Santa Cruz Shakespeare is an annual professional
theatre festival in
Santa Cruz, California, founded in 2014. Its predecessor,
Shakespeare Santa Cruz, lost the financial support of its host and sponsor, the
University of California, Santa Cruz in 2013. Members of the original company and board immediately began fundraising and raised enough money to relaunch the festival as an independent entity.
History
1981-2008: Shakespeare Santa Cruz was founded by Audrey Stanley in 1981 and performed annually on the campus of the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC).[1] Plays by
Shakespeare (and others) were performed both indoors on the UCSC Theater Arts Mainstage and outdoors in the Sinsheimer-Stanley Festival Glen. Usually, the company's season ran from July to early September and presented three or four plays that ran concurrently in
repertory. Over time, the company ran up deficits, which were paid by the University of California.[2]
2008: With California's budget crisis having resulted in reduced funding, the university could no longer afford to cover the accrued debts.[2] An agreement was reached that if the theater could raise $300,000, it could continue operation.[2] Within 10 days of the agreement's announcement, over $400,000 was raised.[2]
2013: Claiming continuing financial problems, the UCSC Arts Division dean announced that Shakespeare Santa Cruz would end after that year's winter holiday production.[3]
2013: Following this announcement, members of the theater company began a campaign to raise money to become an independent company. In December 2013, a new entity known as Shakespeare Play On was formed for this purpose, co-headed by Shakespeare Santa Cruz artistic director Marco Baricelli and actor/director Mike Ryan. An online platform for accepting donations was established with the
Network for Good.[4] By February 2014, they raised over $1 million (USD) through
crowdfunding to continue on without the financial support of the university.[5][6] In March 2014, the new company changed its name to Santa Cruz Shakespeare.[7]The New York Times referred to the company's rebirth as an "underdog success story."[8]
2014: For its inaugural season under its new arrangement, Santa Cruz Shakespeare presented As You Like It, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and The Beard of Avon in July and August 2014.[8] All three shows were performed in the Sinsheimer-Stanley Festival Glen on UCSC's campus.[9]
2016: For the 2016 season the company moved to a new purpose-built home in the
Audrey Stanley Grove at Upper DeLaveaga Park in Santa Cruz.
2022: Mike Ryan announced his plan to step down as Artistic Director after the 2023 season. Charles Pasternak was selected as his successor.
2023: Mirroring the company's first year where Mike Ryan and Marco Baricelli shared the Artistic Director title, Mike Ryan and Charles Pasternak were Co-Artistic Directors for the 2023 season.
2024: Charles Pasternak lead his first season as sole Artistic Director
Henry VI Part I (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)
Henry VI Part II (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)
Henry VI Part III (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)
Richard III (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)
The originally planned Season was Postponed to 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, SCS produced 4 plays as online staged readings with each play broken into multiple performances over a series of weeks.
The ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic once again impacted the season, leading to the further postponement of the plays originally planned for 2020.
A Flea In Her Ear was replaced as the 3rd show.
2022
King John (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)
Santa Cruz Shakespeare is an annual professional
theatre festival in
Santa Cruz, California, founded in 2014. Its predecessor,
Shakespeare Santa Cruz, lost the financial support of its host and sponsor, the
University of California, Santa Cruz in 2013. Members of the original company and board immediately began fundraising and raised enough money to relaunch the festival as an independent entity.
History
1981-2008: Shakespeare Santa Cruz was founded by Audrey Stanley in 1981 and performed annually on the campus of the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC).[1] Plays by
Shakespeare (and others) were performed both indoors on the UCSC Theater Arts Mainstage and outdoors in the Sinsheimer-Stanley Festival Glen. Usually, the company's season ran from July to early September and presented three or four plays that ran concurrently in
repertory. Over time, the company ran up deficits, which were paid by the University of California.[2]
2008: With California's budget crisis having resulted in reduced funding, the university could no longer afford to cover the accrued debts.[2] An agreement was reached that if the theater could raise $300,000, it could continue operation.[2] Within 10 days of the agreement's announcement, over $400,000 was raised.[2]
2013: Claiming continuing financial problems, the UCSC Arts Division dean announced that Shakespeare Santa Cruz would end after that year's winter holiday production.[3]
2013: Following this announcement, members of the theater company began a campaign to raise money to become an independent company. In December 2013, a new entity known as Shakespeare Play On was formed for this purpose, co-headed by Shakespeare Santa Cruz artistic director Marco Baricelli and actor/director Mike Ryan. An online platform for accepting donations was established with the
Network for Good.[4] By February 2014, they raised over $1 million (USD) through
crowdfunding to continue on without the financial support of the university.[5][6] In March 2014, the new company changed its name to Santa Cruz Shakespeare.[7]The New York Times referred to the company's rebirth as an "underdog success story."[8]
2014: For its inaugural season under its new arrangement, Santa Cruz Shakespeare presented As You Like It, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and The Beard of Avon in July and August 2014.[8] All three shows were performed in the Sinsheimer-Stanley Festival Glen on UCSC's campus.[9]
2016: For the 2016 season the company moved to a new purpose-built home in the
Audrey Stanley Grove at Upper DeLaveaga Park in Santa Cruz.
2022: Mike Ryan announced his plan to step down as Artistic Director after the 2023 season. Charles Pasternak was selected as his successor.
2023: Mirroring the company's first year where Mike Ryan and Marco Baricelli shared the Artistic Director title, Mike Ryan and Charles Pasternak were Co-Artistic Directors for the 2023 season.
2024: Charles Pasternak lead his first season as sole Artistic Director
Henry VI Part I (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)
Henry VI Part II (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)
Henry VI Part III (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)
Richard III (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)
The originally planned Season was Postponed to 2021 due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, SCS produced 4 plays as online staged readings with each play broken into multiple performances over a series of weeks.
The ongoing
COVID-19 pandemic once again impacted the season, leading to the further postponement of the plays originally planned for 2020.
A Flea In Her Ear was replaced as the 3rd show.
2022
King John (Undiscovered Shakespeare online reading via Zoom)