Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland: A Backstage Tour and History

Origins and Evolution of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival

• 🎭 Founded in 1935 by Angus Bowmer, the festival began as a 3-day Fourth of July celebration with two Shakespearean plays.
• 📈 It has since grown to host over 780 performances of 11 plays in three theaters, attracting 110-120,000 people annually.
• 🏛️ Initially a summer-only Shakespeare festival in outdoor Elizabethan theaters, it expanded to include musicals in the 1960s and other plays with the opening of the indoor Angus Bowmer Theater in 1970.
• 💡 The Black Swan Theater, converted from an old garage, began hosting new, experimental, and midnight project plays in 1977, eventually leading to the development of a new, flexible theater.

Innovative Theater Design and Technology

• 🏗️ The new theater, designed by Richard P, allows for flexible audience and stage configurations, enabling theater-in-the-round, thrust stages, and multiple set arrangements.
• ⚙️ Features like a large trap room and an immense elevator facilitate rapid scene shifting, enhancing production efficiency.
• 💡 Catwalks above the stage allow for quick adjustments to the more than 300 lighting instruments, crucial for the theater-in-the-round setup.
• 💻 A state-of-the-art booth includes digital sound boards and computerized light boards with nine spotlights capable of rapid changes in position, color, and pattern.

The Acting Company and Technical Crew

• 👥 The acting company consists of about 85 actors, 80% of whom are union professionals, with the remaining 20% being emerging artists.
• 💼 Actors are hired on 10-month contracts and are cast season-to-season, with no guarantee of re-hire, depending on the plays and directing needs.
• 🛠️ For every actor, there are at least four technical crew members responsible for sets, props, costumes, lighting, and stage management.
• 🤝 A strong relationship exists between actors and the highly trained technical staff, essential for the quality of productions.

Rehearsal and Production Process

• 🗓️ Actors may have 5-6 months to prepare for roles, with each show receiving approximately 200 hours of rehearsal time.
• ⏱️ Technical rehearsals, where all elements like sound, light, and costumes are integrated, are limited to about 20 hours.
• 🏃‍♂️ Stage managers play a crucial role in coordinating blocking, quick costume changes (sometimes in under 35 seconds), and managing backstage traffic, especially in dark and busy environments.
• 🥵 The Elizabethan outdoor stage presents physical challenges due to weather, requiring actors to manage heat and cold, and stay hydrated during performances.

Educational Programs and Visitor Experience

• 📚 The festival offers educational programs, including workshops on design and prologues that explain plays to prepare audiences, particularly students.
• 🎟️ It is recommended to purchase tickets in advance, as performances, especially during peak season, often sell out.
• 🎭 The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is a rare example of a company that hires a resident company and performs in rotating repertory, offering a unique and immersive theater experience.