The Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2019 has officially started its season! This year, see performances of your favorite classic Shakespeare plays as well as new productions in this year’s line-up!
When is the Oregon Shakespeare Festival 2019 season?
The OSF runs from March – October 2019. Performances are Tuesday – Sunday with occasional Monday shows.
What productions can I see?
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bprqww-jho6/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link This year, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival will be showing 11 different productions.
Shakespeare and Shakespeare-inspired
- Macbeth (May 28 – Oct. 11)
- After hearing a prophecy, the ambitious Macbeth murders King Duncan and claims the throne for himself. But his newfound power leads to guilt and paranoia, causing Macbeth and his wife to embark on a bloody campaign to hold onto their power.
- As You Like It (March 1 – Oct. 26)
- When she’s exiled from the court, Duke Senior flees to the forest with her daughter, Rosalind. Orlando also takes refuge in the forest, where he meets a young man named Ganymede, who is actually Rosalind in disguise. This beloved Shakespearean comedy challenges all of society’s rules of conformity when “all the world’s a stage.”
- All’s Well that Ends Well (May 30 – Oct. 13)
- When Helena cures a dying king, he grants her the opportunity to choose her husband. She loves Bertram, but the young man doesn’t love her back. As Helena navigates this comedy of courtships, class, mistaken identities, pain, loss, war, and love, will she win Bertram’s heart?
- La Comedia of Errors (June 28 – Oct. 26)
- When two sets of identical twins who were separated at birth begin unknowingly interacting with each other’s family and friends, zany antics occur. In this Spanish and English bilingual case of mistaken identities, join the characters on an intimate and unique experience that emphasizes human connectivity.
Family fun
- Hairspray (March 2 – Oct. 27)
- Hairspray transports the audience to 1962 Baltimore, where teenager Tracy Turnblad dreams of dancing on TV. When she wins a spot on The Corny Collins Show, Tracy becomes the show’s first plus-sized star. Join Tracy and her friends Penny, Seaweed, Motormouth Maybelle, and Link Larkin as they challenge the status quo.
- Alice in Wonderland (May 29 – Oct. 12)
- Experience the delightful retelling of Lewis Carroll’s classic story. Join Alice as she goes down the rabbit hole and discovers the magic of Wonderland. This retelling honors the beloved and iconic text while also creating an Alice and Wonderland that will delight audiences of all ages.
New to OSF
- Cambodian Rock Band (March 6 – Oct. 27)
- Thirty years after her father fled from Cambodia, a young woman tries to piece together her family history. This production highlights the vivid Cambodian rock scene of the 60s and 70s. Cambodian Rock Band is about survivors, the resilient bond of family, and the lasting power of music.
- How to Catch Creation (July 23 – Oct. 26)
- This story explores the act of creation through life, family, and art. How to Catch Creation shares the experiences of a black, queer, feminist writer whose life in the 1960s changes forever after receiving unexpected news from her girlfriend. Decades later, the results of this news still echo in the lives of four individuals.
- Between Two Knees (April 3 – Oct. 27)
- Sketch comedy troupe the 1941s tells a story of familial love, loss, and connection that spans generations. The story’s timeline includes the massacre at Wounded Knee, forced reeducation at Indian boarding schools, the Civil Rights Movement, and more. This production takes a hard look at the impacts of systemic oppression, but still retains a sense of humor.
- Mother Road (March 3 – Oct. 26)
- Mother Road is inspired by John Steinbeck’s iconic work The Grapes of Wrath. This story follows William Joad, a hardworking farmer with no one to inherit his farm–until he unexpectedly finds his relative Martin Jodes, a young Mexican-American man. Ultimately, this is a powerful story about land, family, and survival.
Returning to OSF
- Indecent (July 4 – Oct. 27)
- The acclaimed production Indecent returns home after award-winning performances across the country, including a Tony-winning run on Broadway. This story focuses on the real-life controversy surrounding Sholem Asch’s play God of Vengeance and the Jewish artists who faced persecution bringing it to Broadway in 1932. Join in this spirited and revolutionary love story that celebrates Yiddish language and literature.
Where can I buy tickets?
You can purchase tickets online here.
Come see a show at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival and be whisked away into rich stories with incredible acting, directing, costumes, and sets. When you visit Ashland for OSF, stay close to the action when you stay at The Bard’s Inn. We’re located within walking distance of the OSF theaters and other downtown Ashland entertainment.