Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan


Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan is an annual summer Shakespeare theatre festival founded in 1985, which takes place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.

History

Under its origin of Nightcap Productions, founder and first Artistic Director Gordon McCall brought a group of theatre artists together to put up the first production - A Midsummer Night's Dream in the summer of 1985 on an old lawn bowling pitch near the current festival site. During Gordon's tenure from 1985-1991, the festival saw the production of seven of Shakespeare’s plays plus a remounted national tour - a landmark bilingual production of Romeo & Juliette co-directed with Robert Lepage. These productions celebrated the festival atmosphere and challenged approaches to Shakespeare.
Henry Woolf, British-born actor/playwright/director and past Head of the University of Saskatchewan Drama Department, assumed the role of artistic director of the company in 1991. During Woolf’s years, the company grew to become a multi-faceted festival and theatre company that included music, dance, and workshops, presenting off-season and non-Shakespeare productions, including the North American premiere of Harold Pinter's Ashes to Ashes. His productions over the next ten seasons earned national acclaim and public notoriety. His production of Much Ado about Nothing set in "The Bug Kingdom" had purists buzzing with anger, but the evil Don John as a black widow spider and Hero as a lovely butterfly captured the imagination of many new patrons. Woolf retired as artistic director in 2001.
After years at the festival as stage manager and production manager, Mark von Eschen stepped into the role of Artistic Director in 2001 and would oversee the longest and most consistent period of the Festival's leadership and artistic output. Mark directed a staggering 28 productions for the festival over his tenure and was known for his personal connection with his audience. From his first A Midsummer Night's Dream to his Indiana Jones inspired Comedy of Errors, audiences had a great time at his shows. In 2004, Mark also stepped into the shoes of Executive Director to take leadership of the company's financial health.
In 2014, the leadership of the organization of the company was passed to Will Brooks as Artistic Producer. Although 2014 was largely in place already, the new team was able to make many steps forward in time for the quickly approaching season: for the first time in years, an additional half week's rehearsal was added on to the company's tight preparation time, and a guest director took the reins of one of the festival's main stage shows. As only the second woman to be at the helm and the first guest director at all since 2000, this was a vital step towards a vision of gender parity for the company. Added to this were innovations like the inclusion of live actor-played music, gender blind casting, education and outreach programs, a re-designed festival mainstage, Above all else this new artistic vision brought with it a revitalized, forward-thinking, and cutting-edge vision for the company.
Recent partnerships with the Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, and the company's first all-female production of J. Caesar, and the inclusion of a third devised production earned Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan a Juror's Award for Innovation from the Saskatoon Area Theatre Awards in 2016.
In addition to productions of plays by William Shakespeare and his contemporaries, the festival's activities include: medieval feasts; workshops; tours; art displays; special matinees; and a free community stage. It is a major Canadian tourism summer destination.
Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan is listed as a Major Festival in the book Shakespeare Festivals Around the World by Marcus D. Gregio, 2004.

Production History

The following production history is sourced from the Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan website.
YearPlayDirectorTheme or Setting
1985A Midsummer Night's DreamGordon McCallGolf Course
1986The TempestGordon McCallFuturistic Space
1987MacbethGordon McCallModern Day South America
1988The Taming of the ShrewGordon McCallBoomtown Saskatchewan 1910
1989Romeo and Juliette Gordon McCall/Robert LepageBilingual Canadian Community
1990Twelfth NightStephen HeatleyUkrainian Village
1990OthelloGordon McCallFirst Nations theme
1990Romeo and Juliette Gordon McCallBilingual Canadian Community
1991As You Like ItHenry Woolf"Flower Power" era
1992A Midsummer Night's DreamHenry Woolf1920's Gangster Era
1993Much Ado About NothingHenry Woolf"The Bug Kingdom"
1993The White Devil Henry WoolfTraditional
1994HamletHenry WoolfModern "punk" world
1994Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are DeadMark von EschenNeo-Elizabethan Era
1995The Comedy of ErrorsHenry Woolfturn of the century Turkey
1995MacbethPatti SheddenPost-modern world
1996Twelfth NightHenry WoolfElizabethan Era
1996King LearStephen HeatleyModern day business world
1997The TempestHenry WoolfElizabethan Era
1997Julius CaesarHenry WoolfPost-Nuclear Apocalypse
1998The Merchant of VeniceHenry WoolfEdwardian Era
1998Taming of the ShrewHenry WoolfJazz v.s. Rock
1999Romeo and JulietHenry WoolfNeo-Elizabethan Era
1999Festival FrolicsHenry Woolf
1999A Midsummer Night's DreamMark von Eschen1950's
2000The Winter's TaleHenry WoolfA fictional world
2000Richard IIIMark von EschenHeavy Metal theme
2000Festival FrolicsHenry Woolf
2001Merry Wives of WindsorMark von EschenElizabethan Era
2001Love's Labour's LostMark von Eschen1960's
2002HamletMark von EschenElizabethan Era
2002The AlchemistMark von EschenTraditional
2003As You Like ItMark von EschenElizabethan Comic Book
2003Measure for MeasureMark von Eschen1603/2003 crossover
2004MacbethMark von Eschen11th Century Scotland
2004Much Ado About NothingMark von Eschen1875 Canadian Northwest
2005The Comedy of ErrorsMark von Eschen1970's Disco
2005Romeo and JulietMark von EschenEarly Renaissance
2006The Taming of the ShrewMark von EschenRenaissance Era
2006The Two Gentlemen of VeronaMark von EschenPre-World War I
2007Julius CaesarMark von EschenRome, 42 B.C.
2007Twelfth NightMark von EschenAge of Rock'n'Roll
2008The TempestMark von EschenMythical "Age of Dragons"
2008Henry IVMark von EschenEngland, 1492
2009Antony & CleopatraMark von EschenAncient Rome/Egypt
2009A Midsummer Night's DreamMark von EschenWWII Military Base
2010The Merry Wives of WindsorMark von Eschen1930's Saskatchewan
2010The Merchant of VeniceMark von Eschen1940's Venice
2011The Winter's TaleMark von EschenViking Era
2011Love's Labour's LostMark von EschenModern Day University of Saskatchewan Campus
2012HamletMark von EschenDream World
2012As You Like ItMark von EschenSteampunk
2013The Comedy of ErrorsMark von EschenIndiana Jones Inspired
2013MacbethMark von Eschen11th Century Scotland
2014Romeo and JulietWill BrooksTimeless & Eternal
2014The Taming of the ShrewJohnna Wright1960's Doo Wop
2015Much Ado About NothingPamela Haig BartleyPost WWII
2015OthelloWill BrooksModern Business Day World
2016J. Caesar Anita SmithPost-apocalyptic 2416 All Female society
2016A Midsummer Night's DreamWill BrooksCircus Themed
2016The Roving ShowJoshua BeaduryDevised piece based on The Tempest
2017Richard IIISkye BrandonSet in the actual time of Richard III
2017Twelfth NightWill BrooksBluegrass music inspired
2018HamletKelli FoxAn edgy, slick futuristic world
2018The Merry Wives of WindsorGreg OchitwaSet in a present-day holiday resort
2018Titus A. puppet revengeWill BrooksA bloody Titus with puppets on a second stage