Nashville Shakespeare Festival
Programs
Budget
$278,000.00
Description
Beloved by the community, Nashville Shakespeare Festival's summer productions have been presented to more than 366,000 people from Middle Tennessee and around the world during its 35-year history. Each summer, Summer Shakespeare is the region's only free outdoor cultural event of its kind, a night out under the stars with friends & family to watch professional actors and musicians bring classic plays to life. World-class theater that is barrier-free, multi-culturally cast, and accessible to all enhances the quality of life in Middle Tennessee. These productions reach audiences who would not otherwise attend theater or other cultural events due to socio-economic limitations.
Program Successes
The average attendance of Summer Shakespeare has been 11,300 per year over the past 10 years, made up of people from the entire greater Middle Tennessee region. By providing theatre free of charge (with suggested donation), we have removed one of the most significant barriers to accessing the arts. Of 2023 survey respondents asked how many arts events they attend per year, 15% indicated 2 or fewer, and 45% indicated 5 or fewer. 8% of respondents were "Low Income" based on reported household income vs. household size. 17% identified as living in a rural area. We will continue to serve these underserved populations with Summer Shakespeare, as well as continue to grow our BIPOC audience.
Examples of Audience responses:
"Excellent theater for everyone"
"I just wanted to say how amazing it is to be able to attend Shakespeare plays! You guys making it accessible and it's so cool. :)"
"I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the production values and high level of professionalism."
Beneficiaries
General Public
Families
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The Summer Festival is an annual tradition for thousands of individuals & families. Over 366,000 people have attended Summer Shakespeare since 1988. NSF is consistently ranked among Nashville Business Journal's top performing arts organizations, based on audience size.
NSF continues to be one of Nashville's most important cultural institutions by stabilizing the professional theater community with living-wage contracts, training young theater artists, offering enrichment for working actors, helping to increase literacy for students in Middle Tennessee, and educating and entertaining hundreds of thousands of people year round with free and affordable world-class theater.
Short-term Success
NSF has long sought to respond to the racial disparities and inequities in America. Increased awareness led us to work on rectifying the lack of diversity on Nashville's stages and the separation of its audiences. Through concerted efforts in outreach and hiring, Summer Shakespeare over the past three years (post-pandemic) has achieved an audience that was 23% persons of color (the Middle Tennessee Region is 24% POC), while performers, technicians, and staff hired over the past year were over 41.5% POC.
Program Success Monitored By
We use: voluntary surveys during shows to track demographics and gain audience feedback and comments, manual headcount of all attendees, and an online survey that audience members can fill out at any time. For workshops and other engagements, NSF Teaching Artists take headcounts and record feedback.
Local and national media outlets are monitored for articles and reviews of shows regarding impact on viewers and production qualities of the acting, set design, musical performances, fight scene choreography, and other elements of live theatre.
Detailed records are kept of artists and technicians employed, plus training given to Apprentice Company members and Summer camp attendees.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee
$278,000.00
Description
Beloved by the community, Nashville Shakespeare Festival's summer productions have been presented to more than 366,000 people from Middle Tennessee and around the world during its 35-year history. Each summer, Summer Shakespeare is the region's only free outdoor cultural event of its kind, a night out under the stars with friends & family to watch professional actors and musicians bring classic plays to life. World-class theater that is barrier-free, multi-culturally cast, and accessible to all enhances the quality of life in Middle Tennessee. These productions reach audiences who would not otherwise attend theater or other cultural events due to socio-economic limitations.
Program Successes
The average attendance of Summer Shakespeare has been 11,300 per year over the past 10 years, made up of people from the entire greater Middle Tennessee region. By providing theatre free of charge (with suggested donation), we have removed one of the most significant barriers to accessing the arts. Of 2023 survey respondents asked how many arts events they attend per year, 15% indicated 2 or fewer, and 45% indicated 5 or fewer. 8% of respondents were "Low Income" based on reported household income vs. household size. 17% identified as living in a rural area. We will continue to serve these underserved populations with Summer Shakespeare, as well as continue to grow our BIPOC audience.
Examples of Audience responses:
"Excellent theater for everyone"
"I just wanted to say how amazing it is to be able to attend Shakespeare plays! You guys making it accessible and it's so cool. :)"
"I thoroughly enjoy and appreciate the production values and high level of professionalism."
Beneficiaries
General Public
Families
At-Risk Populations
Long-term Success
The Summer Festival is an annual tradition for thousands of individuals & families. Over 366,000 people have attended Summer Shakespeare since 1988. NSF is consistently ranked among Nashville Business Journal's top performing arts organizations, based on audience size.
NSF continues to be one of Nashville's most important cultural institutions by stabilizing the professional theater community with living-wage contracts, training young theater artists, offering enrichment for working actors, helping to increase literacy for students in Middle Tennessee, and educating and entertaining hundreds of thousands of people year round with free and affordable world-class theater.
Short-term Success
NSF has long sought to respond to the racial disparities and inequities in America. Increased awareness led us to work on rectifying the lack of diversity on Nashville's stages and the separation of its audiences. Through concerted efforts in outreach and hiring, Summer Shakespeare over the past three years (post-pandemic) has achieved an audience that was 23% persons of color (the Middle Tennessee Region is 24% POC), while performers, technicians, and staff hired over the past year were over 41.5% POC.
Program Success Monitored By
We use: voluntary surveys during shows to track demographics and gain audience feedback and comments, manual headcount of all attendees, and an online survey that audience members can fill out at any time. For workshops and other engagements, NSF Teaching Artists take headcounts and record feedback.
Local and national media outlets are monitored for articles and reviews of shows regarding impact on viewers and production qualities of the acting, set design, musical performances, fight scene choreography, and other elements of live theatre.
Detailed records are kept of artists and technicians employed, plus training given to Apprentice Company members and Summer camp attendees.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee
Budget
$205,000.00
Description
In residence at the Troutt Theater at Belmont University every January since 2008, we offer performances to the public at night and to schools during the day. Since 2018, we have also toured to Murfreesboro and other nearby communities whenever possible. Winter Shakespeare has served over 70,400 people. NSF is committed to affordability, so school groups pay only $10 per ticket, and adults pay $18-$33. We offer subsidies to schools whose students could not otherwise attend, workshops that prepare students for the performance, and free online Educators' Guidebooks. After matinees, a Q&A engages students directly with the artists. Following a brief pandemic hiatus in 2021-22, Winter/Spring Shakespeare returned to Troutt Theatre in February 2023 with capacity crowds for field trip matinees, while April 2024 will feature a production of "Hamlet" at Lipscomb University's Collins Auditorium.
Program Successes
Jordan Gleaves, a principal actor in MACBETH and teaching artist:
"Throughout the performance, there was this one kid front row who every time I directed a piece of my text toward him, he was completely engaged and would give me a ✌️ sign. It was cool to know he was down for the ride (the journey). During the talkback, I just had to dap him up, thanking him for his involvement, at which he smiled, he and another black boy asking how old they have to be to do something like this. I let 'em know it doesn't matter your age and our youngest cast member is 12, at which the boy I dapped up energetically let me know he's 12.
It was magical having a sea of youth who look like me and were deeply involved in the story, reacting truthfully and letting their feelings be heard. A few of them approached me as we were leaving, dapping me up and telling me we did a great job. A magical morning."
Beneficiaries
General Public
Adults
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
Winter Shakespeare plays are chosen to align with curricular requirements. Seeing a professional production of a 400 year old play presented creatively and passionately opens the world of literature and history to the viewers in ways that simply reading them in class does not. The Nashville Shakespeare Festival edits and conceives the Winter Shakespeare production with a young, contemporary audience in mind, making the story and characters familiar and engaging to all. If thousands of young people are introduced to Shakespeare's complex and masterful poetry in a friendly and non-intimidating way, they will go out into the world communicating more clearly and expressing themselves more civilly. NSF considers it a noble and remarkable mission to support youth as they develop emotional intelligence, cultural literacy, and problem solving abilities that will impress upon them the importance of being more thoughtful and engaged audience members, artists, and human beings.
Short-term Success
NSF offers living wage contract employment to dozens of theater artists, which helps to stabilize the professional community. MACBETH (2020) employed 14 professional actors, 9 teaching artists, 12 designers, and over 25 technicians, plus jobs and internships to college students. NSF plans to build on those numbers with future Winter/Spring Shakespeare productions as the program returns post-pandemic.
With our outreach to teachers in the middle Tennessee area, we build personal relationships as we further our mission of educating & entertaining.
MACBETH served a total of 8,046 Middle Tennesseans. Of those, 4,760 were students attending 22 school matinees, with many staying for the post-show talkback Q&A session with the actors, staff, and technical crew.
For MACBETH, NSF developed and delivered 32 in-school accompanying workshops and provided resource materials for teachers. With matinees and workshops, we had 58 accredited public/private schools and 23 homeschool groups participate.
Program Success Monitored By
Success of the productions is measured by attendance figures, audience feedback forms, post-performance Q&As, critical reviews, post-project forum with stakeholders.
Success of the student matinees and workshops is measured by the number of students served, teacher feedback forms, student feedback, and teaching artist observations of engagement.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Coffee County, Tennessee, Montgomery County, Tennessee
$205,000.00
Description
In residence at the Troutt Theater at Belmont University every January since 2008, we offer performances to the public at night and to schools during the day. Since 2018, we have also toured to Murfreesboro and other nearby communities whenever possible. Winter Shakespeare has served over 70,400 people. NSF is committed to affordability, so school groups pay only $10 per ticket, and adults pay $18-$33. We offer subsidies to schools whose students could not otherwise attend, workshops that prepare students for the performance, and free online Educators' Guidebooks. After matinees, a Q&A engages students directly with the artists. Following a brief pandemic hiatus in 2021-22, Winter/Spring Shakespeare returned to Troutt Theatre in February 2023 with capacity crowds for field trip matinees, while April 2024 will feature a production of "Hamlet" at Lipscomb University's Collins Auditorium.
Program Successes
Jordan Gleaves, a principal actor in MACBETH and teaching artist:
"Throughout the performance, there was this one kid front row who every time I directed a piece of my text toward him, he was completely engaged and would give me a ✌️ sign. It was cool to know he was down for the ride (the journey). During the talkback, I just had to dap him up, thanking him for his involvement, at which he smiled, he and another black boy asking how old they have to be to do something like this. I let 'em know it doesn't matter your age and our youngest cast member is 12, at which the boy I dapped up energetically let me know he's 12.
It was magical having a sea of youth who look like me and were deeply involved in the story, reacting truthfully and letting their feelings be heard. A few of them approached me as we were leaving, dapping me up and telling me we did a great job. A magical morning."
Beneficiaries
General Public
Adults
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
Winter Shakespeare plays are chosen to align with curricular requirements. Seeing a professional production of a 400 year old play presented creatively and passionately opens the world of literature and history to the viewers in ways that simply reading them in class does not. The Nashville Shakespeare Festival edits and conceives the Winter Shakespeare production with a young, contemporary audience in mind, making the story and characters familiar and engaging to all. If thousands of young people are introduced to Shakespeare's complex and masterful poetry in a friendly and non-intimidating way, they will go out into the world communicating more clearly and expressing themselves more civilly. NSF considers it a noble and remarkable mission to support youth as they develop emotional intelligence, cultural literacy, and problem solving abilities that will impress upon them the importance of being more thoughtful and engaged audience members, artists, and human beings.
Short-term Success
NSF offers living wage contract employment to dozens of theater artists, which helps to stabilize the professional community. MACBETH (2020) employed 14 professional actors, 9 teaching artists, 12 designers, and over 25 technicians, plus jobs and internships to college students. NSF plans to build on those numbers with future Winter/Spring Shakespeare productions as the program returns post-pandemic.
With our outreach to teachers in the middle Tennessee area, we build personal relationships as we further our mission of educating & entertaining.
MACBETH served a total of 8,046 Middle Tennesseans. Of those, 4,760 were students attending 22 school matinees, with many staying for the post-show talkback Q&A session with the actors, staff, and technical crew.
For MACBETH, NSF developed and delivered 32 in-school accompanying workshops and provided resource materials for teachers. With matinees and workshops, we had 58 accredited public/private schools and 23 homeschool groups participate.
Program Success Monitored By
Success of the productions is measured by attendance figures, audience feedback forms, post-performance Q&As, critical reviews, post-project forum with stakeholders.
Success of the student matinees and workshops is measured by the number of students served, teacher feedback forms, student feedback, and teaching artist observations of engagement.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Coffee County, Tennessee, Montgomery County, Tennessee
Budget
$4,400.00
Description
SHAKESPEARE ALLOWED! - The first Saturday of each month, the NSF Artistic Director leads a group reading of one of the works of Shakespeare. This 14 year partnership between the NSF and the Nashville Public Library is free and open to the public (both in-person or virtually online). All are welcome, and regular readers include students, actors, English language learners, senior citizens, and persons experiencing homelessness. The fifth reading of the full canon began in 2021. Over 4,200 have participated since 2008.
SHAKESPEARE ALLOWED AT ROOM IN THE INN - This offshoot of Shakespeare Allowed, led by a professional actor, started in 2011 and is a popular weekly addition to Room in the Inn's Hope University which provides enrichment to its homeless clients, serving around 80 participants per month.
Program Successes
Over 4,200 participants have enjoyed this program since 2008.
With the success of Shakespeare Allowed at the Nashville Public Library, the Nashville Shakespeare Festival began bringing a version of the program to a local non-profit homeless shelter, Room in the Inn.
Due to the success of Shakespeare Allowed in Davidson County, Rutherford County recently adopted a similar program for its library system. Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK began their "Shakespeare Allowed" program in 2017, modeled on NSF's program.
Beneficiaries
General Public
Adults
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Long-term Success
Shakespeare Allowed has already met with considerable success since 2008. Long-term, NSF wants to involve as many readers new to the program as possible, all while still welcoming folks who have regularly contributed since Allowed's conception. The program has been copied around the world, and seeing that influence spread to even more locations is always a goal.
Short-term Success
Shakespeare Allowed has been a beneficial monthly event for patrons of the main branch of the Nashville Public Library. In the short-term, besides bringing in more new patrons, including seniors, youth, and others, NSF would love to see surrounding counties adopt similar programs for their library systems.
Program Success Monitored By
Program success for Shakespeare Allowed is monitored by: number of readers involved, diversity of readers, number of new readers, and the influence of the program in surrounding counties and other areas of the country and the world.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Entire World Reachable via Internet
$4,400.00
Description
SHAKESPEARE ALLOWED! - The first Saturday of each month, the NSF Artistic Director leads a group reading of one of the works of Shakespeare. This 14 year partnership between the NSF and the Nashville Public Library is free and open to the public (both in-person or virtually online). All are welcome, and regular readers include students, actors, English language learners, senior citizens, and persons experiencing homelessness. The fifth reading of the full canon began in 2021. Over 4,200 have participated since 2008.
SHAKESPEARE ALLOWED AT ROOM IN THE INN - This offshoot of Shakespeare Allowed, led by a professional actor, started in 2011 and is a popular weekly addition to Room in the Inn's Hope University which provides enrichment to its homeless clients, serving around 80 participants per month.
Program Successes
Over 4,200 participants have enjoyed this program since 2008.
With the success of Shakespeare Allowed at the Nashville Public Library, the Nashville Shakespeare Festival began bringing a version of the program to a local non-profit homeless shelter, Room in the Inn.
Due to the success of Shakespeare Allowed in Davidson County, Rutherford County recently adopted a similar program for its library system. Stratford-Upon-Avon, UK began their "Shakespeare Allowed" program in 2017, modeled on NSF's program.
Beneficiaries
General Public
Adults
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
Long-term Success
Shakespeare Allowed has already met with considerable success since 2008. Long-term, NSF wants to involve as many readers new to the program as possible, all while still welcoming folks who have regularly contributed since Allowed's conception. The program has been copied around the world, and seeing that influence spread to even more locations is always a goal.
Short-term Success
Shakespeare Allowed has been a beneficial monthly event for patrons of the main branch of the Nashville Public Library. In the short-term, besides bringing in more new patrons, including seniors, youth, and others, NSF would love to see surrounding counties adopt similar programs for their library systems.
Program Success Monitored By
Program success for Shakespeare Allowed is monitored by: number of readers involved, diversity of readers, number of new readers, and the influence of the program in surrounding counties and other areas of the country and the world.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Entire World Reachable via Internet
Budget
$11,000.00
Description
Each summer, a troupe of twelve to twenty talented young theater artists (ages 13 and up) are selected by audition and interview for an intensive training and showcase program that culminates in performing roles as part of Summer Shakespeare. The Apprentice Company members develop their skills during three weeks of rigorous workshops in acting, vocal production, improvisation, text analysis, stage combat, dance, ensemble building, and audition techniques. Professional teaching artists and directors comprise the faculty. During the rehearsal and run of the show, the Apprentices work alongside Nashville's professional theatre artists on stage and backstage. An important initiative of the Festival, the Apprentice Company is a training ground for future leaders empowering them with language skills and confidence. In 2023, for the first time in the program's 25-year history, the program was wholly underwritten and apprentices were able to participate in training tuition-free.
Program Successes
Past ApCo members have returned to NSF to play significant roles both on and off-stage. For instance, Laramie Hearn, a 2015 ApCo member, directed PERICLES for Summer Shakespeare 2019. Caroline Williams, a 2001 Apprentice, is a published poet and recently co-created a world premiere of her work (inspired by Shakespeare) with the Nashville Ballet. Other ApCo graduates have gone on to work in a variety of fields, and many have become Broadway performers, film and TV actors, professional directors, educators, and non-profit leaders.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Long-term Success
Long-term success for NSF's Apprentice Training would be measured by the percentage of trained artists who continue using their experience in meaningful ways in Nashville, across Tennessee, across the country, and around the world. It is the hope of all at NSF that the artists trained through ApCo go on to use this unique experience to inform their teaching, performing, designing, and directing - but most importantly, to advance and inform their personal, cultural, and artistic leadership abilities.
Short-term Success
In the short-run, NSF would love to see ApCo members go on to immediate success in their communities, whether it be as a college performer, local professional artist, or educational mentor or workshop leader. Another measure of success would come from the percentage of ApCo members who come back to either extend their training or who successfully become professional cast/crew members of the Festival.
Program Success Monitored By
Apprentice Company program success is monitored by: post-Apprentice survey and testimonial collection, number of ApCo members re-hired for the Festival, success of ApCo members in other arenas, and the number of scholarships raised for ApCo members.
Program Areas Served
Nashville / Metropolitan Davidson County , Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee
$11,000.00
Description
Each summer, a troupe of twelve to twenty talented young theater artists (ages 13 and up) are selected by audition and interview for an intensive training and showcase program that culminates in performing roles as part of Summer Shakespeare. The Apprentice Company members develop their skills during three weeks of rigorous workshops in acting, vocal production, improvisation, text analysis, stage combat, dance, ensemble building, and audition techniques. Professional teaching artists and directors comprise the faculty. During the rehearsal and run of the show, the Apprentices work alongside Nashville's professional theatre artists on stage and backstage. An important initiative of the Festival, the Apprentice Company is a training ground for future leaders empowering them with language skills and confidence. In 2023, for the first time in the program's 25-year history, the program was wholly underwritten and apprentices were able to participate in training tuition-free.
Program Successes
Past ApCo members have returned to NSF to play significant roles both on and off-stage. For instance, Laramie Hearn, a 2015 ApCo member, directed PERICLES for Summer Shakespeare 2019. Caroline Williams, a 2001 Apprentice, is a published poet and recently co-created a world premiere of her work (inspired by Shakespeare) with the Nashville Ballet. Other ApCo graduates have gone on to work in a variety of fields, and many have become Broadway performers, film and TV actors, professional directors, educators, and non-profit leaders.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Long-term Success
Long-term success for NSF's Apprentice Training would be measured by the percentage of trained artists who continue using their experience in meaningful ways in Nashville, across Tennessee, across the country, and around the world. It is the hope of all at NSF that the artists trained through ApCo go on to use this unique experience to inform their teaching, performing, designing, and directing - but most importantly, to advance and inform their personal, cultural, and artistic leadership abilities.
Short-term Success
In the short-run, NSF would love to see ApCo members go on to immediate success in their communities, whether it be as a college performer, local professional artist, or educational mentor or workshop leader. Another measure of success would come from the percentage of ApCo members who come back to either extend their training or who successfully become professional cast/crew members of the Festival.
Program Success Monitored By
Apprentice Company program success is monitored by: post-Apprentice survey and testimonial collection, number of ApCo members re-hired for the Festival, success of ApCo members in other arenas, and the number of scholarships raised for ApCo members.
Program Areas Served
Nashville / Metropolitan Davidson County , Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee
Budget
$93,000.00
Description
Each in-school performance provides a playful introduction to the works of Shakespeare, including themes, imagery, poetic devices - and humor!
ROMEO & JULIET, MACBETH, and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM - Five actors play all of the roles, sometimes speaking directly to the audience, allowing students to be part of Shakespeare's worlds. All the comedy, all the tragedy, and all the thrilling fights packed into a 45 to 90-minute experience that includes a post-show talkback with the actors.
Video versions of the 2 actor A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and 5 actor ROMEO & JULIET are available with accompanying workshops.
Living Shakespeare: Featuring scenes from Shakespeare's greatest works, two seasoned actors share their combined 50 years of experience performing Shakespeare. Customized by request. 50 minutes.
Program Successes
In the Fall of 2019, Romeo and Juliet played three weeks in Middle Tennessee, playing to middle school, high school, and collegiate audiences; over 2,000 students had the opportunity to see the production and engage in a post-show talkback. By 2022, the touring extended to over two months across seven counties, added community centers as venues, and performed & delivered workshops to over 3,000 students, teachers, and families. Responses from teachers and students included:
"I appreciate you for coming and performing Romeo and Juliet. I enjoyed the old English you spoke. It's inspired me to want to see more classical plays as an adult."
"The actors in the production brought the play to life in a way that text, audio, and even film cannot. The students were on the edge of their seats for the entire 90 minutes."
Loving Shakespeare and Living Shakespeare have been performed at high schools, assemblies, festivals, and college campuses across middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky.
Beneficiaries
Families
At-Risk Populations
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
Performances from NSF's touring repertoire introduce students to the Bard's works with an approachable, relatable production centered on personal stories and/or abridged versions of the plays most studied, by professional artists who have spent their careers exploring and loving Shakespeare. Long-term, being able to increase these touring productions to schools, community centers, and other venues opens the door for those uninitiated (or intimidated by) to appreciate Shakespeare.
Short-term Success
Short-term, NSF aims to increase the number of touring productions from year-to-year, offering more patrons the chance to see artists who have made it their life's work to share Shakespeare with the masses. NSF recently introduced the abridged Romeo and Juliet to Nashville and surrounding schools in Fall 2019; 2022 saw the addition Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream to the touring repertoire and expansion to several counties across the region.
Program Success Monitored By
Program success will be determined by: number of audience members served, survey and testimonial feedback, total number of performances booked.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Coffee County, Tennessee, Montgomery County, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Cumberland County, Tennessee, DeKalb County, Tennessee, Hickman County, Tennessee
$93,000.00
Description
Each in-school performance provides a playful introduction to the works of Shakespeare, including themes, imagery, poetic devices - and humor!
ROMEO & JULIET, MACBETH, and A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM - Five actors play all of the roles, sometimes speaking directly to the audience, allowing students to be part of Shakespeare's worlds. All the comedy, all the tragedy, and all the thrilling fights packed into a 45 to 90-minute experience that includes a post-show talkback with the actors.
Video versions of the 2 actor A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM and 5 actor ROMEO & JULIET are available with accompanying workshops.
Living Shakespeare: Featuring scenes from Shakespeare's greatest works, two seasoned actors share their combined 50 years of experience performing Shakespeare. Customized by request. 50 minutes.
Program Successes
In the Fall of 2019, Romeo and Juliet played three weeks in Middle Tennessee, playing to middle school, high school, and collegiate audiences; over 2,000 students had the opportunity to see the production and engage in a post-show talkback. By 2022, the touring extended to over two months across seven counties, added community centers as venues, and performed & delivered workshops to over 3,000 students, teachers, and families. Responses from teachers and students included:
"I appreciate you for coming and performing Romeo and Juliet. I enjoyed the old English you spoke. It's inspired me to want to see more classical plays as an adult."
"The actors in the production brought the play to life in a way that text, audio, and even film cannot. The students were on the edge of their seats for the entire 90 minutes."
Loving Shakespeare and Living Shakespeare have been performed at high schools, assemblies, festivals, and college campuses across middle Tennessee and southern Kentucky.
Beneficiaries
Families
At-Risk Populations
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
Performances from NSF's touring repertoire introduce students to the Bard's works with an approachable, relatable production centered on personal stories and/or abridged versions of the plays most studied, by professional artists who have spent their careers exploring and loving Shakespeare. Long-term, being able to increase these touring productions to schools, community centers, and other venues opens the door for those uninitiated (or intimidated by) to appreciate Shakespeare.
Short-term Success
Short-term, NSF aims to increase the number of touring productions from year-to-year, offering more patrons the chance to see artists who have made it their life's work to share Shakespeare with the masses. NSF recently introduced the abridged Romeo and Juliet to Nashville and surrounding schools in Fall 2019; 2022 saw the addition Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream to the touring repertoire and expansion to several counties across the region.
Program Success Monitored By
Program success will be determined by: number of audience members served, survey and testimonial feedback, total number of performances booked.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Coffee County, Tennessee, Montgomery County, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Cumberland County, Tennessee, DeKalb County, Tennessee, Hickman County, Tennessee
Budget
$7,000.00
Description
Designed to work with a school's established curriculum, the Festival offers in-classroom and virtual workshops to accompany its productions as well as on demand to address any particular classroom's need. Introductory workshops give students keys to unlock the works and begin to play with the language. More advanced workshops teach students techniques for analyzing dense poetry, finding the embedded stage directions, embracing iambic pentameter, and asking the right questions to unlock the power and beauty of the verse. The directing workshop allows students, working with a facilitator, to direct two actors through an investigation of a scene bringing to life some of Shakespeare's most beloved characters. These dynamic workshops help students develop appreciation for theater, cultivate creativity, increase confidence, and apply analytical and problem-solving skills that pertain to all disciplines.
Program Successes
Quote from a teacher concerning Shakespeare in Action workshop success: "I have found that the programs are expertly tailored to my teaching needs- which vary from year to year- and my student population. The actors are prepared and personable, and connect with the students in a way that few 'guest speakers' can. I have never been disappointed in a workshop, and it is consistently one of the top 3 favorite class activities on my Senior Exit Survey. My students are Advanced Placement Seniors, high achieving and sometimes pretty demanding of their instructors. NSF never disappoints."
NSF provided 36 workshops in 2022 and has thus far provided 34 workshops in 2023.
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
NSF would love to see students and teachers who engage in Shakespeare in Action workshops to develop a long-term relationship with Shakespeare through experiencing his work more in-depth. While attending a professional production can be a kickstart, working with a teaching artist knowledgeable in Shakespeare's language can break down barriers and open up students to worlds they had not imagined.
NSF considers it a noble and remarkable mission to support youth as they develop emotional intelligence, cultural literacy, and problem solving abilities that will impress upon them the importance of being more thoughtful and engaged audience members, artists, and human beings.
Short-term Success
Students who engage in Shakespeare in Action workshops have the ability to be able to greater understand the complexity of Shakespeare's themes, characters, verse, and overall structure. Besides being applicable to other forms of literature, this level of work also creates for the student a better ability to think on their feet, think critically, and use imagery and sound to shape a better understanding of the world around them. A student who is able to do these things can see immediate results with other school work, including writing and general knowledge and application for standardized tests.
Program Success Monitored By
Success of the workshops is measured by the number of students served, teacher feedback forms, student feedback, and teaching artist observations of engagement.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee
$7,000.00
Description
Designed to work with a school's established curriculum, the Festival offers in-classroom and virtual workshops to accompany its productions as well as on demand to address any particular classroom's need. Introductory workshops give students keys to unlock the works and begin to play with the language. More advanced workshops teach students techniques for analyzing dense poetry, finding the embedded stage directions, embracing iambic pentameter, and asking the right questions to unlock the power and beauty of the verse. The directing workshop allows students, working with a facilitator, to direct two actors through an investigation of a scene bringing to life some of Shakespeare's most beloved characters. These dynamic workshops help students develop appreciation for theater, cultivate creativity, increase confidence, and apply analytical and problem-solving skills that pertain to all disciplines.
Program Successes
Quote from a teacher concerning Shakespeare in Action workshop success: "I have found that the programs are expertly tailored to my teaching needs- which vary from year to year- and my student population. The actors are prepared and personable, and connect with the students in a way that few 'guest speakers' can. I have never been disappointed in a workshop, and it is consistently one of the top 3 favorite class activities on my Senior Exit Survey. My students are Advanced Placement Seniors, high achieving and sometimes pretty demanding of their instructors. NSF never disappoints."
NSF provided 36 workshops in 2022 and has thus far provided 34 workshops in 2023.
Beneficiaries
At-Risk Populations
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
NSF would love to see students and teachers who engage in Shakespeare in Action workshops to develop a long-term relationship with Shakespeare through experiencing his work more in-depth. While attending a professional production can be a kickstart, working with a teaching artist knowledgeable in Shakespeare's language can break down barriers and open up students to worlds they had not imagined.
NSF considers it a noble and remarkable mission to support youth as they develop emotional intelligence, cultural literacy, and problem solving abilities that will impress upon them the importance of being more thoughtful and engaged audience members, artists, and human beings.
Short-term Success
Students who engage in Shakespeare in Action workshops have the ability to be able to greater understand the complexity of Shakespeare's themes, characters, verse, and overall structure. Besides being applicable to other forms of literature, this level of work also creates for the student a better ability to think on their feet, think critically, and use imagery and sound to shape a better understanding of the world around them. A student who is able to do these things can see immediate results with other school work, including writing and general knowledge and application for standardized tests.
Program Success Monitored By
Success of the workshops is measured by the number of students served, teacher feedback forms, student feedback, and teaching artist observations of engagement.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee
Budget
$5,000.00
Description
DIRECTORS-IN-RESIDENCE - The Nashville Shakespeare Festival provides professional directors to Middle Tennessee high schools for their school productions, particularly for plays by Shakespeare. This gives students and faculty the invaluable opportunity to work directly with a practicing theatre artist on all aspects of a full production.
Program Successes
Recent Director-In-Residence partnerships include a performance of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM helmed by Artistic Associate Laramie Hearn at Harpeth Hall School, working with 12 non-theatre students in a "Winterim" program that helped the participants build confidence in live performance and working with Shakespeare's text. Education Director Katie Bruno similarly served as Director-In-Residence in 2023 at Franklin Road Academy for a production of THE TEMPEST.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Long-term Success
The Directors-In-Residence program gives local students and teachers the opportunity to receive professional assistance with in-house productions or co-productions with NSF. In the long term, these relationships allow for students and teachers to gain a better understanding of how trained professionals tackle the unique challenges of staging Shakespeare. The long-term goal is to be able to bring a Director-in-Residence to a majority of high schools in the greater Nashville area. We would also love to train students to stage their own scenes/productions for fellow students in English and arts classes. These close relationships will also build the likelihood of students and teachers utilizing our workshops, educational materials, and performances. We seek to be the single greatest performance-based partner for Metro Schools and a majority of local private institutions.
Short-term Success
In the short term, securing at least two schools in Metro, with at least one being a Title 1 program, would be a significant step forward in continuing the success of bringing a professional director to work with arts programs. Dramatic literature is much more relatable when it is processed through live performance. We hope that these experiences encourage teachers and students to subsequently bring an abridged performance from NSF to their school or book a field trip to see one of our fully-staged live shows.
Program Success Monitored By
To process the success of the Directors-In-Residence program, we utilize surveys and interviews with participants to get subjective, detailed feedback on how the work with the teaching artists improved understanding of the text, ability to process character motivation, and a general sense of confidence and encouragement fueled by the work. Success is also gauged by measuring the number of students/teachers that subsequently book workshops or field trips to see one of our productions.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee
$5,000.00
Description
DIRECTORS-IN-RESIDENCE - The Nashville Shakespeare Festival provides professional directors to Middle Tennessee high schools for their school productions, particularly for plays by Shakespeare. This gives students and faculty the invaluable opportunity to work directly with a practicing theatre artist on all aspects of a full production.
Program Successes
Recent Director-In-Residence partnerships include a performance of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM helmed by Artistic Associate Laramie Hearn at Harpeth Hall School, working with 12 non-theatre students in a "Winterim" program that helped the participants build confidence in live performance and working with Shakespeare's text. Education Director Katie Bruno similarly served as Director-In-Residence in 2023 at Franklin Road Academy for a production of THE TEMPEST.
Beneficiaries
Adolescents
Long-term Success
The Directors-In-Residence program gives local students and teachers the opportunity to receive professional assistance with in-house productions or co-productions with NSF. In the long term, these relationships allow for students and teachers to gain a better understanding of how trained professionals tackle the unique challenges of staging Shakespeare. The long-term goal is to be able to bring a Director-in-Residence to a majority of high schools in the greater Nashville area. We would also love to train students to stage their own scenes/productions for fellow students in English and arts classes. These close relationships will also build the likelihood of students and teachers utilizing our workshops, educational materials, and performances. We seek to be the single greatest performance-based partner for Metro Schools and a majority of local private institutions.
Short-term Success
In the short term, securing at least two schools in Metro, with at least one being a Title 1 program, would be a significant step forward in continuing the success of bringing a professional director to work with arts programs. Dramatic literature is much more relatable when it is processed through live performance. We hope that these experiences encourage teachers and students to subsequently bring an abridged performance from NSF to their school or book a field trip to see one of our fully-staged live shows.
Program Success Monitored By
To process the success of the Directors-In-Residence program, we utilize surveys and interviews with participants to get subjective, detailed feedback on how the work with the teaching artists improved understanding of the text, ability to process character motivation, and a general sense of confidence and encouragement fueled by the work. Success is also gauged by measuring the number of students/teachers that subsequently book workshops or field trips to see one of our productions.
Program Areas Served
Middle Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee
Budget
$15,000.00
Description
NSF ENRICHMENT - provides professional acting classes for youth and adults.
SHAKESPEARE ALLOWED AT ROOM IN THE INN - This offshoot of Shakespeare Allowed has become a popular addition to Room in the Inn's Hope University which provides enrichment to its homeless clients.
POP-UPRIGHT SHAKESPEARE - Nashville's best actors take on roles in a bare-bones "upright" staged reading of a Shakespeare play at a non-theatre venue.
WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS - Shakespeare in Action and "Don't Act Just Be" workshops are available to adult groups, offering exercises in creative thinking and problem solving, while empowering participants to use dramatic language and all language for more effective communication.
Program Successes
Adult programming has helped foster increased attendance for Winter/Spring and Summer performances. Shakespeare Allowed at Room at the Inn has consistently had full classes, and groups from RITI are invited to come and see Winter/Spring Shakespeare performances free of charge.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Theater
Beneficiaries
General Public
Unhoused individuals
Adults
Long-term Success
Long-term goals for these adult programs include: fostering the creation of other similar programs to reach even more of Nashville's diverse population, increasing outreach to low-income and homeless communities, and creating more educational opportunities for adults, continuing learners, and seniors.
Short-term Success
Specialized adult programming from NSF opens up the company's offerings to a wider array of Nashville communities due to each program's target.
NSF looks to increase attendance at all workshops and small performances (Pop-Up, etc.) to reach into previously untouched communities, as well as give more people who may not otherwise have the opportunity more Shakespeare-specific training.
Program Success Monitored By
Program success is monitored by: post-workshop and post-performance surveys and feedback, and total attendance numbers.
Program Areas Served
MIDDLE TENNESSEE, Nashville, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee
$15,000.00
Description
NSF ENRICHMENT - provides professional acting classes for youth and adults.
SHAKESPEARE ALLOWED AT ROOM IN THE INN - This offshoot of Shakespeare Allowed has become a popular addition to Room in the Inn's Hope University which provides enrichment to its homeless clients.
POP-UPRIGHT SHAKESPEARE - Nashville's best actors take on roles in a bare-bones "upright" staged reading of a Shakespeare play at a non-theatre venue.
WORKSHOPS FOR ADULTS - Shakespeare in Action and "Don't Act Just Be" workshops are available to adult groups, offering exercises in creative thinking and problem solving, while empowering participants to use dramatic language and all language for more effective communication.
Program Successes
Adult programming has helped foster increased attendance for Winter/Spring and Summer performances. Shakespeare Allowed at Room at the Inn has consistently had full classes, and groups from RITI are invited to come and see Winter/Spring Shakespeare performances free of charge.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities - Theater
Beneficiaries
General Public
Unhoused individuals
Adults
Long-term Success
Long-term goals for these adult programs include: fostering the creation of other similar programs to reach even more of Nashville's diverse population, increasing outreach to low-income and homeless communities, and creating more educational opportunities for adults, continuing learners, and seniors.
Short-term Success
Specialized adult programming from NSF opens up the company's offerings to a wider array of Nashville communities due to each program's target.
NSF looks to increase attendance at all workshops and small performances (Pop-Up, etc.) to reach into previously untouched communities, as well as give more people who may not otherwise have the opportunity more Shakespeare-specific training.
Program Success Monitored By
Program success is monitored by: post-workshop and post-performance surveys and feedback, and total attendance numbers.
Program Areas Served
MIDDLE TENNESSEE, Nashville, Rutherford County, Tennessee, Williamson County, Tennessee, Davidson County, Tennessee
