1-1 By: Coleman (Senate Sponsor - Ellis) H.C.R. No. 267 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 11, 1999; 1-3 May 12, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Administration; May 13, 1999, reported favorably by the following 1-5 vote: Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 13, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-7 WHEREAS, The year 1999 marks the 25th season of the Houston 1-8 Shakespeare Festival, which begins with the July 30 opening 1-9 performance of The Taming of the Shrew, and this outstanding 1-10 cultural event is indeed worthy of special recognition; and 1-11 WHEREAS, Produced by the University of Houston School of 1-12 Theatre, this spectacular festival is a collaborative effort of the 1-13 city government and the University of Houston; its annual free 1-14 outdoor productions of the works of William Shakespeare are truly a 1-15 treat for the Houston community and have in recent years drawn 1-16 almost half a million spectators to the Miller Outdoor Theatre; and 1-17 WHEREAS, Sidney Berger, director of the University of Houston 1-18 School of Theatre and cofounder and former president of the 1-19 Shakespeare Theatre Association of America, has been the guiding 1-20 force behind the Houston Shakespeare Festival since its inception 1-21 in 1975; and 1-22 WHEREAS, In 1989 the Houston Shakespeare Festival received a 1-23 special grant from the Cullen Trust for the Performing Arts, 1-24 enabling it to take its place as a member of the League of Resident 1-25 Theatres, the nation's professional community of Actors Equity 1-26 companies; and 1-27 WHEREAS, For a quarter of a century the Houston Shakespeare 1-28 Festival has offered a truly enjoyable and enriching cultural 1-29 experience for all those fortunate enough to attend, and it is 1-30 indeed appropriate to recognize this estimable event at this time; 1-31 now, therefore, be it 1-32 RESOLVED, That the 76th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-33 hereby congratulate Sidney Berger, the University of Houston School 1-34 of Theatre, and all those associated with the Houston Shakespeare 1-35 Festival for their 25 years of theatrical accomplishments and 1-36 extend to them sincere best wishes for a successful season; and, be 1-37 it further 1-38 RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be 1-39 prepared for Mr. Berger, Lois Parkinson Zamora, dean of the 1-40 University of Houston College of Humanities, Fine Arts, and 1-41 Communication, and Arthur K. Smith, president of the University of 1-42 Houston, as an expression of high regard by the Texas House of 1-43 Representatives and Senate. 1-44 * * * * *