Austin Shakespeare presents professional theater of the highest quality with an emphasis on the plays of William Shakespeare, bringing to the public performances that are fresh, bold, imaginative, thought-provoking and eminently accessible, connecting the truths of the past with the challenges and possibilities of today. From the teen actors in the Young Shakespeare Company’s summer program to professional actors, including members of Actors’ Equity Association (AEA / the union for professional stage actors and stage managers), Austin Shakespeare wants audiences to experience classical works that are grand in emotional scale, imaginative in vision and intimately truthful. As we perform regularly on a stage that is a replica of the outdoor Elizabethan, Curtain Theater, we discover more and more how to connect with the audience in ways that are accessible, energetic, imaginative and thoughtful.

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OUR MISSION

Austin Shakespeare performs timeless stories that explore the human adventure and celebrate the power of words on stages and in schools in the heart of Texas.

OUR HISTORY & WHO WE ARE

Austin Shakespeare began in 1984 with Free Shakespeare in Zilker Park and has been a staple in Austin theater since. Originally subsidized by the City of Austin, it quickly developed its own funding sources early on, establishing itself as one of the premier theater companies in central Texas.

In addition to Free Shakespeare in the Park, the company presents Shakespeare and other classic works along with contemporary playwrights whose work reflects classical sensibilities at the Rollins Theater of The Long Center and The Curtain Theater (one of only a dozen Elizabethan replicas in the United States).

Currently, the company produces 3 to 4 annual productions under contract with Equity as well as non-union productions throughout the season. This includes fully-produced staged readings, an annual collaboration with The Austin Chamber Music Festival, collaborations with other arts organizations and artists locally and nationally. The company promotes a policy of inclusion and diversity in all sectors of company life.

AUSTIN SHAKESPEARE BEYOND THE STAGE

Austin Shakespeare’s educational outreach includes:

Programs to get students to speak the language of Shakespeare

Tours of The Curtain Theater

Performances of The World’s Fastest Hamlet, Young Shakespeare, and after-school programs.

Adult programs include a weekly reading group and Artist’s Way classes.

Austin Shakespeare endeavors to connect with young people on a regular basis by expanding education and outreach efforts in the classroom and by bringing full productions before young audiences.

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