Message from Dana Gioia,
Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts

Welcome to the Web site of Shakespeare in American Communities. Along with honorary chair Mrs. Laura Bush, I am delighted and proud to share with you a wealth of information about this initiative and educational information about William Shakespeare himself.

The National Endowment for the Arts created Shakespeare in American Communities to introduce a new generation of audiences to the greatest playwright in the English language. In order to understand American culture or American theater, one must first understand Shakespeare.

This initiative brings to small and mid-sized communities live theater of the highest caliber. From Anchorage, Alaska to Pensacola, Florida, from Torrance, California to Texarkana, Texas, the Arts Endowment is helping to reinvigorate the theater touring tradition and strengthen the arts in communities across the country.

My hope is that Shakespeare in American Communities will demonstrate the benefits of theater touring and lead to making professional theater a vital part of the cultural landscape of smaller communities. I believe the performances and educational activities will inspire young and old to attend future theatrical productions and will help create a new appreciation for live theater and Shakespeare.

I would like to personally thank the members of the Shakespeare in American Communities Player’s Guild who are contributing their time and expertise to this initiative. They include:

Angela Lansbury
Harold Bloom
Hilary Duff
James Earl Jones
Jane Alexander
Julie Taymor
Michael Kahn
Michael York
Rafe Esquith

Thank you for your interest in Shakespeare in American Communities, and I hope you have the opportunity to enjoy the show!

Best regards,