AMERICAN SHAKESPEARE CENTER

ARTISTIC INNOVATIONASC PRODUCES CLASSICAL AND CONTEMPORARY WORKS IN ROTATING REPERTORY, USING ORIGINAL STAGING PRACTICES INCLUDING SHARED LIGHT AND DIRECT AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT TO CREATE ACCESSIBLE AND HISTORICALLY INFORMED PERFORMANCES. PRODUCTIONS TAKE PLACE IN THE BLACKFRIARS PLAYHOUSE, THE WORLD'S FIRST RE-CREATION OF SHAKESPEARE'S INDOOR THEATRE. DURING THE YEAR, ASC PRESENTED 305 PERFORMANCES AND EXPANDED ARTIST DEVELOPMENT THROUGH MENTORSHIP AND DIRECTING OPPORTUNITIES. ASC ALSO PILOTED A NEW CHILDREN'S ADAPTATION OF THE WINTER'S TALE TITLED SORRY, MOST SORRY, WHICH WELCOMED MORE THAN 200 FAMILIES, INCLUDING CHILDREN AS YOUNG AS THREE, INTO THE PLAYHOUSE. ADDITIONAL DETAIL IS PROVIDED ON SCHEDULE O.ASC EXPANDED PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT PATHWAYS THROUGH MENTORSHIP, UNDERSTUDY TRAINING, AND THE ARTIST DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE, WHICH PROVIDED DIRECTING OPPORTUNITIES FOR VETERAN ARTISTS AND EARLY CAREER DIRECTORS. ASC PILOTED A NEW CHILDREN'S ADAPTATION OF THE WINTER'S TALE TITLED SORRY, MOST, SORRY. THIS PERFORMANCE INTRODUCED YOUNG AUDIENCES TO SHAKESPEARE THROUGH AGE-APPROPRIATE STORYTELLING AND INTERACTIVE PERFORMANCE AND WELCOMED MORE THAN 200 FAMILIES INTO THE PLAYHOUSE. COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS ALSO BROADENED ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING COLLABORATIONS WITH LOCAL ANIMAL WELFARE GROUPS THAT FEATURED ADOPTABLE RESCUE DOGS IN PERFORMANCES OF THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

EMPOWERING EDUCATIONASC PROVIDES EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR LEARNERS OF ALL AGES THROUGH STUDENT MATINEES, WORKSHOPS, SUMMER THEATRE CAMPS, DRAMA CLUBS, AND COMMUNITY LEARNING PROGRAMS. THIS YEAR, ASC WELCOMED MORE THAN 7,600 STUDENTS TO MATINEE PERFORMANCES. MANY OF THESE STUDENTS WERE EXPERIENCING LIVE THEATRE FOR THE FIRST TIME. ASC AWARDED MORE THAN $15,000 IN CAMP SCHOLARSHIPS. NEW OFFERINGS INCLUDED THE ASC DRAMA CLUB, THE ASC BOOK CLUB, AND THE NO KIDDING ADULT LEARNING PROGRAM. ASL INTERPRETED PERFORMANCES INCREASED ACCESS FOR STUDENTS FROM THE VIRGINIA SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF AND THE BLIND AND OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS. ADDITIONAL DETAIL IS PROVIDED ON SCHEDULE O.ASC THEATRE CAMP STUDENTS COMPLETED PERFORMANCE-BASED STUDY OF SHAKESPEARE'S HISTORY PLAYS HENRY VI PARTS I THROUGH III AND RICHARD III. STUDENTS DEVELOPED COMMUNICATION, COLLABORATION, AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS THROUGH ENSEMBLE WORK. PARTICIPANTS IN THE NO KIDDING ADULT PROGRAM EXPLORED CLASSICAL PERFORMANCE TECHNIQUES THROUGH SCENE STUDY. THESE PROGRAMS EXTEND ASC'S COMMITMENT TO LIFELONG LEARNING FOR PARTICIPANTS OF ALL AGES.