Shakespeare Festival/LA

Los Angeles, California

Since 1985, Shakespeare Festival/LA has been a cherished community resource, whether for its nationally recognized youth-and-education programming, its professional outdoor productions that uniquely reflect Los Angeles, or its presentation of Crystal Quill, an arts-education program. Every summer, the festival presents evenings that blend the old and the new to make Shakespeare accessible to all audiences. Each play is set against a local backdrop to reflect Los Angeles and its diverse cultures. By incorporating the geography and ethnicities of its community, Shakespeare Festival/LA's outdoor productions reach beyond the traditional theater crowd by creating an experience that resonates with people from all walks of life. The youth and education department offers a blend of programs for adults and youths that combine job training and professional development with academic enrichment, human relations training, and hands-on arts experiences. Through participation in these programs, youths gain an increased capacity for economic self-sufficiency, confidence in an academic setting, conflict-resolution skills, and an appreciation for diversity. Through programs like Will Power to Schools and the Youth Arts Professional Institute, educators and artists explore innovative methods of making Shakespeare relevant and exciting for youths.

As part of Shakespeare for a New Generation, Shakespeare Festival/LA will produce Romeo and Juliet at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in downtown Los Angeles. This project will be an offshoot of the festival's in-service training program. Teachers from underserved schools will receive an orientation from their host educator, Dr. Jill Aguilar, who will help them incorporate the ideas into their curricula and prepare their students. Students will take the bus, free of charge, to the performance venue, where they will meet with Dr. Aguilar and a teaching artist for a workshop that will explore the themes and issues of the play and make connections between Shakespeare's text and their own lives. Following the workshop, students will see the performance itself and, after the performance, they will have a chance to meet with company members for an informal reflection on the play.

Visit them at: www.shakespearefestivalla.org