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The University of Texas at Austin
Department of English
Austin, TX 78712-1164
(512) 471-8367

History of Shakespeare at Winedale
Winedale Historical Center
1996 Performances

Spring Class Performances

Summer 1996 Performances

Winedale Hunter's Stew
Application to 1996 Summer Program

## History of Shakespeare at Winedale

Shakespeare moved to Winedale in the Fall of 1970 at the request--or perhaps royal command--of Miss Ima Hogg of Houston. She asked Professor Jim Ayres to use the restored hay barn for public performances of Shakespeare. Dr. Ayres, who had been teaching Shakespeare at The University of Texas at Austin since 1964, readily accepted the invitation and developed what is now known as SHAKESPEARE AT WINEDALE, a 15 week course of study and performance of Shakespeare's plays which appropriately concludes with 24 public performances of three plays in late July and early August.

From the beginning, Professor Ayres--his students call him "Doc," strongly expressed his belief that the serious study and performance of Shakespeare was not the exclusive property of theatre departments or professionals. He felt that the performance experience should be extended to everyone regardless of academic interest, knowledge of Shakespeare, experience with performance, or age. And so, during the first 25 years, Shakespeare at Winedale has drawn students with different cultural and academic backgrounds, from universities and colleges around the U.S. but mostly from Texas. Their academic interests have ranged from chemistry, medicine, law, business and physics to music, French, history, philosophy, and English. They've met in June at Winedale for 25 years to begin a journey which takes them well beyond their expectations and themselves.

## Winedale Historical Center

Winedale, Texas, lies four miles east of Round Top, Texas, in the heart of Fayette County German farm country. In 1831, the Mexican government granted the land to William S. Townsend, an Austin colonist. Samuel Lewis bought the land in 1848 and developed a thousand-acre cotton and stock farm. In the 1850's, the Lewis House became the stage coach stop between Bastrop and San Felipe de Austin.

Joseph Wagner, a German immigrant, became the next owner. He and his descendants lived here until 1961 when Miss Ima Hogg, a Houston philanthropist, purchased 130 acres including the Lewis House, which she restored and presented to The University of Texas System in 1967. Since then, additional acreage and buildings have been added to Winedale Historical Center. The property is used for the study and preservation of the ethnic cultures of central Texas. The complex now has a visitor center, restored historic structures, the theatre barn which houses performances of SHAKESPEARE AT WINEDALE, a conference center with a dorm, a research center, a nature trail, and a picnic area.

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## 1996 Performances

Spring Class Performances
April 26 & 27 - 7:00 p.m.

  Pericles
  This romance will be performed by students registered in what is called the "Spring class" of SHAKESPEARE AT WINEDALE. It was in this semester version that the program had its origin. The first class performed at Winedale on the weekend of November 15, 1970. This has always been an "open enrollment" class: any upper division or graduate student at The University of Texas at Austin may register for it. Tickets for the performances are $4.00.

  Eeyore's Birthday
  Before the Saturday evening performance, from 2:00-4:00 p.m., the famous donkey's birthday is celebrated with red balloons, music, may poles, costumes, cake-walks, games and refreshments.

Summer Program
July 25 - August 18

  We have four Thursday through Sunday "long weekends" of performances in the summer. This year SHAKESPEARE AT WINEDALE presents:

  - William Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing
  - William Shakespeare's The Tempest
  - Francis Beaumont's The Knight of the Burning Pestle

Tickets for all plays

  Tickets for each play may be purchased for $5.00. Donors to the Shakespeare at Winedale Scholarship Fund will be honored with PREFERENTIAL SEATING and recognition in the program. We suggest that yu make reservations well in advance. We do not confirm reservations for groups over ten unless payment is made in advance.

  For RESERVATIONS call the Winedale Historical Center, (409) 278-3530 (9-5 daily), or write SHAKESPEARE AT WINEDALE, P.O. Box 11, Round Top, Texas, 78954. Tickets are not mailed. Tickets are available at the theatre 1 1/2 hours prior to each performance.

### Performance Schedule July/August 1996

Thursday, July 25

### ADO

7:30 P.M.

Friday,
July 26

### PESTLE

7:30 P.M.

Saturday,
July 27

### TEMPEST

2:00 P.M.

### ADO

7:30 P.M.

Sunday,
July 28

### PESTLE

2:00 P.M.

### TEMPEST

7:30 P.M.

Thursday, August 1

### PESTLE

7:30 P.M.

Friday,
August 2

### TEMPEST

7:30 P.M.

Saturday,
August 3

### ADO

2:00 P.M.

### PESTLE

7:30 P.M.

Sunday,
August 4

### TEMPEST

2:00 P.M.

### ADO

7:30 P.M.

Thursday, August 8

### TEMPEST

7:30 P.M.

Friday,
August 9

### ADO

7:30 P.M.

Saturday,
August 10

### PESTLE

2:00 P.M.

### TEMPEST

7:30 P.M.

Sunday,
August 11

### ADO

2:00 P.M.

### PESTLE

7:30 P.M.

Thursday, August 15

### ADO

7:30 P.M.

Friday,
August 16

### PESTLE

7:30 P.M.

Saturday,
August 17

### TEMPEST

2:00 P.M.

### ADO

7:30 P.M.

Sunday,
August 18

### PESTLE

2:00 P.M.

### TEMPEST

7:30 P.M.

## The Famous Winedale Hunter's Stew

Before each Saturday performance, at 5:00 P.M. the famous Winedale Hunter's Stew, with all the trimmings, will be served on a first-come basis at the picnic grounds at $5.00 a person to benefit the Friends of Winedale. Tours of the historic building at Winedale will be available from 12:00 noon to 6:00 P.M., Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, and 10:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. on Saturday.

There is a different cooking team each weekend. All have either won or placed in the annual October Round Top World Championship Stew Cookoff. The stew, with all the trimmings, is $5.00, to benefit The Friends of Winedale, a group committed to preserving the history, buildings, and natural environment of this small community.

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