Illinois Shakespeare Festival
The Illinois Shakespeare Festival is held in Bloomington, Illinois, United States at Ewing Theatre and in Normal, Illinois, United States at the Center for Performing Arts Theatre at Illinois State University. The Festival began in 1978 and celebrated its 45th season in 2023. The Festival has traditionally presented three plays. Although all three may be Shakespeare plays, the Festival has also included different types of theater, such as Restoration comedy, Commedia dell'arte, and works by contemporary playwrights.
The Festival is produced by the School of Theatre, Dance, and Film at the College of Fine Arts at Illinois State University. Performances take place at Ewing Cultural Center in Ewing Theatre, a re-creation of the Globe Stage complete with open air amphitheater. The Festival markets itself as "theatre under the stars." Before many nightly performances, the Festival has presented free pre-show entertainment, including live jazz, abbreviated versions of the play to come, or other light or short performances. In 2008, the Festival began shows aimed towards younger audiences called Theatre for Young Audiences, which have traditionally been performed on Wednesday and Saturday mornings.
The Festival runs from the later part of June through the middle of August.
Production history
Unless otherwise noted, the plays are written by William Shakespeare.1978As You Like ItMacbethTwelfth Night
1979Hamlet
1980The Merry Wives of WindsorA Midsummer Night's DreamRomeo and Juliet
1981The Comedy of Errors
1982
1983MacbethMuch Ado About NothingThe Two Gentlemen of Verona
1984
1985CymbelineKing LearA Midsummer Night's Dream
1986As You Like ItHamletThe Tempest
1987Measure for MeasureRomeo and JulietTwelfth Night
1988All's Well That Ends WellThe Comedy of Errors
1989
1990
1991Antony and CleopatraOthelloThe Taming of the Shrew
1992MacbethAs You Like ItThe Winter's Tale
1993
1994Romeo and JulietThe Two Gentlemen of VeronaHenry IV, Part 1
1995CymbelineHenry IV, Part 2The Comedy of Errors
1996Twelfth NightThe Tempest
1997HamletAll's Well That Ends WellRosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard
1998Much Ado About NothingMeasure for MeasureThe Falcon's Pitch, adaptated by Jeffrey Sweet from Henry VI, Part 1; Henry VI, Part 2; and Henry VI, Part 3
1999The Merry Wives of Windsor
2000The Taming of the Shrew
- King JohnThe Three Musketeers, adapted by Eberle Thomas and Barbara Redmond from the novel by Alexandre Dumas
2002Merchant of VeniceA Midsummer Night's DreamRomeo and Juliet
2003As You Like ItKing LearKnight of the Burning Pestle by Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher
2004Two Gentlemen of VeronaCyrano de Bergerac by Edmond RostandHamlet
2005MacbethTwelfth NightHenry VIII
2006Julius CaesarPericlesThe Comedy of Errors
2007Much Ado About NothingHenry VLove's Labour's Lost
2008The Taming of the ShrewTitus AndronicusThe Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess WinfieldA Midsummer Night's Dream
2009A Midsummer Night's DreamRichard IIIScapin, adapted by Bill Irwin and Mark O’DonnellThe Tempest
2010The TempestThe Three Musketeers, adapted by Robert Kauzlaric from the novel by Alexandre DumasThe Merry Wives of WindsorAs You Like It
2011The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess WinfieldThe Winter's TaleRomeo and JulietTwelfth Night
2012As You Like ItOthelloThe Rivals by Richard Brinsley SheridanThe Comedy of Errors
2013The Comedy of ErrorsMacbethFailure: A Love Story by Philip DawkinsThe Magical Mind of Billy Shakespeare by Kevin Rich
2014Much Ado About NothingAntony and CleopatraElizabeth Rex by Timothy Findley
2015Love's Labour's LostQ Gents, adapted by The Q Brothers from The Two Gentlemen of VeronaRichard IILove's Labor's Won by Scott Kaiser
2016HamletTwelfth NightPeter and the Starcatcher by Rick Elice
2017A Midsummer Night's DreamShakespeare’s Amazing Cymbeline, adapted by Chris Coleman from CymbelineI Heart Juliet, adapted by The Q Brothers from Romeo and Juliet
2018The Merry Wives of WindsorHenry VShakespeare in Love, adapted for the stage by Lee Hall from the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard
2019As You Like It, adapted by Robert Quinlan and Jordan CoughtryPride and Prejudice, adapted by Deanna Jent from the novel by Jane Austen Caesar, adapted by Quetta Carpenter from Julius Caesar
2020
- Festival canceled due to the pandemic
2022Much Ado About NothingThe Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess WinfieldKing Lear
2023The Comedy of ErrorsThe Book of Will by Lauren GundersonThe Tempest
2024Twelfth NightSense and Sensibility, adapted by Quetta Carpenter from the novel by Jane Austen Macbeth
2025A Midsummer Night's DreamThe Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde
- ''Hamlet''
Artistic Directors
- Cal Pritner
- John Sipes
- Cal MacLean
- Alec Wild
- Deb Alley
- Kevin Rich
- John C. Stark
- Robert Quinlan