By Darren Lum

Published Nov. 21, 2017

The Highlands Summer Festival is going back to a classic to entice a
younger generation to join them on the stage this upcoming season. 

At the annual announcement event at McKecks restaurant in Haliburton
on Sunday, HSF artistic producer Scot Denton announced that Romeo and
Juliet, William Shakespeare’s famous love story about the two
“star-cross’d lovers” will kick off the festival season on July 2.

Denton wants the principal characters to be played by teens. He hopes
this play will draw young people not just to the stage but also to the
audience.

Following this show will be Not Quite Sherlock, starting on July 11.

This one-man comedy features British comedian Chris Gibbs, who “plumbs the mind of London’s second most famous detective.”

The James Yaffe thriller, Cliffhanger, will have audience members on
the edge of their seats for the murder mystery that starts on July 16.

Tom Allen returns for three performances with Weimar to Vaudeville starting July 25.

This is a historical musical revue and features the 1920 to 1930s era
and music by composers Richard Strauss, Charlie Chaplin, Fletcher
Henderson, Paul Hindemith and Johannes Brahms, including original songs
by the cast. 

Written by A.R. Gurney, The Dining Room will end the summer festival with its last show on Aug. 8.

“In this fast-paced play, six actors, playing a variety of roles,
will entice and enchant you as the story unfolds,” the HSF press release
states.

“I am certainly looking forward to this season and hope our audience
finds it equally entertaining and enriching. There is something for
everyone in each of the productions,” Denton said in the release.

Open auditions for all the locally produced shows will be on Jan. 20 and 21 at the Haliburton United Church.

Evening shows will start earlier at 7:30 p.m. and more matinees starting at 2 p.m. have been added on Fridays and Sundays.

Unlike other years, this year a show’s run will not be interrupted by guest shows. 

Season passes are available for purchase. Order passes by phone at 705-457-9933 or 855-457-9933.

For more information see www.highlandssummerfestival.on.ca.