Southern Shakespeare Festival
The Southern Shakespeare Festival was an annual event held in Tallahassee, Florida, USA.
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[edit] History
The Southern Shakespeare Festival began in 1995 when Florida State University Senior, Michael J. Trout organized a touring company, directed and written by David Klein. "Words...Words...Words... and Evening of Shakespeare" tour local theaters, regional high schools and community arts centers. Trout then approached Florida State University Dean Emeritus Richard G. Fallon for help to establish a free Shakespeare in the park festival modeled after Joe Papp free Shakespeare-in-the-park. The free festival and renaissance faire ran from that 1995-2000 it was an open air free festival and renaissance fare located in downtown behind Tallahassee's City Hall in Kleman Plaza.
Its inaugural Free Shakespeare-in-the-park production in 1996, A Midsummer's Nights Dream, directed by Russian director Irina Brown, saw over 30,000 spectators according to the local newspaper, the Tallahassee Democrat (Sunday, December 29 article) (Inaugural Playbill). It is recognized as one of the most successful free theater festivals in Tallahassee with over 80,000 spectators and over 20,000 students benefited from its educational programming.
[edit] Productions
- 1995 Southern Shakespeare Festival Touring Company. Words... word... words... Written and Directed by David Klein
- 1996 A Midsummer Night's Dream – Directed By Irina Brown, and starring UK actor Jack Klaff, Wil Johnson and US actress Jennifer Harper.
- 1997 The Taming of the Shrew – Directed by Ian Wooldridge, starring Wil Johnson and Brigid Zengeni.
- 1998 As You Like It
- 1999 Merry Wives of Windsor
- 2000 The Tempest (last production)
[edit] Media articles include
- ..Rise to Southern Shakespeare Festival– Montgomery Advertiser, Sunday Nov. 22, 1998
- Top 10 in Tallahassee - Tallahassee Democrat, Sunday, December 29 article
- Shrew - Tallahassee Democrat Limelight Feature - Friday, May 9, 1997
- Relationship Advice from Ol`Will - Break Magazine - May 7-13, 1997
[edit] Producers included
City of Tallahassee, State of Florida Division of Cultural Affairs, Leon County Tourist Development Council, Florida A&M University, Florida State University, and Tallahassee Community College
[edit] Founding Board Members included
Richard G. Fallon, Dean Minardi, June Strauss, Michael J. Trout, Tina Campbell, Janet Hinkle, Sue Dick,
[edit] External links
- Official Facebook fan site
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