Playbill Includes New Work Created by

Tony Award-Winning Theater Artist Frank Galati

ASHLAND, ORE.— The Oregon Shakespeare Festival announced its 2004 season today, which features four new adaptations, including one new work created and directed by Tony Award-winning artist Frank Galati.

      “The 2004 season line up represents the best of the OSF tradition—the great classics combined with new projects and fresh, bold approaches,” said OSF Artistic Director Libby Appel. “It will provide us with the extraordinary opportunity to work with the brilliant theater artist, Frank Galati, who will create a new work based on the Oedipus legend.”

     Mr. Galati will be creating a play from adaptations of Sophocles’ Oedipus, Sigmund Freud’s writings about the Oedipus complex, and other texts that resonate with Oedipus, in an exploration of the profound impact of the Oedipus story on the psyche of the 20^th century.

    Mr. Galati won two Tony Awards for adapting and directing The Grapes of Wrath, which played at Steppenwolf Theatre Company’s Chicago space, La Jolla Playhouse, National Theatre in London and on Broadway. His direction of Broadway’s Ragtime also won a Tony Award. His screenplay with Lawrence Kasdan for The Accidental Tourist was nominated for an Academy Award. As Associate Director of the Goodman Theatre in Chicago, he has directed numerous productions for the theatre, and he has staged numerous operas for theatres throughout the country.

     Oedipus Complex will run in the Angus Bowmer Theatre from July through October, 2004.

     Opening at the top of the season in the Angus Bowmer Theatre and running through July is an adaptation by OSF actor and director Kenneth Albers of Friedrich Dürrenmatt’s The Visit, from a literal translation by OSF Director of Literary Development and Dramaturgy Douglas Langworthy. Mr. Langworthy translated OSF’s 1999 production of The Good Person of Szechuan. Mr. Albers will also direct the production.

     The other two adaptations opening in 2004 were created by OSF Head of Voice and Text Scott Kaiser. He has adapted William Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Parts One, Two and Three. Henry VI, Part One: Talbot and Joan will run at the New Theatre from April through October, and Henry VI, Parts Two & Three: Henry and Margaret will run on the Elizabethan Stage from June through October.  The productions will be co-directed by Ms. Appel and Mr. Kaiser.

     Mr. Kaiser has been with OSF for 11 seasons. In addition to working on more than 65 productions as voice and text director, he was the associate director and co-adapter for OSF’s 1998 Measure for Measure and assistant director for three OSF productions.

     Also playing at the New Theatre is the Pulitzer Prize-winning drama by Suzan-Lori Parks, Topdog/Underdog. This dynamic and innovative play that ran on Broadway in 2002 will be directed by OSF Associate Artistic Director Timothy Bond.

     The third slot in the New Theatre line up is yet to be announced.

     Playing with The Visit and Oedipus Complex in the Angus Bowmer Theatre are William Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors, directed by Bill Rauch, who directed Handler in 2002 and is directing Hedda Gabler this season; The Royal Family by Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman, directed by Peter Amster, director of this season’s Present Laughter; and Lorraine Hansberry’s classic A Raisin in the Sun, directed by OSF actor/director Andrea Frye, who most recently directed the 2001 production of Nilo Cruz’s Two Sisters and a Piano.

     On the outdoor Elizabethan Stage, along side Henry VI, Parts Two and Three: Henry and Margaret, are Shakespeare’s King Lear and Much Ado About Nothing.  James Edmondson, who played King Lear in the 1997 OSF production will direct the 2004 production. Guest director Laird Williamson, who directed recent OSF productions of Pericles, Life is a Dream and Julius Caesar will direct Much Ado About Nothing.

2004 Playbill with Directors (subject to change)

The Angus Bowmer Theatre

The Comedy of Errors  by William Shakespeare                                   February  - November

Director: Bill Rauch.

The Visit  by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, adapted by Kenneth Albers

from a literal translation by Douglas Langworthy                                    February - July

Director: Kenneth Albers. 

The Royal Family  by Edna Ferber and George S. Kaufman                  February  - November

Director: Peter Amster.

A Raisin in the Sun  by Lorraine Hansberry                                April  - November

Director: Andrea Frye.

Oedipus Complex  adapted by Frank Galati from the writings of Sophocles,

Sigmund Freud and others                                                         July – November

Director: Frank Galati.

The New Theatre

Topdog/Underdog  by Suzan-Lori Parks                                      February  - July

Director: Timothy Bond.

Henry VI, Part One: Talbot and Joan  by William Shakespeare

Adapted by Scott Kaiser                                                                  April  – November

Director: Libby Appel and Scott Kaiser.

To Be Announced                                                                              July  – November

Director: To Be Announced.

The Elizabethan Stage

King Lear  by William Shakespeare                                         June  ‑ October

Director: James Edmondson.

Henry VI, Parts Two & Three: Henry and Margaret  by William Shakespeare

Adapted by Scott Kaiser                                                                  June  – October

Directors: Libby Appel and Scott Kaiser.

Much Ado About Nothing  by William Shakespeare                             June  - October

Director: Laird Williamson.