Shakespeare and Company is a tremendous asset not only to the local community, but their affect reaches across the nation. Not only does the company offer a superb collection of artists doing really powerful performance work on the stage, but their professional training programs are truly top-notch, and their education programs have made significant impact in the intellectual and emotional growth of many youngsters. I had the tremendous good fortune of growing up with the in-schools education programs offered by Shakespeare and Company, which provided the foundation for a life practice of working collaboratively, with honesty and integrity. I have since founded a theatre company dedicated to site-specific interactive performances, in some ways quite different from traditional stage work, but the core elements of emotional truth and clarity of thought and speech in performance, that I first experienced at S&Co, is at the heart of my approach. I put the full strength of my voice behind supporting this company.