By Rafal Rogoza—

The Actors Shakespeare Company (ASC) has announced its 2012-2013 season entitled Flowers of Winter. The season marks the company’s 13th anniversary and its fifth season in residence at New Jersey City University.

The upcoming season will feature a spring main stage production of Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale.” A magical journey of loss, renewal, and the promise of spring told by a cluster of characters including a

jealous tyrant, a queen on trial, a divine oracle, a singing con man, and a hungry bear.

“ ‘Flowers of Winter’ is inspired by a line from ‘The Winter’s Tale,’ “ said ASC Producing Artistic Director Colette Rice. “Shakespeare’s deep connection with flowers and the natural world remind us of the cycles of loss and renewal, of the mixture of wild earthy comedy and deep

spiritual tragedy which these plays bring to the stage.” “The Winter’s Tale” will be led by the direction of Bethany Reeves, who previously directed the ASC 2007 production of Shakespeare’s “King John.” The play will open at the NJCU West Side Theatre on Thursday, April 4, 2013, and will run until Sunday, April 21, 2013.

As part of ASC’s free film series, Shakespeare on Screen, thecompany will feature two Shakespeare-based films. The series opens at 5 p.m. Thursday, October 18, with the showing of “Shakespeare-Wallah,” a 1965 Merchant Ivory production about a family troupe of English actors in India.

The second film in the series is “Black Orpheus,” Marcel Camus’ 1959 retelling of the Orpheus and Eurydice myth. The film is set during the time of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It is scheduled for 5 p.m. Thursday, February 21, 2013.

Both films will be shown at the NJCU Gothic Lounge, located at room 202 at Hepburn Hall, no reservations are required.

On Sunday, December 9, ASC will also be performing a free one-night-only presentation of “The Wars of the Roses,” an ASC Lab project created by the company’s resident artists. ASC artists will create the presentation using material from discussions about Shakespeare’s” Henry VI” and “Richard III” that will be held for several weeks with students in class.

NJCU’s 140-seat West Side Theatre is located at 285 West Side Avenue between Culver and Audobon Avenues. Main stage tickets are $30 for adults, $15 for students and senior citizens, and children under 15 pay their age. Group sales are available.

To purchase tickets or for more information about the ASC and the 2012-2013 season call (201)-200-2390 or visit ascnj.org.