HOUSTON — Sept. 23, 2024 — Rice Theatre is thrilled to announce its production of William Shakespeare’s “The Comedy of Errors,” a masterful blend of wit, whimsy and wordplay that promises to enchant audiences with its delightful pandemonium.
“The Comedy of Errors” is one of Shakespeare’s earliest and most cheerful comedies, revolving around two sets of identical twins separated at birth. As they unwittingly converge in the city of Ephesus, a series of mistaken identities leads to a whirlwind of slapstick humor, romantic entanglements and comedic confusion. The arrival of Antipholus of Syracuse and his servant Dromio leads to a series of comedic mishaps as they are mistaken for their Ephesus counterparts, Antipholus and Dromio of Ephesus. The confusion escalates into a whirlwind of wrongful accusations, mistaken identities and chaotic misunderstandings. Amid the hilarity, the play explores themes of identity and family with Shakespeare’s signature wit.
The production will be directed by Christina Keefe, director of Rice Theatre, who last directed Rice Theatre’s production of “Pride and Prejudice.” Most recently, she was the voice and text coach for the Houston Shakespeare Festival’s productions of “Romeo and Juliet” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Rice Theatre is proud to welcome back alumni Justin Bernard ’18 and Matthew Alter ’24, who will be acting in the company.
Mark Krouskop, lecturer and production manager for the Rice Theatre Program, is the set designer. Krouskop designed the outdoor set for Rice’s production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and the raining elevator for “Eurydice,” as well as the set for last year’s production of “The Mousetrap.” The costume design is by Heather Breikjern, lecturer and costume shop manager, who designed the Victorian world of “Pride and Prejudice” as well as last fall’s “Mousetrap.”
Performances will take place on two weekends: October 18-19 and 24-26 at 8 p.m. with a matinee on Oct. 20 at 2 p.m. Tickets will be $5 for students, $8 for senior citizens and Rice faculty/staff/alumni, $10 for general admission, and are available at the door starting one hour prior to curtain. Performances are at Hamman Hall, entrance 21 off Rice Boulevard. For more information, visit facebook.com/RiceTheatre or theatre.rice.edu or call/email the box office at 713-348-4005 and hamman@rice.edu.