The audience awaits a performance of THE TAMING OF THE SHREW in Washington Hall (2000).
History
The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, the professional theatre in residence at the University of Notre Dame, is the direct outgrowth of an experimental course called "Shakespeare-in-Performance" that was created in 1989 by Dr. Paul Rathburn. The premise of this popular course was that Shakespeare's works are both theatrical "scripts" and literary "texts" and are illuminated best through work in both the theater and in the classroom.
The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival began producing theatrical events in 2000 under the name of Summer Shakespeare and has grown exponentially in its short history. Each season now includes a professionally mounted Mainstage production, traveling performances by the Young Company, the community-oriented ShakeScenes program and numerous specials events including guest artists, lectures and presentations.
Past Mainstage Productions: | |
| 2008 | MACBETH by William Shakespeare |
| 2007 | LOVE'S LABOR'S LOST by William Shakespeare |
2006 |
THE COMEDY OF ERRORS by William Shakespeare |
2005 | HENRY V by William Shakespeare |
| 2004 | ROMEO AND JULIET by William Shakespeare |
| 2003 | A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM by William Shakespeare |
| 2002 | THE TEMPEST by William Shakespeare |
| 2001 | MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING by William Shakespeare |
| 2000 | THE TAMING OF THE SHREW by William Shakespeare |
Past Young Company Productions: | |
| 2008 | THE WITCH by Thomas Middleton |
| 2007 | THE LEARNED LADIES by Moliere, translated by Richard Wilbur |
| 2006 | THE BROTHERS MENAECHMUS by Plautus, translated by Richard Prior |
| 2005 | FALSTAFF’S DREAM by William Shakespeare, adapted by Susan Hart |
| 2004 | SHAKESPEARE ON COMEDY: A VAUDEVILLE by William Shakespeare, adapted by R. John Roberts |
| 2003 | SELECTED SCENES by William Shakespeare, adapted by R. John Roberts |
Past Special Events: | |
| 2008 | SEX AND LITERATURE IN SHAKESPEARE'S TIME |
| A Lecture by Stanley Wells, CBE | |
| 2007 | THE ROMEO AND JULIET STORY: IN CONCERT |
| Featuring the New Millenium Orchestra of Chicago | |
| 2004 | OTHELLO by William Shakespeare |
| Performed by the Guthrie Theatre | |
| 2003 | THE STUFF OF DREAMS by Bill Corbett |
| Performed by the Guthrie Theatre | |
| 2002 | AH, WILDERNESS! by Eugene O’Neill |
| Performed by the Guthrie Theatre | |
| 2001 | THE LUNATIC, THE LOVER, AND THE POET by Brian Bedford |
| Performed by Brian Bedford | |
| ALL THE WORLD’S A STAGE by William Shakespeare, adapted by Brian Bedford | |
| Performed by Brian Bedford and Claire Bloom | |
| 2000 | WILL AND I by Michael York |
| Performed by Michael York | |