The Cleveland Shakespeare Festival is dedicated to bringing plays of professional quality to audiences in the Greater Cleveland area as a way of encouraging community through theater. By performing out of doors in numerous locations, we reach audience members that would be less likely to travel to a down town theater or may be uncomfortable in a more traditional theater setting. Making these performances available free of charge brings to those who could not ordinarily afford the price of a theater ticket, the experience of audience and actor communing through the contemporary performance of classic literature.

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The emphasis of our local, professional artists is on making the words and poetry of each play accessible to family members of all ages and cultural backgrounds. These practices, all deeply familiar to Shakespeare’s original theatre, allow the plays to act as education, cultural initiation, and contemporary entertainment – an exciting way for our community to expand its understanding of classic theatre and recognize the art form’s value in today’s society.

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We believe that the power and inspiration of live theater has a positive impact on every life it touches. It is our desire to share this amazing gift with the communities we, as artists, call our home.