Initiated in 2002, the Murray Shakespeare Festival seeks each year to bring high-quality, low-cost, live Shakespearean drama to the students and communities of the Jackson Purchase region.

Shakespeare makes good reading but even better theatre. The plays were written to be acted, the words, to be heard; nothing can substitute for live performance of this greatest of playwrights' work. Hence, the foundation of each festival is the performance of two or three of Shakespeare's plays by a professional troupe.

To open Shakespeare's work to a broader audience, the Festival also sponsors lectures, workshops, and adaptations. These help us to better understand the Bard within his own cultural, historical, and artistic context.

Staging Shakespeare

Learn strategies for teaching acting skills, teamwork, and an understanding of Shakespeare. (teachers of grades 4-12)

Teaching Tolerance and Conflict Resolution

Using Julius Caesar, this workshop focuses on identifying and resolving conflicts, as well as the negative consequences associated with violence. (teachers of grades 7-12)

Boy Meets Girl Meets Shakespeare

Three scenes from three Shakespearean plays with interactive discussion between the artists and students. (grades 4-12)

Shakespeare's Clownes

A Foole's Guide to Shakespeare, students will be enchanged by the wit and wisdom of these fooles, clownes, and jesters. (grades 7-12)

Shakespeare's Women

Exploration of the Bard's female characters focusing on the societal roles of women in Shakespeare's day. (grades 7-12)