The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is a professional theater company in residence at DeSales University and the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. The Festival is organized as a non-profit 501 in Pennsylvania. Each summer, PSF produces six or more plays 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 celebrated its 25th anniversary season in the summer of 2016. Since its inception, the Festival has been attended by 946,000 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, 2004.
Productions
2020 Season
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's 2020 season was scheduled to begin on May 29, 2020. On March 30, 2020 Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival released a statement saying that the 2020 season would be cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. PSF continues to engage with patrons through the "At Home with PSF" program which features interviews with artists, staff memories, and theatre resources.
The Mystery of Irma Vep – A Penny Dreadful – By Charles Ludlam • June 20 - July 14 • Schubert Theatre
Antony & Cleopatra - By William Shakespeare • July 10 - August 4 • Main Stage
Private Lives - By Noël Coward • July 18 - August 4 • Main Stage
Henry IV, Part 1 - By William Shakespeare • July 24 - August 4 • Schubert Theatre
The Adventures of Robin Hood and Maid Marian - By Brandon E. McLauren • May 31 - August 3 • Schubert Theatre
Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Sheffield • July 24 - August 3 • Main Stage
2018 Season
Ragtime - Book by Terrence McNally; Music by Stephen Flaherty; Lyrics by Lynn Ahrens; Based on the novel “RAGTIME” by E.L. Doctorow • June 13 - July 1 • Main Stage
Twelfth Night – By William Shakespeare • June 21 - July 15 • Schubert Theatre
Shakespeare in Love - Based on the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard; Adapted for the stage by Lee Hall; Music by Paddy Cunneen • July 11 - August 5 • Main Stage
King Richard II - By William Shakespeare • July 19 - August 5 • Main Stage
All's Well That Ends Well - By William Shakespeare • July 25 - August 5 • Schubert Theatre
Alice in Wonderland - By Michele L. Vacca • June 1 - August 4 • Schubert Theatre
Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Sheffield • July 25 - August 4 • Main Stage
2017 Season
Evita - Lyrics by Tim Rice; Music by Andrew Llyod Webber • June 14 - July 2 • Main Stage
The Three Musketeers - By Ken Ludwig; Adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas • July 12 - August 6 • Main Stage
As You Like It - By William Shakespeare • July 20 - August 6 • Main Stage
Troilus and Cressida - By William Shakespeare • July 26 - August 6 • Schubert Theatre
The Ice Princess - By Brandon E. McLauren; Adapted from Hans Christian Anderson • June 2 - August 5 • Schubert Theatre
Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Sheffield • July 26 - August 5 • Main Stage
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 • June 10 - June 28 • Main Stage
Around the World in 80 Days – By Mark Brown • June 17 - July 12 • Schubert Theatre
The Foreigner - By Larry Shue • July 8 - August 2 • Main Stage
Henry V - William Shakespeare • July 16 - August 2 • Main Stage
Pericles - By William Shakespeare • July 22 - August 2 • Schubert Theatre
Rapunzel - Brothers Grimm fairy tale adapted by Erin Sheffield • May 29 - August 1 • Schubert Theatre
Shakespeare for Kids - By Erin Sheffield • July 22 - August 1 • Schubert Theatre
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. 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. Celebrating its 20th year, the fall 2019 WillPower Tour's production of Macbeth reached over 11,000 students in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
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.
