South Carolina Shakespeare Company

South Carolina Shakespeare Company is a professional theatre company based in Columbia, South Carolina, founded in 1993 by Jim Hunter, Louise Burke, and Robert Richmond. The company is known for its productions of William Shakespeare's plays, as well as other classical theatre works, such as those by Molière, Tennessee Williams, and Oscar Wilde. The company has performed at various venues, including the University of South Carolina's Longstreet Theatre, the Columbia Museum of Art, and the Finlay Park amphitheater, which is similar to the Globe Theatre in London. The company's productions often feature Shakespearean actors and actresses from around the world, including Royal Shakespeare Company alumni.

● History

The company was founded in 1993 with the goal of bringing high-quality, professional Shakespearean theatre to the Midlands region of South Carolina. The company's first production was a staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream at the University of South Carolina's Longstreet Theatre, directed by Jim Hunter and featuring a cast of local and international actors, including Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. Over the years, the company has produced a wide range of Shakespeare's plays, including Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Macbeth, and The Tempest, as well as works by other playwrights, such as Arthur Miller and Eugene O'Neill. The company has also collaborated with other theatre companies, including the Seattle Repertory Theatre and the Guthrie Theater, on productions such as The Importance of Being Earnest and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?.

● Productions

The company's productions are known for their high-quality set design, costume design, and lighting design, which are often created in collaboration with designers from around the world, including Tony Award winners such as Bob Crowley and William Ivey Long. The company's productions often feature live music, including performances by the South Carolina Philharmonic and the Columbia Symphony Orchestra. Recent productions have included stagings of The Taming of the Shrew, The Merchant of Venice, and Twelfth Night, as well as adaptations of Shakespeare's plays, such as West Side Story and Kiss Me, Kate. The company has also produced works by other playwrights, including Tom Stoppard and Samuel Beckett, at venues such as the Village Theatre and the Trustus Theatre.

● Education and Outreach

The company is committed to education and outreach, and offers a range of programs for students and teachers, including workshops, classes, and residencies. The company's education program is designed to introduce students to the works of Shakespeare and other classical playwrights, and to provide teachers with the tools and resources they need to teach Shakespeare in the classroom. The company has also partnered with organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts and the South Carolina Arts Commission to provide arts education programs for underserved communities. The company's outreach program includes performances at prisons, hospitals, and other community venues, and has been recognized with awards from organizations such as the American Theatre Wing and the Theatre Communications Group.

● Company Structure

The company is a non-profit organization, governed by a board of directors that includes community leaders and arts professionals from around the region. The company's artistic director is responsible for selecting the season's productions and overseeing the creative team, which includes directors, designers, and actors from around the world. The company's staff includes administrators, marketers, and box office personnel, who work together to manage the company's operations and finances. The company has also established partnerships with other theatre companies and organizations, including the Shakespeare Theatre Association and the Theatre League of South Carolina.

● Notable Performances

The company has produced a number of notable performances over the years, including a staging of Hamlet that featured Patrick Stewart in the title role, and a production of The Tempest that was directed by Trevor Nunn and featured Ian McKellen as Prospero. The company has also produced world premieres of new plays, including works by playwrights such as August Wilson and Tony Kushner. The company's productions have been recognized with awards from organizations such as the South Carolina Theatre Association and the Southeastern Theatre Conference, and have been praised by critics from around the region, including those from the The New York Times and the Washington Post. The company has also been recognized for its community outreach efforts, including its prison outreach program, which has been recognized with awards from organizations such as the National Institute of Corrections and the American Correctional Association.

Category:Theatre companies in the United States