Telluride Theatre: Shakespeare in the Park, “Pericles,” 7/21-7/29

13 Jul Telluride Theatre: Shakespeare in the Park, “Pericles,” 7/21-7/29

Telluride Theatre presents “Pericles,” its 2018 Shakespeare in the Park production. Colin Sullivan directs. The production on the Main Stage in Telluride’s Town Park goes up Saturday, July 21, and runs through July 29. (There is no show Wednesday, July 25.) Show time is 8 p.m. nightly; the matinee on Sunday, July 22, is at 2 p.m. Snacks, beer and wine are available on site. Rain or shine, but dress warmly. Tickets are $20 for adults; $12 for students GA. Telluride Theatre members and sponsors have reserved seats. Locals pricing is extended Local’s pricing to two shows: $10 on Saturday, 8 p.m. & Sunday, 2 p.m. Tickets here.

What if we told you that one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays of his time was co-authored by a pimp? What if we told you each Act starts off with a guitar ballad of folk music by a character who was an actual poet living in the 14th century? What if we promised there would be pirates?

Welcome to the epic blockbuster that is Shakespeare’s Pericles. GET LOST this July.

Director Colin Sullivan explains:

“We live in a crazy time and ‘Pericles’ is a crazy play. It’s an epic tale popular in Shakespeare’s time, but it’s also, in some ways, a real mess. There are riddles, pirates, brothels, two shipwrecks, a singing narrator. And two-thirds of the play was actually written by another guy entirely. It’s Shakespeare experimenting late in his career and winning at that. I was interested to actually try an epic in a non-epic way. Our ‘Pericles’ will be stripped down and has strings attached. Imagine an amateur theater company from ‘Midsummer Night’s Dream’ trying to perform the blockbuster of their time. So, what’s more interesting, the fire, or the guy rubbing two sticks together to make a spark? That’s what we’re looking at with ‘Pericles.’”

Celebrating 28 years of Shakespeare in the Park, Telluride Theatre brings audiences a unique, up close, and personal way to experience one of the Bard’s last four great plays, called the “Romances.”

When asked what makes Shakespeare in the Park so special for Telluride, Sullivan stated:

“There’s a lot of live events you can see on the Town Park Stage, but there’s only one you can see from the Town Park Stage. It’s a unique experience to actually be part of the action on stage and also looking out over our amazing box canyon as the sun creeps down the valley. Theater is supposed to remind people of who they are and why they’re here.”

Featuring: Suzanne Cheavens, Arabella Galbo, Cari Galbraith, Ramie Holmquist, Sue Knechtel, Marty Langion, Peter Lundeen, Dave MacMillan, Evan MacMillan, Jaxon Mosher, Blaine Musselman, Simon Perkovich, Michael Raver, Crisanne Schworn, Jerrica Steger, Lexi Torelli, Sam Young.

Directed by Colin Sullivan
Choreography by Cat Lee Covert
Choral Direction by Anna Robinson
Musical Direction by Ethan Hale
Lighting by Tommy Wince
Costumes by Melissa Trn