Kentucky Shakespeare Festival

Louisville, Kentucky

Founded by community leaders and local theater artists 1949, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival has enhanced community life by providing accessible, professional, classical theater and quality educational outreach programs. In addition to the company's free summer festival, additional programming has engaged children, educators, and others with year-round live theater and educational experiences. They fundamentally believe that art is for everyone, not just those who can afford to pay the cost of a ticket or program fee and have provided opportunities for everyone, regardless of their financial or physical limitations, to view and participate in the works of Shakespeare. Kentucky Shakespeare Festival takes a four-fold approach to art and the works of Shakespeare: the work must be available and accessible to its diverse community; it must entertain; it must educate and enlighten; and it must change people's lives.

As part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival will tour a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. Accompanying educational activities will provide each student with an opportunity to participate in their interactive performance workshop, K.R.U.S.H. (Keeping Relationships Upbeat Safe and Healthy). This interactive performance will feature scenes from three plays The Taming of the Shrew, A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Tempest. Each selected scene explores relationship in trouble and in between each scene a moderator will engage the students in discussion to help them understand the nature of the relationship and humane nature. Throughout this workshop the students are encouraged to make choices that result in a safer, healthier relationship.

Educational Residencies for Juvenile Offenders

Kentucky Shakespeare Festival will implement an 80-hour residency for incarcerated boys at Audubon Youth Development Center. Three theater artists, under the consultation of a drama therapist and program expert, will implement curriculum and conduct rehearsals that lead the boys through an in-depth exploration of Shakespeare's work. During the residency, the boys will visit inmates of the adult program, Shakespeare Behind Bars, where students and inmates will be encouraged to discuss the text and how the characters accept and decline responsibility for their actions. This is an on-going drama program designed to provide continued support, mentorship, and peer attachment to the youth as they make their re-entry from incarceration back into the community.

Visit them at: www.kyshakes.org