Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival facts for kids
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| Founded | 1992 |
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| Founder | Gerard J. Schubert, O.S.F.S. |
| Type | Arts |
| Focus | The Plays of William Shakespeare and other classic playwrights |
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Area served
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Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Maryland, Delaware |
| Product | Professional Theatre |
| Owner | DeSales University |
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Key people
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Patrick Mulcahy, Producing Artistic Director; Dennis Razze, Associate Artistic Director; Casey Gallagher, Managing Director |
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Employees
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12 year-round; 200+ seasonally |
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Volunteers
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200 |
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) is a special theater company. It's based at DeSales University and is the official Shakespeare Festival for Pennsylvania! PSF is a non-profit group. This means it uses its money to put on great shows.
Every summer, PSF performs six or more plays. They often include a fun musical too! They also have special shows for just one night. In the fall, PSF takes a Shakespeare play on tour. This "Linny Fowler WillPower tour" visits schools.
The Festival celebrated its 25th birthday in 2016. Since it started, almost a million people have seen its shows. Most of the actors are professionals. They come from New York and Philadelphia. They are members of a group called Actors' Equity Association.
The plays happen in two theaters. Both are in The Labuda Center for the Performing Arts. The Mainstage has 473 seats. The Schubert Theater has 189 seats. Both are on the DeSales University campus in Center Valley. The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is known around the world. It's listed as a "Major Festival" in a book about Shakespeare festivals.
Contents
Productions
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival puts on many different plays. They perform works by William Shakespeare. They also show other classic plays and musicals.
2020 Season Update
The 2020 season was planned to start on May 29, 2020. But it had to be canceled. This was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. PSF still connected with fans online. They shared interviews with actors and staff memories.
2019 Season Highlights
The 2019 season had many exciting shows:
- Crazy for You – A musical with music by George and Ira Gershwin.
- The Mystery of Irma Vep – A fun, spooky play.
- Antony & Cleopatra – A famous play by William Shakespeare.
- Private Lives – A comedy by Noël Coward.
- Henry IV, Part 1 – Another play by William Shakespeare.
- The Adventures of Robin Hood and Maid Marian – A show for younger audiences.
- Shakespeare for Kids – A special show designed for children.
WillPower Tour
The Linny Fowler WillPower Tour is a special program. It's the Festival's main education project. This tour brings a professional Shakespeare play to schools. It visits middle schools and high schools. These schools are in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
The tour started in 2000. It's an 80-minute show with costumes and sets. Professional actors perform in it. The program helps students learn about Shakespeare. Schools get guides to help with lessons. After the show, students can talk about their thoughts. In 2019, the Macbeth tour reached over 11,000 students!
History
The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival began in 1992. It was started by Gerard J. Schubert. He also founded the Performing and Fine Arts department at DeSales University.
Notable Actors
Many talented actors have performed at PSF. Some you might recognize include:
- Steve Burns – He played Clown 1 in The 39 Steps (2013). He was also in The Comedy of Errors (2011).
- Christian Coulson – He played King Richard in King Richard II (2018). He was also Lord Wessex in Shakespeare in Love (2018).
- Dan Domenech – He played Che in Evita (2017).
- Mike Eldred – He played Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (2015).
- Rachel Potter – She played Eponine in Les Misérables (2015).
- Dee Roscioli – She played Eva Peron in Evita (2017). She was also Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (2012).
- Paulo Szot – He played Juan Perón in Evita (2017).
