World Premieres by Robert Schenkkan, Mary Zimmerman, et al. Part of Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s 2012 Season

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has announced programming for its 2012 season, which will include four world premiere productions. The festival will run February 17-November 4.

Two of these works are part of OSF’s series of commissions for American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle. Robert Schenkkan’s All the Way (July 25 – November 3), directed by the festival’s artistic director Bill Rauch, tracks Lyndon Baines Johnson from his ascendancy to the presidency through the passage of the Civil Rights Act and his victory in the 1964 presidential election. Party People (July 4 – November 4), written by the multidisciplinary writing/performance group Universes, explores the Black Panthers and Young Lords movements, and will be directed by Liesl Tommy.

Also making its world premiere at OSF is The White Snake (February 18 – July 8), adapted and directed by Tony winner Mary Zimmerman. The play is based on the classic Chinese fable in which a young scholar falls in love with a beautiful woman, unaware that she is a white snake who has taken on human form. Another world premiere adaptation is Alison Carey’s The Merry Wives of Windsor, Iowa (June 6 – October 13), adapted from Shakespeare, and directed by Christopher Liam Moore.

Actual Shakespeare plays at the festival will include Romeo and Juliet (February 17 – November 4) , directed by Laird Williamson; Troilus and Cressida (March 21 – November 4), directed by Rob Melrose; Henry V (June 5 – October 12) , directed by Joseph Haj; and As You Like It (June 7 – October 14), directed by Jessica Thebus.

Additional works will include George S. Kaufman and Morrie Ryskind’s musical comedy Animal Crackers (February 18 – November 4), directed by Allison Narver; Seagull (February 23 – June 22), adapted and directed by Libby Appel from Chekhov’s play; and Medea/Macbeth/Cinderella, adapted and directed by Bill Rauch and Tracy Young from Euripides, Shakespeare and Rodgers & Hammerstein (April 18 – November 3).

For tickets and more information, click here.