This spring the Jentes Family Courtyard Theater will be illuminated with a series of vibrant Shakespeare productions that embrace the power of language in telling timeless stories. Beginning February 5, on the heels of our nation’s own presidential election, Julius Caesar takes the stage, set against the backdrop of present-day Washington, DC. British director Jonathan Munby has been lauded worldwide for his visceral, contemporary approach to Shakespeare, with his productions featured in London’s West End and across England, in Japan and Africa, and at many top American regional theaters. CST is proud to introduce this rising international director to local audiences with his Chicago debut.

Next, CST’s frequent collaborator Rachel Rockwell returns to direct a captivating 75-minute production for student and family audiences: Short Shakespeare! Romeo and Juliet . Widely recognized for her talent in interpreting theater that resonates with young audiences, Rockwell is a Joseph Jefferson Award-winning director who was named Chicago Magazine’s “Best Director” in 2010. This abridged production of one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies will speak directly to today’s teens and families about their own lives and experiences with timeless themes of violence, revenge and love.

Closing the 2012/13 season, Artistic Director Barbara Gaines will helm CST’s first-ever staging of Henry VIII. This production will be filled with the requisite majesty due to the House of Tudor, uncovered by Gaines’ expressive and cinematic storytelling. As the tale unfolds of England's most notorious king—known for his habit of wedding and beheading—Anne Boleyn rises to power, Queen Katherine is ousted from her throne, and the political machinations and exploits of a king's reign are laid bare.

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