This summer, teenagers are the stars of two Shakespearean productions in Dallas.
This year’s summer production at Junior Players is Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, running on the Norma Young Arena Stage at Theatre Three July 28 – August 2.
This production of the beloved comedy is set in the final year of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign, the same year the play was written and first performed. In this romantic comedy, a shipwreck separates twins Viola and Sebastian. Viola disguises herself as a man named Cesario and becomes entangled in a love triangle between a lovesick duke and a grieving countess.
Twelfth Night features 19 of North Texas’ most talented students aged 14 through 18 from 9 different high schools from across DFW. Of these 19 participants, 9 have participated in Junior Players’ Summer Shakespeare production previously and decided to return and 10 are newcomers to the program.
Kyle Lemieux directs this production.
“As Chair of Drama at University of Dallas, I typically work only with university students and professionals. Over the past two summers, however, I have found a real sense of discovery and joy in working on Shakespeare with these incredibly gifted and professional young artists. They bring a vitality to Shakespeare’s language as they discover these characters who inhabit his worlds are just like them- complicated, full of love, and yearning. Watching each of them grow as actors, rising up to the demands of the language -and what language it is – over the past month demonstrates how contemporary Shakespeare is when performed with a fresh lens,” Lemieux said.
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A love triangle is at the heart of Twelfth Night.
Junior Players has been providing arts programming, including summer camps, Winter Musicals, Summer Shakespeare performances and PUP Fest collaboration with Kitchen Dog Theater, for North Texas teens since 1955.
“One of the greatest privileges of my work at Junior Players has been watching young artists discover the power of Shakespeare. I’ve had the opportunity to see so many of these young actors truly hone in on the craft and dive into the work of Shakespeare. I know most are not immersed in it in their schools, so having the opportunity for our organization to provide this experience is something truly special. What makes it even more meaningful is that I get to witness so many of their journeys firsthand. From the audition room to opening night, and for some, from their very first audition with Junior Players to their final bow before they move on to the next chapter. Watching them grow not only as performers, but as confident, thoughtful young people, is one of the most rewarding parts of what I do. Shakespeare challenges them to think deeply, embrace collaboration, and find confidence in their own voice. Seeing that transformation is a beautiful reminder of why access to quality arts education matters so much,” said Jeremy Saxton, Junior Players’ Events and Outreach Manager.
There will be six performances of Twelfth Night. Tuesday through Saturday will feature evening performances beginning at 7:30 p.m. and with doors opening at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday will feature a matinee performance beginning at 2:30 p.m. Tickets may be purchased online or at the door with cash or card.
Shakespeare Dallas is launching Shakespeare Lab, a new education initiative for teenagers, this summer. The program’s first production is The Comedy of Errors by Shakespeare in modern verse translation by Christina Andersonat Samuell-Grand Amphitheater July 24-26.
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The cast rehearses The Comedy of Errors as a part of the inaugural Shakespeare Lab at Shakespeare Dallas.
This new summer studio and mainstage intensive for students entering grades 8–12 is designed to support whole-child development through immersive theatrical training. Built on the belief that confidence, communication skills, collaboration, literacy, and creative problem-solving are not extracurricular luxuries but foundational life skills, the program equips students with tools that foster academic persistence, career readiness, and long-term success. Shakespeare Lab is intentionally structured as a continuum, allowing students to progress through increasing levels of artistic challenge, mentorship, and professional responsibility while developing both as performers and as leaders.
Presented in part by Play On Shakespeare and the Hitz Foundation, this farcical comedy features not one, but two sets of twins. The two sets of identical twins, accidentally separated at birth and reunited by chance, manage to turn an ordinary day into a whirlwind of mistaken identities, outrageous misunderstandings, and nonstop laughter.
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The Comedy of Errors will be performed at Samuell-Grand Amphitheater July 24-26.
“We’re incredibly excited to launch Shakespeare Lab this summer because it represents an investment in the future of theatre. These students have spent weeks training alongside professional artists, and now they get to share their work with our community on the same stage where thousands of North Texans experience Shakespeare every summer. We’re also thrilled to partner with Play On Shakespeare to present The Comedy of Errors in Christina Anderson’s modern verse translation. It keeps all of Shakespeare’s wit and heart while making the language immediately accessible for both our young artists and our audiences. I can’t wait for people to see what this remarkable group of students has accomplished,” said Jenni Stewart, Shakespeare Dallas’ Executive and Artistic Director.
Performances begin at 8:30 p.m. and picnics are encouraged for this outdoor production. Tickets cost $20 for general admission, $15 for students and seniors.
Learn more: Junior Players and Shakespeare Dallas