford Shakespeare Festival is supported by Roberts Foundation for the Arts, Connecticut Office of the Arts, Burry Fredrik Foundation, George A. & Grace L. Long Foundation, Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and John and Kelly Hartman Foundation. Individual donors providing support at the Producer level are Barnaby Horton and Hannah Granfield-Horton, Kane-Fischer Family, and Matthew Morgan. Business Feature Sponsor is Rheumatology and Allergy Institute of Connecticut.

About Capital Classics Theatre Company

As Connecticut’s oldest continuously running outdoor Shakespeare festival, Capital Classics has a reputation for making Shakespeare exciting, accessible, and affordable. The Greater Hartford Shakespeare Festival is produced by the Capital Classics Theatre Company in partnership with the University of Saint Joseph and is supported by passionate Shakespeare fans and local businesses.

Capital Classics, a non-Equity professional theatre company, was founded in 1991 to enrich the cultural environment of Greater Hartford through the theatre arts. We are committed to providing classical entertainment that is affordable, accessible, and engaging; serving the community with cultural and educational programming; and providing job opportunities and training to Connecticut’s professional theatre artists. Learn more about Capital Classics Theatre Company and the Greater Hartford Shakespeare Festival at CapitalClassics.org.

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