“The play’s the thing,” Hamlet famously uttered, and Kilgore College agreed. In 1986, as Texas marked its sesquicentennial, the college asked Raymond Caldwell, the director of its Fine Arts Division who went on to serve 25 years as chairman of the theater department, to produce a play as part of the celebrations going on around the state. Caldwell directed the new play The Daisy Bradford 3, about the 1930s-era well in East Texas that triggered an oil boom, and added two Shakespeare plays to the program. A hit with audiences, what was supposed to be a one-time event turned into the annual Texas Shakespeare Festival, and on June 27, the East Texas cultural gem opens its 39th season.
The festival touts itself as the only professional theater company in East Texas, meaning everyone involved in the shows—from the director down to the apprentices—are either paid working actors or crew members. “Many people don’t have the time or money to travel to Dallas, Houston, or Shreveport to see professional theater,” artistic director Meaghan Simpson says. “So, we bring the professionals right here to Kilgore.”
Along with two plays by the Bard, the festival features anon-Shakespearean classic, a musical, and a show for children. The main stage productions are performed “in rep,” where shows rotate Thursday through Sunday, with a matinee and an evening performance each day. This year’s productions are Much Ado About Nothing, Julius Caesar, Peter and the Starcatcher, Sweeney Todd, and Tinker Bell. “We choose the Shakespeare plays first,” Simpson says. “Then we look for plays and musicals that will complement the Shakespeare plays, providing a diverse and varied experience for our patrons.” Attendees can see all five shows over two days. And if parting is such sweet sorrow, don’t worry, you can return for new productions next year.
BIG BEND COUNTRY
DEL RIO
Independence Day Rodeo
June 28-29
The night includes bull riding, barrel racing, calf roping, and mutton bustin’ among other traditional rodeo events. Val Verde Fairgrounds, 2006 N. Main St. 830-775-3551; facebook.com/delriorotary
EL PASO
Viva El Paso!
June 21-Aug. 3
This musical celebrates the cultures that have influenced the City of the Sun: Native American, Spanish Conquistador, Mexican, and Western American. See history come alive through drama, song, and dance performed by a cast of over 50. McKelligon Canyon Amphitheatre, 1331 McKelligon Canyon Road. 915-231-1100; vivaelpaso.org
FORT STOCKTON
Summer Off the Patio Concert Series
June 13, 27
Concerts take place on the patio of the Annie Riggs Museum, and food and drinks are served while visitors listen to music under the star-filled skies of West Texas. Annie Riggs Museum, 301 S. Main St. 432-336-2167; annieriggsmuseum.org
MARFA
Agave Festival
June 6-9
This annual festival, which honors the agave and its impact on culture through food, film, music, science, and spirits, offers tastings hosted by agave spirit producers, oneof-a-kind dining experiences, and performances by contemporary and regional musicians. Various locations. agavemarfa.com
SAN ELIZARIO
Billy the Kid Festival
June 1-2
Visit historic sites, art galleries, museums, vendors, and saloons, and maybe catch an Old West gunfight or performance of the play 1876: Billy the Kid. The event also has live music and food and drinks. San Elizario Historic Art District, 1501 Main St. 915-851-0093;
