The 26th Annual Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA) Conference
January 27-30, 2016
Since 1991, the Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA) has served as a forum for the artistic, managerial, and educational leadership of theatres primarily involved in the production of the works of William Shakespeare. Each year a STA member theatre hosts the annual conference, and as many as 200 artistic, managing, and education directors from Shakespeare companies around the world gather for four days of discussions and keynotes focused on current trends within the field of Shakespeare production.
During the week of January 27-30, the 26th annual STA conference will be hosted by Shakespeare at Notre Dame. As has become tradition, the conference will begin with a welcome reception at 6pm on Wednesday, January 27th. The conference will conclude with a closing banquet on the evening of Saturday, January 30th.
Presented in tandem with the 2nd International Shakespeare in Prisons conference described below (which will serve as STA's practicum this year), S@ND plans to highlight the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s legacy by exploring future directions of Shakespearean production. Most notably we will highlight those individuals and companies that are utilizing Shakespeare in performance as a catalyst for positive social change (including representatives from model programs at The Public Theater, California Shakespeare Theater, Ten Thousand Things Theater Company, and Actors Shakespeare Project). And we will also be presenting much, much more!
S@ND will also host a panel discussion on the recent trend of “live” broadcasts by such notable companies as Shakespeare’s Globe, the National Theatre, and Canada’s Stratford Festival moderated by our very own Peter Holland. An additional plenary presented by Michael Witmore, director of the Folger Shakespeare Library, will focus on the Folger's touring exhibition and history of Shakespeare’s 1623 First Folio (in residence at Notre Dame during the conference). These panels and plenaries will be presented as a complement to the usual breakout sessions focused on current trends within the artistic, managing, and education components of Shakespeare producing organizations. S@ND is also proud to present the Actors From The London Stage innovative production of A Midsummer Night's Dream for conference attendees on the evening of Friday, January 29th.
Major Underwriters:
- British Council
- The McMeel Family Foundation
- The Henkels Lecture Fund, Institute for Scholarship in the Liberal Arts
- Ryan Memorial Foundation
Presenting Sponsors:
- Nanovic Institute for European Studies
- Artworks National Endowment for the Arts
Benefactors:
- Brian and Jeannelle Brady
- Keough-Naughton Institute for Irish Studies
- Deborah J. Loughrey Endowment for Excellence in Shakespeare Studies
- Visit South Bend Mishawaka