Shakespeare Theatre Company

Incorporated in 1985, Shakespeare Theatre Company's core mission is to present classic theater of scope and size in an imaginative, skillful, and accessible American style that honors the language and intentions of playwrights through a 21st-century lens. It focuses on the classics, especially rarely performed works, and uses an in-depth approach to producing the highest quality classical theater in coordination with educational programs, professional training, and community outreach. In 2007, Shakespeare Theatre Company opened the Sidney Harman Hall which, along with the existing Lansburgh Theatre, showcases the company's mainstage productions, as well as the work of its artistic partners, local performing arts groups, and nationally renowned cultural organizations. Shakespeare Theatre Company maintains a resident company of professional actors that is complemented by guest artists of national and international stature. The 2011-2011 25^th Anniversary Season will feature six classic plays in the Lansburgh Theatre and Sidney Harman Hall; two musicals as part of The Bard’s Broadway; three presenting productions; sixteen free-for-all performances; the Academy for Classical Acting, a training program for professional actors in the classic tradition; a free lunchtime performance series; and a comprehensive range of educational programs.

As part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, Shakespeare Theatre Company will present productions of Much Ado About Nothing, directed by Stephen Rayne, and The Two Gentlemen of Verona, directed by Ethan McSweeny, as part of their Shakesperience student matinee program. This program is designed to increase social and cultural access to classic theater and the theatrical process for public and charter school teachers and students. Through this program, the company will reach schools in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, providing these schools subsidized tickets, preparatory guides, mandatory in-school workshops, focus groups, and post-performance talkbacks. Teachers will receive complementary copies of the First Folio: Teacher Curriculum Guides to assist in preparing students for the production.