A Shakespeare festival is a theatre organization that stages the works of
William Shakespeare continually.
Origins
In 1830, the Mulberry Club (a scholarly group formed in
Stratford-upon-Avon, named after the destroyed
New Place mulberry tree) began organising annual festivities on Shakespeare's birthday, which they referred to as the "Shakespeare Festival". These continued until at least 1836.[1] From 1886 to 1919,
Frank Benson directed 28 spring and six summer "Shakespeare festivals" at the original Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford.[2]
In 1935 the
Oregon Shakespeare Festival, or OSF, was founded in
Ashland, Oregon, USA. Originally named the "Oregon Shakespearean Festival"; the name was changed in 1988.
Angus L. Bowmer, founder of OSF, wrote in 1954 that Shakespeare Festivals have in common the following attributes: 1) established firmly in one place; 2) repertoire (staging a variety of Shakespeare plays) and 3) a physical stage similar to that used in Shakespeare's lifetime.[3] According to Bowmer, the inspiration for
Elizabethan staging of contemporary Shakespeare productions came from
William Poel, an English director who organized the Elizabethan Stage Society in
London in the early 20th century. His concepts of Elizabethan staging were brought to North America by
Ben Iden Payne.
A Shakespeare festival is a theatre organization that stages the works of
William Shakespeare continually.
Origins
In 1830, the Mulberry Club (a scholarly group formed in
Stratford-upon-Avon, named after the destroyed
New Place mulberry tree) began organising annual festivities on Shakespeare's birthday, which they referred to as the "Shakespeare Festival". These continued until at least 1836.[1] From 1886 to 1919,
Frank Benson directed 28 spring and six summer "Shakespeare festivals" at the original Shakespeare Memorial Theatre in Stratford.[2]
In 1935 the
Oregon Shakespeare Festival, or OSF, was founded in
Ashland, Oregon, USA. Originally named the "Oregon Shakespearean Festival"; the name was changed in 1988.
Angus L. Bowmer, founder of OSF, wrote in 1954 that Shakespeare Festivals have in common the following attributes: 1) established firmly in one place; 2) repertoire (staging a variety of Shakespeare plays) and 3) a physical stage similar to that used in Shakespeare's lifetime.[3] According to Bowmer, the inspiration for
Elizabethan staging of contemporary Shakespeare productions came from
William Poel, an English director who organized the Elizabethan Stage Society in
London in the early 20th century. His concepts of Elizabethan staging were brought to North America by
Ben Iden Payne.