Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

Founded	1992
Founder	Gerard J. Schubert, O.S.F.S.
Type	Arts
Focus	The Plays of William Shakespeare and other classic playwrights
Area served	Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware
Product	Professional Theatre
Owner	DeSales University
Key people	Patrick Mulcahy, Producing Artistic Director; Dennis Razze, Associate Artistic Director; Casey Gallagher, Managing Director
Revenue	$1.5M
Endowment	$2.4M
Employees	11 year-round; 150+ seasonally
Volunteers	200
Website	pashakespeare.org

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) is a professional theater company in residence at DeSales University and the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.^[1] The Festival is organized as a non-profit 501(c)(3) in Pennsylvania. Each summer, PSF produces six or more plays (often including a musical) and special one-night-only performances. In the fall, PSF tours a Shakespeare play to schools as part of its Linny Fowler WillPower tour. The Festival celebrates its 25th anniversary season the summer of 2016. Since its inception, the Festival has been attended by 543,000 people. The acting company consists primarily of professional actors from New York and Philadelphia and who are members of Actors' Equity Association. The plays are performed in two theaters in The Labuda Center for the Performing Arts: the 473-seat proscenium Mainstage or the 189-seat thrust Schubert Theater on the DeSales University campus in Center Valley.

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is listed as a Major Festival in the book Shakespeare Festivals Around the World by Marcus D. Gregio (Editor), 2004.

Productions

2016 Season

• West Side Story - Based on a conception of Jerome Robbins; Book by Arthur Laurents; Music by Leonard Bernstein; Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim; Entire original production directed and choreography by Jerome Robbins; Inspired by Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet • June 15 - July 3 • Main Stage
• Julius Caesar – By William Shakespeare • June 22 - July 17 • Schubert Theatre
• The Taming of the Shrew - By William Shakespeare • July 13 - August 7 • Main Stage
• Blithe Spirit - By Noël Coward • July 21 - August 7 • Main Stage
• Love's Labour's Lost - By William Shakespeare • July 27 - August 7 • Schubert Theatre
• The Little Mermaid - By Linda Daugherty • June 3 - August 6 • Schubert Theatre
• Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Sheffield • July 27 - August 6 • Main Stage

2015 Season

• Les Misérables - Boubil and Schonberg's musical based on the 1862 novel by Victor Hugo Les Misérables
• Around the World in 80 Days – By Mark Brown
• Henry V - William Shakespeare
• Pericles - By William Shakespeare
• The Foreigner (play) - By Larry Shue
• Rapunzel - Brothers Grimm fairy tale adapted by Erin Sheffield
• Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Sheffield

2014 Season

• "Fiddler on the Roof" - Based on the Sholem Aleichem stories by special permission of Arnold Perl; Book by Joseph Stein, Music by Jerry Bock, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick; Produced on the New York Stage by Harold Prince; Original New York Stage Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins - June 11 - June 29
• The Two Gentlemen of Verona – By William Shakespeare - June 13 - July 13
• Lend Me a Tenor - By Ken Ludwig - July 9 - August 3
• Macbeth- By William Shakespeare - July 17 - August 3
• Women of Will - By Tina Packer - July 20 - August 3
• Cinderella - By Brandon E. McLauren - May 30 - August 2
• Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Hurley - July 23 - August 2

2013 Season

• Oklahoma! - Music by Richard Rodgers, Book & Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, Based on the play Green Grown the Lilacs by Lynn Riggs, Original Dances by Agnes De Mille - June 12 - June 30
• The 39 Steps – Adapted by Patrick Barlow, From the novel by John Buchan, From the movie of Alfred Hitchcock - June 19 - July 14
• The Importance of Being Earnest - By Oscar Wilde - July 10 - August 4
• Measure for Measure- By William Shakespeare - July 18 - August 4
• Henry VIII - By William Shakespeare - July 24 - August 4
• Beauty & the Beast - By Michele L. Vacca - May 31 - August 3
• Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Hurley - July 24 - August 3

2012 Season

• Much Ado About Nothing - By William Shakespeare - July 11 - August 5
• Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – By Tennessee Williams - July 19 - August 5
• The Tempest - By William Shakespeare - June 20 - July 15
• Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street - Music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Book by Hugh Wheeler, From an Adaptation by Christopher Bond - June 13 - July 1
• King John - By William Shakespeare - July 25 - August 5
• Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - By Michele L. Vacca - June 1 - August 4
• Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Hurley - July 25 - August 4

2011 Season

• Hamlet - By William Shakespeare - July 20 - August 7
• Pride & Prejudice - Adapted by John Jory - July 19 - August 7
• The Comedy of Errors - By William Shakespeare - June 22 - July 17
• South Pacific - Book by Oscar Hammerstein II and Joshua Logan, Music by Richard Rodgers, Lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II - June 15 - July 3
• The Two Noble Kinsmen - By William Shakespeare and John Fletcher - July 27 - August 7
• Sleeping Beauty - By Michele L. Vacca - June 3 - August 6
• Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Hurley - July 27 - August 6
• On the Green June 15 - August 7

2010 Season

• Romeo and Juliet - By William Shakespeare
• The Merry Wives of Windsor - By William Shakespeare
• The Playboy of the Western World - By J. M. Synge
• A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim Book by Burt Shevelove and Larry Gelbart
• Robin Hood - By Brandon E. McLauren
• Shakespeare for Kids
• The Green Show May 29- August 1

WillPower Tour

The Festival's signature education program is the annual Linny Fowler WillPower Tour, which brings a professionally produced Shakespeare play to middle schools and high schools throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. Initiated in 2000, the WillPower Tour is a professionally directed 80-minute production with sets and costumes featuring a company of professionally trained and experienced actor/teachers. The fall 2014 WillPower Tour features Much Ado About Nothing, touring schools in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware from October 8 - November 7, 2014. Half-day or full-day programming meets academic standards, with curriculum guides provided in advance. Post-performance discussion gives the students the opportunity to share their reactions and insights.

History

The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival was founded in 1992 by Gerard J. Schubert, O.S.F.S., founder and chair of Performing and Fine Arts department at DeSales University.

Notable Actors

• Steve Burns - 2013, Clown 1, The 39 Steps; 2011, Dromio of Syracuse, The Comedy of Errors; 2007, Amadeus, Amadeus
• Tom Degnan - 2012, Brick, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Don John, Much Ado about Nothing
• Mike Eldred - 2015, Jean Valjean, Les Misérables
• Kate Fahrner - 2015, Fantine, Les Misérables
• Alexie Gilmore - 2013, Gwendolyn, The Importance of Being Earnest
• Jeremiah James - 2015, Javert, Les Misérables
• William Michals - 2012, Sweeney Todd, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; 2011, Emile De Beque, South Pacific
• Rachel Potter - 2015, Eponine, Les Misérables
• Dee Roscioli - 2012, Mrs. Lovett, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street; 2010, Finale Cabaret
• Marnie Schulenburg - 2011, Nellie Forbush, South Pacific; 2006, Celia, As You Like It
• Jo Twiss - 2012 - Big Mama, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; 2011, Nurse, Romeo and Juliet
• Delaney Westfall - 2015, Cosette, Les Misérables

References

1. "PA State Senate Resolution".

Coordinates: 40°32′24″N 75°22′25″W / 40.539944°N 75.373474°W