The 29th season of Shakespeare Santa Cruz (SSC) opens July 20 with James Goldman's The Lion in Winter, directed by Richard E.T. White and starring SSC artistic director Marco Barricelli as Henry II.
Barricelli-who will be making his acting debut at SSC this summer-is now in his third season at the helm of UCSC's esteemed professional repertory company.
He previously spent eight seasons as a leading actor with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and nearly a decade at American Conservatory Theater, with additional work on Broadway and in television ("L.A. Law," "Book of Daniel").
"One of the great things about Shakespeare Santa Cruz is that our audience gets to enjoy the work of some of the best talent in American theater, both on and off stage," notes Barricelli.
"They don't have to go to New York, Chicago, or even San Francisco-we bring the artists right here-and I'm truly excited about the roster of artists working with us this summer."
White returns to Shakespeare Santa Cruz after having directed A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2009.
The former artistic director of San Francisco's Eureka Theatre Company, he has directed at many of the top theater companies across the United States including The Shakespeare Theatre in Washington, D.C., the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and Berkeley Repertory Theatre.
Love's Labor's Lost opens July 24 and is directed by Scott Wentworth, who received a Tony Award nomination for his work on Broadway in Welcome to the Club and has directed at such venues as The Shakespeare Theatre and Canada's Stratford Festival.
Othello will open August 3 under the direction of Pam MacKinnon-one of the most sought after directors in the country-making her SSC debut.
MacKinnon's credits include work at the Manhattan Theater Club and Playwrights Horizons in New York City, and the Steppenwolf and Goodman Theatres in Chicago.
Ticket prices range from $15 to $49. Preview performances will take place July 20-22. The season runs through August 29.
For more season and ticket information, visit the SSC web site or call the UCSC Ticket Office at (831) 459-2159.
