Seattle Shakespeare Company

Seattle, Washington

Recognizing the need for a theater focused on the powerful plays of William Shakespeare in a city with a national reputation as a theatrical leader, Seattle Shakespeare Company (originally Seattle Shakespeare Festival) was founded in 1991 with a mission of “opening doors to classical plays for audiences of all ages through intimate, daring productions.” The company is committed to bringing Shakespeare's words to life onstage through a combination of mainstage productions and education/outreach programs. As a professional theater contracted with Actors' Equity Association, Seattle Shakespeare is able to provide high-quality, intimate productions for its region's audience, with an intense focus on the text of the plays. The company regularly presents public and student matinee performances at the Center House Theatre, a 195-seat performance venue at Seattle Center, Seattle's premiere urban park and home for many of the city's cultural institutions. Audiences and participants also benefit from Seattle Shakespeare's many outreach programs, which bring theater directly to the community—from schools to libraries to community centers. Seattle Shakespeare has been heralded as the leading professional theater company in the state of Washington devoted to the works of William Shakespeare and the classics.

Building on previous success with reaching rural communities through in-school residencies, as well as projects funded by the Shakespeare for a New Generation, Seattle Shakespeare Company will expand its outreach by touring a five-person chamber production of Romeo and Juliet to three culturally underserved and distinct geographic parts of Washington. Romeo and Juliet resonates viscerally with young people regardless of cultural background; at the center of this powerful play are two teenagers experiencing the intense passion of young love amid the tumult of family conflict, peer pressure, and youth violence. Seattle Shakespeare will engage underserved high schools through its tour, which will range from the agricultural districts of Omak and Wenatchee in central Washington, to Bremerton and Port Angeles on the Olympic Peninsula, to the logging centers of Aberdeen and Longview in the southwest. To enhance the educational experience, students will participate in workshops that illuminate the play and ignite discussion, exploring concepts of conflict resolution and the impact of withholding the truth. Students will have the opportunity to directly engage with the cast through post-show discussions, and free study guides will also be provided. This project will reach more than 5,000 high school students, most of whom have never seen a professional theater production, let alone a performance of Shakespeare's works.

http://www.seattleshakespeare.org/education/