The Great River Shakespeare Festival in Winona kicks off this week.
              
The festival begins its ninth season of productions in the Upper Mississippi region Wednesday with the first preview of The Two Gentlemen of Verona.

Eric Stone, who is the head of design in the Theatre and Arts Department at the University of Iowa, is the scenic designer this year and says Thursday's production is King Lear.

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) begins Thursday, June 28th.

Stone says Shakespeare's works are still relevant today because they focus on the human condition.

Performances continue through August 5th in the Winona State University Performing Arts Center Theatre.

Ticket information is available at www.grsf.org.