Oregon Shakespeare Festival

Founded in 1935, the Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is among the oldest and largest professional non-profit theatres in the nation. It runs from March through October.

Running each year in Ashland, each season brings 10 plays, shown on three stages. With a focus on equity, diversity and inclusion, the nonprofit-led company also creates the space to become fully engaged in the festival through classes, talks and immersive discussions at their Festival Noons or Living Ideas events. Fans can also take advantage of backstage tours to learn more about the history of the festival and the intricacies of operating a repertory theatre.

The festival also includes sign-interpreted weekends, with ASL interpreters provided for special performances.

OSF is back

After a wobbly few years including the devastating effects of the pandemic, we are so excited about this year’s line up of plays. Nine plays being offered with a wide variety for all interests. We saw Born with Teeth and it was magnificent. We took our young adult kids (some of whom had heard about this play in their college Shakespeare classes) and really enjoyed it. Going to see Smote This tonight. With the new leadership and return of some veteran OSF actors, I feel cautiously optimistic that OSF is back!

Not as Expected

For the first time, we made it to see a play at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, something on our bucket list. We bought tickets to Three Musketeers. With the cast they had, we were hoping to see something of the quality of Hamilton. This wasn't. We don't prefer profanity and tolerate some if it's in context, but this one was WAY over the top with some parts continuously punctuated by F and MF (the latter which we flat out dislike) bombs, which were gratuitous and detracted rather than added to the plot. I got the feeling that they are trying pander to the "woke" movement, with this and other plot and costume choices, but I doubt that is the majority bent of their customer base. I also refuse to believe that the majority of black culture condones speaking this way, so do not even think it makes a good cultural statement. The outdoor theater was nice to be in and the actors themselves were good. We did get some good laughs out of it. The script was just okay. They need to get back into HIGH quality productions that appeal to a WIDE range of people. I see they operated at a huge loss this year. I hope they "awaken" to the possible reason.

The Revels, sadly, now are ended for this year

The revels now are ended for this season, but I still would like to share my thoughts. Exciting new performers, miss some of the past ones. Twelfth Night sparkled - costumes, acting, production. Malvolio was hilarious, with a short and excellent improve riff with the audience added. Three Musketeers -Superb if you're ok with profanity What is in a word? In The Three Musketeers we were bombarded with many, many curses relating to motherhood, a set up for the casts' shocked reaction to the innocuous word "knave." Is such profanity an integral and essential part of hip-hop culture and we just need to adjust? What did that one word cost the festival in audience alienation, future attendance, and donations? Was it worth it? I think the festival missed an opportunity for provide a kid friendly play. Still, the costumes! The acting! The production with lighting, choreography, etc. were all EXCEPTIONAL. Romeo and Juliet was lively and the homeless camp set actually worked. Car headlights driving across the bridge were an ingenious addition. Some of the poetry was lost in the conversion to hip hop and rap as it was hard to make out the words at times, at least for me. If it could have been a little slower and more distinct I think it would have worked. Romeo was intense and didn't seem to really take in the other actors, but delivered his lines with enthusiasm and feeling, but maybe overacting. Juliet was charming when showing her dewy eyed love for Romeo, but other times shouted her lines. The Friar was masterful and actually felt his role, with tears. Capulet excellent, Benvolio a delight. All in all and unique and satisfying producion. My husband and the audience all adored RENT. I hope the future finds a middle way between experimental theater and pleasing and retaining the audience.

As strong as ever

We've been coming here since the 1980s. We've seen many productions. The pandemic was hard on the festival; actually, it still is. We did not see a production of RENT a couple days ago because of COVID (but we got our money back). Still, the production of Twelfth Night that we DID see was absolutely wonderful: funny, creatively presented, and moving. Our experience last year was more mixed. We saw three productions: one was totally amazing, one was extremely well produced and worth seeing but less satisfying, and for the first time, one production (The Tempest) seemed to have only one outstanding actor who knew how to make the role vibrate. Still we came back, and while we were disappointed about the last minute cancellation of Rent -- well, what can you do? And the production of Twelfth Night alone made the trip worthwhile.

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