Shakespeare & Company, Inc.

Love them. Great group with lots of heart and soul for the kids.

This company does the best Shakespeare I've ever seen, consistently, to the point where they reveal to even a Shakespearean scholar (me) lnes of truth and insight I'd missed, despite my knowing virtually the entire canon. However, they are intro-friendly and spread Shakespeare to novice audiences because they are very conscious of the need to make Shakespeare enjoyable to average Americans, adults and students alike. S&Company speak the verse clearly, without being stilted or overly intellectual, engage the audience in a variety of ways, and are consistently and truly funny. And that is only their within their "performance" mission statement. As a teacher, I knew firsthand of how extraordinary the company is at winning over a student audience or engaging in workshops that students never forget, encouraging and even inspiring them. I brought the company out 70 miles once a year to put on their touring production and they were always tremendous experiences for 600 kids.

This remarkable program provides high school students with the opportunity to learn about drama - and more importantly themselves - under the expert tutelage of internationally acclaimed professional actors, technicians, and costumers. The dedication of these professionals to their craft - and more impressively to the students - is a marvel. To see hesitant, often shy, young people blossom before your eyes on stage - in just a matter of weeks - is an extraordinary experience for the adult volunteers. It's a truly transformative experience for the young people themselves.

Shakespeare & Company offers life-changing training for people of all backgrounds.

Studying with Shakespeare and Company was one of the best decisions I have ever made. This place is literally life changing. After five weeks in the Berkshires, I discovered a new perspective on myself as an actor and a human being. I will be back in some capacity as soon as I can.

I worked with Shakespeare and Company in many different capacities. My children benefited from the programs they ran at their high school, they worked with my fourth grade students for 10 weeks to put on a Shakespeare play, my mother was the principal of a middle school where they worked, I attended a workshop they offered to teachers, and I've attended many of their productions. After all these experiences I truly think that Shakespeare and company is an extraordinary organization. My children felt it was one of the best things they were involved in during high school and that it had a profound impact on them. They were given respect for their ideas, feelings and abilities and ended up producing an incredibly professional performance, that they felt very proud of. The work they did with my 4th grade students was also amazing. They brought out aspects of my students I had never seen before. They managed to keep everything playful and fun. They were able to bring out the best in all my students and taught me much about handling my most difficult kids. The workshop I attended went deep and truly made me think differently about teaching Shakespeare to children. I am always amazed at how effortlessly I am able to understand Shakespearean English when I watch Shakespeare and Company's performances. I have worked with innumerable staff members, all whom were excellent. I keep thinking the next crew can't be as good, but they always are. I am also impressed with the work they do with adjudicated young people. They are truly a unique organization and one I hope will be around for a long time.

A Group of the most amazing and devoted people, who drown themselves in work to put together a feast for all who attend.

Shakespeare & Company continues with marvelous productions that are entertaining, understandable and educational. See my last year's review for additional comments based on our 33-34 years of attending.

The arts are crucial to our experience of being human. Shakespeare is at the center of our western tradition of literary and performance artistry. Shakespeare & Co. reinterprets the Bard's and related work for our new age. I continue to be thrilled by and learn so much from this most excellent troupe's work. Their mission is entertainment, philosophy and education - exploring what makes us human and how to be better at it. My 16 year old son still proclaims his Riotus Youth experiences as among the best of his life, and he is not an aspiring actor. Some of my family's most transforming times have been as audience members at S & Co. They are very worthy of continued support.

Shakespeare and Company will be celebrating its 35th year with some wonderful productions scheduled. Meanwhile, they can look back on the past year of outstanding productions with pride. The company is now year round with a robust fall production of The War of the Worlds, a Christmas delight with Santaland and an incredibly funny production of Moliere's Learned Lady with a skilled cast of young and talented actors. This is a company that provides its audiences with unique theatrical experiences. One can not praise it enough.

Every year my girls and I prepare for another wonderful Shakespeare experience at Shakespeare and Company. It's not just a show, it's an experience. The whole place brings you in right away, there are people in period costume before the show doing bits outside. Afterwards, we always go meet the talented actors and we learn something more. The show itself always brings a new light to an old favorite, or shows us something we've never seen. They have grown up on Shakespeare and Company and now -- at 21, 18 and 11 -- are big fans, thanks to this wonderful company. We are ever grateful.

We bring our college students, especially those in theatre, to see Shakespeare performed with understanding, energy, and imagination that is unsurpassed in my experience. Seeing actors work in repertory gives audiences a clearer sense of the nature of acting. The openness with which actors have talked with our students after performances adds to this. Seeing Shakespeare staged in a space that resembles the Renaissance stage structure for which it was written is a revelation every time. The ability to walk the grounds and think about the play after seeing it enhances the playgoing experience, too.

I can scarcely believe that I did not train at Shakespeare and Company before I did. I've trained with some very fine institutions, but participating (not just learning!) in the innovative work and positive, constructive approach to developing ourselves as theater artists--while we quite literally lived and breathed Shakespeare--was not only great training, but also allowed me to bear witness to the way in which this work inspired actors and teachers to deeper and more personal exploration. I can't recommend S & Co more highly.

Shakespeare & Company reminds us, vividly and powerfully, in all the work they do as artists, producers, educators of young people, trainers of theater professionals and champions of relishing the human connection that can be experienced so vividly in Shakespeare's plays, that there are lifelong rewards for engagement with any art, and that such engagement can re-invigorate our imaginations, re-awaken our humanity and expand our capacity for empathy and compassion. This is vital and necessary work in all times, but especially during these days of struggle for so many. Shakespeare and Company's outreach to area schools and juvenile courts is a powerful reminder that theater can and does change and save lives every day.

Shakespeare and Co entered our family's life with actors' residencies in our elementary and middle schools. These were not only the education specialists, who are terrific, but their star actors! My kids learned so much from working with the professionals, who spent I think 6 weeks in the schools! The approach they took, exploring language until each student could understand and feel what Shakespeare was intending to say, was fantastic. A life-changing experience for us all.

I participated in the month-long intensive training as an actor and returned for a second year as a teacher trainee. I took shorter training as an actor in specific topic areas and participated in trainings taught by the Education Department as a teacher. My experiences had and continues to have transformational effects on my life and the lives of my students.

I participated in the Fall Festival in High School and it remains, 13 years later, a formative experience in my life. The exposure to great art and artists is just the beginning. Working within the atmosphere of the Fall Festival gives young people confidence in public speaking, spatial movement, and passionate pursuit of goals. Thanks Shake&Co.

After so many years of enjoying Shakespeare's comedies at The Mount, I am now able to attend WINTER performances of a variety of plays, both Shakespeare's comedies, tragedies, and other forms of theatre. And I'm loving all of it!

I love live theatre. I particularly enjoy repertoire houses which allow me to see actors rotate though different roles. Unfortunately, I can not afford to see all the theatre I wish to see. Because I volunteer at Shakespeare and Company, I can satisfy my need for theatre.

I was a student and employee at Shakespeare&Co throughout high school. It was the center of my life, educationally and socially, especially after leaving public school to pursue my education independently. I hope S&Co can continue to provide opportunities to young people.

I have participated in the Fall Festival of Shakespeare for the past four years and it is literally the best time of my year. The environment in everyday rehersal as well as the actual four day festival in Lenox is so welcoming and friendly. Everyone I've met through it is somehow an amazingh person. I don't know of many other places you can find that.

Not only are the student there awesome, though; the people who work there exceed expectations by miles. Working with many of them through Fall Festival and Shakespeare and Young Company, I continue to be amazed. They are all so talented as actors and mentors. They know exactly how to bring out the best in all of their students so they not only produce great plays, but grow as actors as well.

Every play I've seen there as well has been impecable. Whether is Shakespeare or not, the actors, directors and designers all give 110%. I've never been to S&Co and not enjoyed my time.

Shakespeare and Company has changed my outlook on Shakespeare and on acting. It's the most amazing place on Earth.

The training at Shakespeare & Co. changed my life, both personally and professionally, in a profound way. I became a better actor and, frankly, a better human being for having spent a month in an environment of such intense warmth, inclusiveness, creativity, challenge, support, and inquiry. On a daily--if not hourly or more frequent basis--we not only increased our technical prowess, but we asked questions about the bigger issues of art. What does it mean to be human? How do we tell stories that move, excite, inspire our fellow humans? Many theatres can produce fine actors from their training programs, but this is the only one I've encountered that produces not only better artists, but better members of society.

As an audience member, I can say that this is some of the finest, most technically clear, and most heartfelt and sincere work I've ever seen on stage and I am privileged to have witnessed it.

I first became aware of S&Co many years ago when I was Chairman of the DeSisto School in Stockbridge MA, a school for troubled teens. S&Co provided a unforgettable experience for the students, many of whom had never seen a play or acted or participated in any of the myriad opportunities a theatre company provides.The relationship went on for many years. As a result of the interaction of the Desisto School and S&Co, the school initiated a performing arts program, giving these troubled teens a wonderful expressive outle. tAs an attendee I have always been impressed with the calibre of the perfomers and performances. S&Co provides a very needed place in the Berkshire community.

I have been lucky to have been able to attend Shakespeare & Company performances since before they moved from The Mount. I gladly donate each year as well. It is one of the highlights of my summer, and now fall and winter as well, to visit S&Co. for one of their fantastic performances. Their talent, professionalism, dedication and also humor show through in everything they do. For the best in art and culture, it is not to be missed!

As a teacher and Drama instructor at one of the high schools that takes part in The Fall Festival of Shakespeare, I can vouch for the enormous benefit of this program to our students. Over the nineteen years I have been involved, I have seen countless numbers of students get so excited about being in a Shakepeare play that they can't wait for school to begin in the fall because it means auditions and rehearsal for the Fall Festival will soon be starting. Many of our students take part in the Festival as they are older students because they have heard so much about it, but many others start as freshmen, some as actors and some as technical crew, and grow into larger character or technical roles as they mature and gain confidence. The day after the Festival finishes, when we have our final meeting at school, called closure, the students express very emotionally what being involved in the Festival has meant to them. It is a day filled with tears, but of the best kind, because the tears acknowledge just how pleased they are to have had this experience, and how much they will miss this very special magical feeling of being on stage with a completely appreciative audience and castmates who have rehearsed together to the point of virtuosity. This program has become the most important part of the performing arts calendar at Springfield Central High School, and is a large part of what helped our school identify itself as a magnet school for the Arts.

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.

I have been privileged to be a volunteer for many years at Shakespeare & Co. and have been amazed at the dedication of the staff regarding community outreach, youth education programs, and an overall commitment to excellence. I believe that this is one of the finest cultural organizations in our region.

As a teacher at Upper Cape Tech over the 2007/08 and the 2008/09 school years I was introduced to Shakespeare and Company and attended a summer week long teacher training. The teacher training is aplicable and easy to use in a lesson plan, which is grounded in a student centered-format. The training helped me regain my love of Shakespeare and it prepared my colleagues and me to go back into our classrooms with a renewed confidence.
The practicality of the summer teacher training which takes place at the Shakespeare and Company campus in Lenox, is also the cost (which is very reasonable) and the time committment. It seems that Shakespeare and Company has really tried to make itself available to school districts that are always trying to stretch their professional development budgets, and they offer this training when most teachers can make the time committment. Bravo to all the Shakespeare and Company employees and donors who make this experience possible!

I can tell you as a classroom teacher who has taught the struggling student, and the less confident student, that all students can be reached by using the methods that have been developed by the Shakespeare and Company teacher trainers. I am now an ELA instructional leader for an urban school district in Rhode Island, and as Rhode Island's new State Standards will be the Common Core, (which are based on Massachusett's State Standards), the Shakespeare and Company teacher training, is something I will direct my teachers to. The end result is having an engaged classroom of students confident in their ability to experience and understand the language of Shakespeare.

We appreciate Shakespear & Company on multiple levels. For many years we have attended performances. We have never been disappointed....the caliber of the actors--including the actors in training/students, the quality of the material, is truly inspiring. Conversations with students confirm our impression of the life-changing experience time spent with S&Co is for them. Indeed, we value S&Co so much it was a key reason for our deciding to retire to the area.

Over the years we have read with amazement the extensive outreach during the year, the number of students exposed to great works and the impact such exposure must have on them. We have attended numerous performances at which children of all ages have been in the audience. In an age increasingly online, to have children experience live theater, up close and personal, REAL, must stand out as unusual, if not unique, special, and not only thought-provoking, but fun!

Having a son participate as a young actor in Shakespeare and Company,
he was mentored, educated and treated with great kindness by all at this
wonderful complex. He was challenged as an actor and grew as he
became involved in the touring company and took on the responsibility as a director for the high school Fall Festival. How wonderful to see so
many young people excited about Shakespeare!! This is a great place and should continue for years to come.

I am a teacher and have taken many workshops at Shakespeare and Company and each time am renewed and inspired at the esthetic value's the education department teaches. They embrace what few company's dare to, the ability to live with ambiguity and not shame students into a polished performance but allows for a genuine process which results in a high quality production. I am a better teacher because of the experiences I have had in those workshops. Cheers!

All throughout middle and high school I turned to "Shake n' Co" as an outlet for my creativity. Not only did SnC give me a greater knowledge of the importance expressing oneself, it gave me a greater sense of community. I became friends with kids from rival schools, even schools with otherwise no affiliation with mine through the Fall Festival program it hosts in the fall to local high schools. Without Shake n Co, I would not have stepped on stage once, or become a more confident person.

I have attended several performances at Shakespeare and company over the last three years. I am consistently impressed with the quality of performance and especially their ability to develop young talent - including actors, stage managers, lighting experts prop people and other theater professionals in training.

Their performances are carefully thought out, creative, educational and compelling. Their professional staff is dedicated to developing young talent.

I can think of no more deserving organization than Shakespeare and Company.

My middle school students absolutely love the Shakespeare performances. They enjoy being drawn into the stories by the actors. They walk away with great enthusiasm to see more Shakespeare plays. They always want to know when we can read another play and, most of all, are anxious to see another performance.

I appreciate that the company gives students a real taste of what the original Shakespeare performances must have been like. The simplicity of the set and props, the constant motion, the amazing sword fights and interaction with the audience all are consistent with performances of Shakespeare's day.

I have been attending the productions at Shakespeare & Company for several years and think they do a terrific job. The casts are talentd and the productions are extraordinarily professional. They are doing a tremendous job of training our future actors and giving them an opportunity to perfect their craft. Shakespeare & Co is the reason I come to the Berkshires every year.

There are only a few theatres in this country dedicated to the works of Shakespeare and Shakespeare and Company in Lenox, does it with wit,
verve, grace, tenacity and power. The level of talent, commitment and expertise is of the highest level, and they inspire and elevate everyone who come in contact with them.
In a time when support for culture and the arts is dwindling, this company generates community involvement, and world wide recognition. Audiences everywhere thrill to their work, and there educational and training programs are second to none.

We need Shakespeare to invent more words to describe the experience of Shakespeare & Co. I've been attending performances since their start in 1978, and have never been disappointed. I couldn't wait until my daughter was old enough to join me - she started loving Shakespeare at age 7. She now attends their summer camp every summer. What she learns there translates into every aspect of her life - fearless public speaking, the sheer joy of words, the companionship of creating a perfomance...all that and sword fighting too. It brings us infinite joy.

Shakes and Co helped me become the person I am today. I went to the STI program and learned more about myself and my craft in 5 weeks than I have in the past 5 years. I have been exposed and inspired by working actors and educators who believe in telling truth to the world. I hope that I can continue to bring what I have learned from them to my teaching and acting everyday for the rest of my life.

My daughter started with Shakespeare & Co. her freshman year at Mt. Greylock with the fall festival program which is a six week whirwind of fun resulting in the kids performing one of Shalespeare's works on stage at their school and then coming together with all ten schools who are involved for a fall festival weekend where the kids perform their show on the shakespeare and company stage. The kids really get into it and the energy is amazing. It was a life changing experience for her and her friends. Her love of Shakespeare and acting blossomed with this program. The actors from Shakespeare & Co. direct the students and we have gotten to know all of the directors very well. They are not only amazing actors but wonderful role models. I have lived in the Berkshires my entire life and knew nothing about Shakespeare and Co. until my dtr started with them. Our entire family loves going to the performances and we try our best to coordinate our schedules so we can see the shows they offer. Just wonderful. Deb and Jim Allen

My husband and I have been attending Shakespeare & Co. performances for the past eight seasons and never once have webeen disappointed in anything that we've seen. We have gone from just attending one play to trying to attend everything that is done in the month of August and to frequently coming up during the rest of the year to see what we missed. Shakespeare & Co are the highlight of our summer.

Attended Hounds of Baskerville last year which is a production I would not expect a orgaination with Shakespeare in it's name to perform. We laughed and laughed so this year we just had to go see Irma Vep and even bring firends with us. What a cure for the February blues.

I was depressed! Now I am blessed! As I attest, you must invest!

The educational programs at S&Co are life-changing, even for those who are not professional actors - perhaps especially for them. The creative ways of approaching Shakespeare's text deepen and enhance understanding of the plays, but can also make ordinary interactions and self-reflection more powerful. I took a month-long intensive workshop more than 15 years ago, followed by shorter studies with various teachers. I have used techniques in teaching my own classes, many of which have not even been in theater. And my two children were raised as lovers of Shakespeare, partly because of being enthralled at an early age by productions on the Mount.

My children have benefited in so many ways from the talent and education that come from Shakespeare and Co. programs and performances. I feel so fortunate to live in a community that is enriched by such a program. I have learned a great deal about Shakespeare myself and have enjoyed a number of performances.

Words cannot express my appreciation for all Shakespeare & Company does for this community and my family, and I'm a writer by trade! My daughter has been involved in Shakespeare & Company's education program since she was in 7th grade. Last year she was given the honor of having a role in S&Co's production of Richard III. This was one of the most rewarding experiences of her life and has helped her make her decision to pursue acting as a career as she leaves for college. Our lives were made richer by this experience, and we were exposed to more Shakespeare than anyone could dream of. We are so lucky to have this amazing company in our area. I tell everyone to encourage their children to be part of the education program and I just signed up to volunteer for next season. The productions are outstanding, the professionalism immense and the quality of instruction, stellar! I cannot say enough about this company.

Been there 5 times for the classic Shakespeare plays - awesome experience and great actors! We need it to continue!

We have been attending performances at Shakespeare and Company for about ten years and have never been disappointed. The major productions are wonderful, but we especially enjoy the performances at the Bernstein which feature the younger members of the company or the intern program. Summer in the Berkshires is great, but we love having quality theatre during the rest of the year at Shakespeare and Company.

Training at this company last summer in the Summer Young Company, Interning, performing, and watching many of the shows night after night has brought me invaluable knowledge and experience about the world of theatre, as well as very strong and personal love for the works of Shakespeare and storytelling. The Company is so united in working as an ensemble of creative artists, each with different skill sets, but all working cohesively to create great theatre and a wonderful atmosphere to work, learn, and play.

The training I received at the Shakespeare & Co. Intensive monrth-long workshop informed my teaching and my performing for many years. This is a company that takes very seriously the power and possibility of the complete human . In an era dominated by mediated entertainment, it is inspiring to experience what this company can do with fit bodies, barre-naked voices, dynamic speech, and respect for the text. Their performances are always full of lively surprises, but refreshingly free of gimmickry.

s&co touches and enriches my life in so many ways. the performances we see are superb and daring and inspiring. the experiences my children have had with s&co in our lenox school system have been beautiful and meaningful. and the artistic training i’ve done at s&co has been invaluable to me as an actor and as a human being. i have deep admiration for the artistic integrity and generosity of s&co and for the hearts and souls of it’s company members.

Shakespeare & Company has brought thoughtful, understandable productions of the Bard's plays, of Edith Wharton adaptations, and of many contemporary works to audiences in The Berkshires for over 30 years. The audiences know they are going to experience something fresh, alive and relevant when they come to S&Co. More importantly, S&Co has influenced many generations of youth through their schools programs and through teacher training. Through the many teachers they have trained -- either in weekend session or month- long intensives -- they have rendered Shakespeare's plays more accessible to secondary and elementary school students. They have made a difference in our world.

I have taken my 13 year old to several terrific shows . We live about 45 minutes northeast of Boston so the ride is pretty long, but it has been a ride well worth it every time !!! I look foward to returning as does my daughter..she has even expressed an interest in attending a camp or some other educational experience that may be offered in the future. I highly recommend the Shakespeare and Company,Inc to everyone I speak to !!! Warm regards N.L. Haginicolas

I love Shake and Co. They have helped me shape wonderfully to the actress that I am. I have also met numerous collaborators and dear friends for life. The quality of the productions is grade A. Wonderful weekend getaway in the summer and winter!

I have done multiple workshops with Shakespeare & Company and they have all benefitted me as a teacher, an actor and a human being. I think it is their extraordinary humane approach to Shakespeare and the art of sharing his words that sets them apart as trainers and mentors. I don't think my acting or my teaching would be what they are today if I hadn't been opened up as a human being by Shakes & Co. It is their focus on an artist's humanity that encourages a deeper ability to connect to an audience and to give them a richer experience of Shakespeare - and any writer - because actors trained by Shakes & Co reveal more on stage.

I teach acting in Boston, and was fortunate to participate in a weekend workshop with Shakespeare & Co. a number of years ago. My experience with them was truly inspirational. It gave me a new love and passion for the words of Shakespeare. Despite having previously earned an MFA in theatre, I never realized the honesty and soul to Shakespeare's work, until I encountered the folks at Shakespeare & Co.

I am a student at Lee Middle & High School, currently in my senior year, and i have had the pleasure of working with Shake & Co for three years now. I can honestly say that the Fall Festival of Shakespeare is the most fun i have ever had the pleasure of being a part of!

I took a monthlong intensive workshop more than 20 years ago and am still amazed at how the lessons learned there continue to inform my acting work. And I worked on the Shakespeare in the Schools team, directing for the first five years of the Fall Festival. I am so pleased to see so many students still engaged and excited about being part of the program.

I am a Senior Citizen who found Shakespeare & Co. a few years ago and found John Douglas Thompson's a real gem in the field. His portrayal of Othello made me Cry. So driving 400 miles from So. Jersey is a trip I'll take anytime I can see him perform. Kudos to Shakespeare & Co. for training and providing excellent theater, second only to Broadway Shows. Myra C.

Shakespeare and Company has been a huge part of my life since I moved to the area a few years ago. Every play that they touch, turns to gold. I have had the pleasure of acting in a few plays with S & Co. from a professional and a student level. They are truly a gem in the acting world.

My daughter and I are from Washington state and started attending Shakespeare & Company summer productions in Massachusetts two years ago while in Massachusetts visiting an elderly relative. She fell in love with Shakespeare at 8 years old and I credit the intimacy, immediacy (and affordability) of the Shakespeare & Co venues. We've seen something in every theater on the site the past two summers and are planning our next trip east around the upcoming season. Even though my daughter doesn't understand all the words, our proximity to the actors and their ability to make Shakespeare's intentions so well understood have meant that she has vastly enjoyed the plays. We have seen other Shakespeare productions since in Seattle and I have been to many, including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, but we both rank the Lenox company as the best! The relatively low ticket prices, free demonstrations, and free short productions, make them particularly accessible for families and others who otherwise could not afford to enjoy such performances as often. My daughter raved so much about the free show "More Words, More Play" last year that we returned with to see it again with two other families (including 4 more kids under 12). I can't say enough good about the venue, the actors, the productions or the experience - I just wish we didn't have to travel 3000+ miles to enjoy it every summer!

i love Shakespeare, it is absolutely amazing. no where else will you find a more devoted group of people that help and train teenagers the language of Shakespeare and have the ability to work with them and create a play with i.

Shakespeare & Co. is an amazing organization, especially in the field of education/teacher preparation. In 2001, I participated in a month-long seminar sponsoted by the National Endowment for the Humanties. Twenty-five teachers, froma cross the country, learned the most effective ways to teach Shakespeare through performance, as well as what it's like to act Shakespeare. It was an incredible, transformative experience and changed the way I did certain things in the classroom. Because of the seminar, for years I have participated in the NYC Student Shakespeare Festival with students from Grade 2-7. I have used everything I learned in my classroom, and much of the knowledge cuts across the curriculum.

I also participated in many workshops given by the Training Department, including Making a Personal Connection to the Text, Dropping In, and Text Analysis.

Their productions are clear and emotionally accessible.

It was pure chance that I attended a weekend workshop and WOW what a difference a weekend can make. I discovered that my voice could rumble my rib cage and that performing Shakespeare is ...well...FUN. Dennis is truly a Master teacher.

Shakespeare and Company are successful in pursuit of (at least) two important goals. They produce and present excellent regional theater including wonderful productions of several Shakespeare plays each year. Perhaps more importantly, they are working to produce a new generation of actors and theater lovers. This work includes training for actors and the "fall festival" program where members of the resident company work with local high schools to cast and produce a Shakespeare play that is performed in the high school and then brought to the theater in Lenox, MA for a 2-3 day festival where each high school cast performs their work and shares in the love of the work and of theater. For the teens who participate the experience can be transforming, and generates a life long interest in the plays, the language and in theater generally. I have seen few regional theater companies who directly serve such a broad range of ages and audiences, and do so with outstanding results.

This is a brilliant company with an excellent track record in both performance and training. It's contribution to theatre in the USA and internationally is immense. The first time I trained and performed with them was 23 years ago and I still draw on the things I learned at Shakespeare & Co today, whether I'm training or directing actors in the UK and abroad.

Fifteen years ago I participated in my first weekend intensive. I've been to the month-long and other workshops. Each one has fed me as an artist and a teacher, made me more sure and joyful in my work and life. There is no fooling around in the training offered. It is demanding and loving at once. The month-long intensive is intense. Be prepared to work long and hard six days a week. This transfiguring month is not for sissies.

Shakespeare and Compnay is a National treasure. It excels in four areas - exciting Shakespeare and modern productions, excellence in acting, especially in the area of clarity of text, a top grade education programme in the Massachusetts community schools and a very special professional actors' training programme. The company is a family which is a part of the community. It has survived when many other companies have had to close down, because it is highly rated locally and nationally. The work of Shakespeare and Company is greatly valued by audiences, Company members, every child that has grown up with the company in their schools and loyal volunteers. I have been a company member for many years. It is a special creative 'home' where I feel that I can grow and help to enrich the lives of all who visit and work in Theatre. I believe this work is precious and needs to be supported.

I attended the January Intensive two years ago, and I'm STILL mining the discoveries about myself to be a more generous actor and authentic person. The Intensive stretched and grew me in ways I hadn't had in years, if ever. It's NOT for sissies; fourteen-hour days in six-day weeks will take you beyond what you thought you could do, and they'll bust you on old habits and mannerisms and life-cheating inauthenticities, which isn't pretty. But when confronting self-defeating barriers, their message isn't, "you're not good enough" but rather "this isn't worthy of you," meaning, "you're capable of greatness and I want to see it!" It's a tremendous gift when someone (and in Shakespeare & Co.'s case, everyone) takes a stand for the personal truth and passion you've been hiding from. The entire faculty is rooting for your truest, most life-affirming self to emerge, and the spirit of compassion and generosity runs deep and wide here.

Further, spending a month with some forty-odd other people who seek to show up and take themselves on in the name of Shakespeare and Art is nothing short of awe-inspiring. You'll adore these people for the rest of your life.

Again, not for the faint of heart, but if you really want to find depth and freedom in your work, it's a jolly good place to start. Worth every single penny, whether it boosts your career or not (and it often does).

One of the best parts about Shakespeare and Company is their dedication to the community and the commitment to enriching youth that is so a part of their programming.

From a completely personal standpoint, the performances are so well done and the theater let's you get "up close and personal" with a high calibre of artists!

My husband and I have attended many performances at Shakespeare & Co. We have never been disappointed. The plays -- including cast and directing -- as well as the beautiful Berkshires setting, has been extraordinary. Shakespeare & Co. is also known for its community outreach and its training. We now spend our summers in the Berkshires. We depend on Shakespeare & Co to provide the best in theatrical performances year after year.

Wonderful shows, including excellent productions of Shakespeare (including Tina Packer's "Women of Will") and interesting contemporary works. I've never seen a dud there, and I'm impressed by the organization's training programs. My husband and I plan to go to more of Shakespeare & Company's shows in the future. We just moved to a town nearby so we are just getting to know the possibilities. This organization has very much impressed us and we look forward to seeing more of its shows.

Fantastic productions from Shakespeare to contemporary. Great place for an evening out or a weekend getaway. Shows for all ages, interests and budgets.

This is an oustanding organization that pervides a quality service for it's community.

My younger daughter attends the Shakespeare & Company summer camp programs. My older daughter did Fall Fest, and Young Company. The staff is dedicated and knowledgeable, not just on the topic of the wordsmith himself, but also on child psychology etc. I am grateful to Shakespeare & Company that they have given my girls an outlet for their creative energy and opened a world to them that they would never have seen otherwise. Also- Best performance of Midsummer's ever!

My experience with Shakespeare and Company can only be described as excellent. The highly knowledgeable staff gave me most of the tools and skills that I use today. A truly wonderful organization that changes the lives of so many.

I have worked with Shake & Co for years now in conjunction with the work they do with students. Shakespeare & Co. takes everyone, all students are welcome and everyone participates. I have seen quiet, unprepossessing students, who would normally go unnoticed and perhaps fall through the cracks, gain confidence and shine. They develop lifelong friends that help them stand up to bullies.
Shakespeare and co have had a significance impact on hundreds of students' lives.

I have been involved with S&Co for 30+ years first as a patron later as an employee and most recently as a board member. i have always felt the passion from every member of the company whether they were taking tickets or directing a show or on stage. everyone seems to be happy to be there and this always comes through in the many performances i have seen over the years.

Shakespeare and Company is a WONDERFUL organization! Having participated in both Fall Festival and Shakespeare and Young Company, I can honestly say that Shake and Co is a place that CHANGES LIVES! Thank you!

I attended S&Co's month-long intensive a couple of years ago and LOVED it. Not only did it help me build great practical skills such as vocal and physical fitness, the creativity with which they teach is second to none. I would go back in a heartbeat. This company REALLY deserves this award. I would write a hundred reviews if it would help!

I attended the month long intensive at Shakespeare & Co and it was te best actor training I've received thus far in my career. The time they spent with each one of us and their attention and care for all of our various needs and talents was truly extraordinary. This is the only training I've participated in where the students felt like a family and ensemble instead of competitors. They do beautiful work and changed my acting for the better. I am so glad they exist!

I have been attending performances at S&Co since the mid-1970's when I stumbled upon the company accidentally while on a drive through New England. SInce then no summer feels complete without returning to drink from the well once again. This amazing company not only shines a unique and brilliant light on the Bard but gives voice to so many other wonderful authors and playwrights, often ones otherwise neglected. I think I keep going back because no other experience so helps me understand the way we humans relate to each other. These lessons are invaluable in my own life as I engage in the never-ending struggle to become a better person.

Attending performances at Shakespeare is thoroughly exciting as the performers keep it sparkling and enjoyable for all. The younger performers are so palpably lapping up the environment, knowledge, and tutoring of their older colleagues - they are literally dancing around the grounds. It is encouraging to know they are receiving such good training and positive feedback. I am so thrilled that this troupe continues to be available in my area and know that in any way possible, it must be preserved.

Shakespeare and Company made me want to sell my possessions, pack up, and go live in a cottage on their grounds for the rest of my life. Their passion, excitement, dedication, and undying love for their work is palpable from the moment you step onto the property. All of the teaching I experienced here, while being vast and mind-blowing, was suffused with a depth and love of the work that made my time here life-changing. The passion is infectious - it permeates every person who arrives here.

I have returned to Shakespeare & Company several times to train as a teacher and artist, and to bring my students to see the annual High School Shakespeare festival & for them to take workshops. This year, Shakespeare & Co. graciously sent a teacher to help me with our Shakespeare production - what an AMAZING experience for all!!! This organization is truly the best in training teachers, artists and young people in the dynamic art of playing Shakespeare. They help all to get to the truth of the humanity of the characters & ourselves, while teaching us how to PLAY fully!!! Truly tremendous organization that gives and gives and gives to the communities that surround it and also succeeds in reaching-out far afield, sending teachers all over New England and the nation and touring their wonderful productions. Fantastic place!

Shakespeare & Company quite simply made me the person I am today. As an adolescent growing up in western Massachusetts, their theater education program, the Fall Festival of Shakespeare, opened up the door to a world I never knew existed. It imbued me with a life-long love of Shakespeare and with the theater in general. Everything I know about classical theater, I learned from them, both as a student and as an actor and a theater education artist. To put it plainly, no one can stand beside them when it comes to arts education. They are in a class all of the own. On top of that, their training programs and performances are superb. If anyone deserves to be rewarded for their contributions to the non-profit arts world, it is them.

The place has an energy which is palpable; just being there I found myself considering myself more of an artist then ever before. They've got something good going that is infused in everything they do, I think.

I had an excellent time at the weekend intensive I took with Dave Demke. Even though the workshop was relatively short, it gave me a fantastic new perspective on my work in the theater and in Shakespeare. The Linklater voice work was particularly useful, as was the training on how to analyze the First Folio for clues in how to speak certain lines. My needs were met and my limits were pushed, and the result was that I felt much more confident in my knowledge and abilities. Shakespeare & Company is an amazingly valuable organization.

The leading exponents of Shakespeare training in this country.

Shakespeare & Co. is a magnificent organization for its performances and contributions to our community. My children have taken summer programs in which they learned a lot about Shakespeare, acting and themselves. My son has performed in his high school's productions for the Shakespeare Fall Festival and they have been outstanding, as have those of the other high schools. Having of been a resident of Lenox for twenty years and watched Shakespeare & Co. up close, I couldn't ask for a better organization to entertain and inspire us.

My husband and I had two wonderful nights of theater at Shakespeare & Co. last summer. "Mengelberg and Mahler" was fascinating, thought-provoking and well done. "Richard IIII watched 2 terrific performances" was one of the best performances of Shakespeare we've ever seen. The acting was truly outstanding and we found the whole production beautifully imagined and realized.

I am impressed by both the substance and range of the offerings at Shakespeare and Company, because in my work with nonprofit organizations I know that one sometimes ends up having to be sacrificed for the other.

There is so much good offering all year long, not just for summer visitors. There are standout performances every year without fail. We like the opportunities this organization offers, for example, to meet with directors, for example, and find out how productions work. We appreciate their efforts to teach us about their craft. My family, which includes 4 children under 13, always finds things that everyone truly enjoys and that don't patronize kids, which is often a problem with children's theatre. There is always a free funny performance, for example, in some great theatrical tradition under the tent in the summer to which we look forward. The kids' access to Shakespeare is a gift. And the performances of Shakespeare themselves are tremendous. I think this organization is a wonder.

I was impressed and inspired by the weekend intensive. Shakespeare & Company is one of the foremost classical theaters in America. Their expertise and passion is evident in their productions and training programs.

I had planned on going to one of the professional productions last summer, but performance times didn't work with my calendar, so, with some trepidation, I attended one of the Performance Intern shows. You know the difference between your average professional basketball game, and the kind of passion you see from college kids during March Madness? The Comedy of Errors I saw was the theatrical version of that difference. What a brilliant, inventive, outstanding afternoon of theatre. Shakespeare and Co doesn't just train young actors and technicians-- it allows them to excel and shine in ways ALL theatre professionals should, always, but so often do not.

Tina Packer lead a workshop that I attended, which dealt with how Shakespeare applies to the business world. The ability of Tina and her Company to bring the premise of Shakespeare's Hamlet to life and to demonstrate how it related to real everyday challenges in the business world was inspiring and left a lasting impression.

I just finishes the moth long intensive for actors in January, and it was life-changing for me as an actor, director, teacher, and as a human being. I have spent the month since I returned home working out how and when I can get back for more training. I have a good bit of training and experience in the field, but this is the training I have always hoped I would find. I want more.

I am a coach and consultant for organizations and I specialize in transfomrational change work. I have worked with the faculty and experienced the workshops they offer in the community. They not only create much better actors and therefore performances for our community ...which helps us all be better human beings...but these experiences change the lives of those who participate and that benefits everyone they know and interact with. If you grant S and Co your award you will be contributing in a profound and transformative way to the lives of individuals and our entire community. YOu will increase our humanity and that is an amazing return on your investment.

My husband and I have been coming to see Shakespeare performed at Shakespeare & Company for 25 years. When my daughter was old enough we took her with us. Her first play was "A Midsummer Night's Dream" performed outdoors... in the woods. It was her first live production of Shakespeare. She has grown to love all of Shakespeare's work. She performed in high school productions of "As You Like It" and "Much Ado About Nothing". This past summer she attended the STI program at Shakespeare & Co. and in the fall The Conservatory program (for college credit) at Shakespeare & Co. The educational programs were excellent.

Great place. I love the people and the shows alike.

Training is a key component of the work of Shakespeare & Company. This is not just something the company gives lip service to, but is an integral part of every aspect of the day-to-day life of the company. My theatre students who have trained there have received incredible guidance in Linklater voice work, rhetoric, and physical embodiment of text. The Month-Long Intensive is an artistic and personal life-changing experience.

Shakespeare and Company has changed my life for the better in the most profound ways. The intensive training program I participated in has helped me in the work I do in a wide variety of ways, and having come to more deeply understand myself and Shakespeare has immeasurably enriched my life.

I have enjoyed various productions at Shakespeare and Company over the past twenty years. The performances are always intriguing and thought provoking. Shake and Co.'s work with kids is also incredible. I participated in their high school program (as a student 1993-1997) and the experience was extremely educational and unforgettable. Most recently we went to see King Lear performed in their fall festival by Monument Mountain high school. The quality was just as remarkable as it had been 15 years earlier during my experience. Thank you Shake and Co.

We moved to this area 5 years ago and Shakespeare and Company was the single most important aspect of making my kids feel at home here. My daughter had just started college and came home for the summer to participate in Young Company. It was a program that was wonderfully suited to her interest in theatre, and literature and gave her an amazing venue for further developing a sense of culture, society, personal development and deep relationships. My son participated in the school program Fall Festival for four years. It was his source of friends, fun, personal growth and expression. It was what connected him to school and peers and allowed him to explore the timeless issues of finding one's full self.

We did not miss a single production of Shakespeare & Company in 2010, including student productions. What an extraordinary organization! And what is particularly outstanding is that Shakespeare & Co. not only offers first quality theater, but has as one of its principal missions educating students, aspiring student actors and the general public. What were the Rose and the Globe theaters like? How are actors trained in dueling? And most memorable of all was the absolutely unforgettable Tina Packer's Women of Will. Three hours were amazing; fifteen hours, even more so. Don't overlook this GREAT nonprofit!!

Six of my children had the pleasure of partaking in our schools' production for the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. Each child came away with valuable knowledge of Shakespeare and how it relates to them. I witnessed my shyest child interpret her character with tremendous zeal. Everyday I picked them up from play practice, they were eager to tell me everything that went on. It opened our parent-child communications. The directors imparted their knowledge and skill in a fun and informative way. I can't thank Shakespeare and Co. enough for all they did for my family

I'm a graduate of both the Summer Training Institute and the Conservatory program, and I hope to return to work at Shake & Co again. I've found the training environment to be safe, supportive, and conducive to doing good work. The training I received from the company is really the sum of my actor training, and I think there is hardly a better place to study Linklater voice than at the company where all the designations are held. More than just their training programs, however, I've seen first hand the wonderful work they do in the Education department, and the mainstages. The company is filled with good people committed to doing good theatre, and that is sometimes hard to find.

My wife and I live in Cambridge, MA, but we make sure to spend at least a week in the Berkshires every summer to do a blitz of all Shakespeare & Co. productions. We find most of their interpretations of the Bard to be fresh, though we sometimes question the acting. Tina Packer's "Women of Will" last season was masterful--an exposition of Shakespeare's works by a professional who has spent many years studying the plays and speaking about them with Shakespeare scholars. The company is unique.

I started my involvement with Shakespeare & Company's Educational programs when I was twelve years old. I participated in plays at my school (residencies), The Fall Festival, Shakespeare & Young Company, etc. I always found the teachers and directors to be professional, dedicated and passionate about the theater. As a teenager, I felt like their programs gave me an outlet to learn about Shakespeare, theater
and more so myself. I had the chance to be heard and to really listen to my peers. I made lasting connections with other students. These programs really touched my life and I'm still grateful to have been a part of them. It also inspired me to make a life and career in the theater, which I do today.

S&C offer terrific Shakespeare training for professional artists as well as workshops for children, adults and teachers. I have been to quite a number of these workshops and have always come back inspired, excited and full of new knowledge & ideas. The care that the staff puts into making sure that every student has a fulfilling experience is phenomenal. I can think of no worthier institution for consideration for this award.

I participated in a winter month-long intensive and found it to be both inspirational and transformative. I can't wait to go back to Shakespeare & Company and participate in another training.

Shakespeare and Company is the most extra-ordinary theater company I have ever had the good fortune to study with. Their education program changed my life, and I cannot express how eternally grateful I am. Shakespeare and Co brings together talented, passionate, and generous people, and I know of no organization more deserving of support.

Shakespeare and Company, Inc. has provided my children's schools with outstanding guidance and support making Shakespeare come alive to middle and high school English students. Their very professional and experienced approach has encouraged parents to scramble to find funding to continue these programs.

In addition to providing education programs, the company provides an outstanding theater program spanning classical to avant garde works. The Bard 's influence continues even as the group builds toward a vision of community theater suited to the upcoming generation of playwrights. The physical theater space reflects the open and engaging philosophy of this group.

I've run NEH institutes for teachers of Shakespeare of my own at the Univ of Maryland, but what Sh & Co does is far, far more powerful. All of their programs, from the schools of Massachusetts to national institutes for teachers change lives. Kevin Coleman is the heart of the operation. He has the most profound and compelling vision of what literature, specifically drama, super-specifically Shakespeare, can do in our classrooms at every level. He is a genius at education (leading folks out of narrownesses) and "inducation" (leading folks into their core fears and hopes. For many Shakespeare, literature, and the arts, are decoration, icons for culture. For Kevin and everyone at Sh & Co, they are the core of what just might make us more human and humane.

The actor training I received at Shakespeare & Co was nothing short of transformational. It reinvigorated my career and opened pathways to creativity that I was unaware of. Any actor, whether a performer of Shakespeare or not, would benefit from their training. The personal connection to the work and dedication to the craft that results is hard to find elsewhere. The dedication and hard work of the teachers and staff is continually inspiring and their unstinting concern for the development of each actor in the program is inspiring.

I started attending Shakespeare & Co. productions in 1988 when I lived 4 hours away from Lenox, MA. I haven't missed a season since then. Now that I live in neighboring lee, I try to see every production that they offer, sometimes as an usher and sometimes as a paying patron. If Shakespeare & Co. is doing a show, it's a safe bet that it will be excellent. The company chooses works botgh old and new that are some of the best of theater. They are innovative and the acting is invariably wonderful. I have been introduced to new works by writers previously unknown to me and borh new and traditional productions of plays by William Shakespeare. I attend a lot of theater, but none more versatile and none with better casts that those produced by Shakespeare & Co.

Our school has atteneded several presentations by Shakespeare & Company. They were always accomodating. Those instructors who attend plays on a regular basis commented to me that the productions are top notch. Our first year we wrote a grant to attend. Each year we have been able to take our students to see a live production of a shakespearian work. Something they may only see once in a lifetime.During the first two years we were stuck in traffic and the production company took a brief intermission so our students could see the second half of the play. But before they began an actor explained to our students what had happened to that point. The question and answer period after the play is great for our students as well as pre play booklet to discuss the background of the particular play we are going to see. We are glad that Shakespeare and company can offer such an outstanding theathrical experience at a modest rate for students from lower income populations.

The level of professionalism of the directors, costumers, lighting/sound techs, set designers and all the staff is unsurpassed. They work side-by-side with our students teaching them performance skills as well as directing and production skills. This is truly a unique program which stays with kids for a lifetime. I personally have seen kids go into this program as a normal everyday teenager and in 9 short weeks come out more mature, dedicated to academics, focused and ready to take on the world. I can't say enough about Kevin Coleman and his dedication to every single student who participates in the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. Long Live S & Co!

I completed one of their monthlong acting intensives and it was transforming. It affirmed a lot of my notions of what constitutes a good performance and it helped me find and explore new, brutally honest and effective ways to portray Shakespearean characters. It helped me step into Shakespeare's world -- Renaissance England -- and make sense of the elements that used to puzzle me. I would gladly pay the money and do one again, and I intend to in a couple of years. The school's staff are gentle, kind and lovers of their work -- they have devoted their life to this work! I respect them far beyond what words could say.

I took an educator's workshop with Shakespeare & Company and it was one of the highlights of any theater training I've had. Not only was the Shakespeare focus of superior content but the exercises and methods they use to instruct and enhance a person's experience are excellent.

Though I've tried to get back to Shakespeare & Co. for another workshop my schedule has prevented that. This is too bad because I valued and utilized so much of what I learned in the first workshop immensely.

More than simply being entertained by the numerous Shakespeare & Co. productions we have attended, both at its complex in Lenox and in our home community as part of its outreach program, we were enlightened, about the power of art to restore our sense of shared humanity and the struggles, pain and triumphs we all encounter.

Tina Packer's executive education programs have enriched my business and personal life for the past 10 years. Through Shakespeare and Company, she has brought to life the difficult, conflicting and ambiguous moral and ethical dilemmas that are present in business today. I leave every performnce with a renewed sense of self empowerment!

I have nothing but high praise for Shakespeare & Company. The dedication, support and devotion the entire company and staff showed me throughout and beyond the training period is beyond compare. The work is profound and life changing with lasting impact. Shakespeare & Company is without a doubt, the finest and most thorough Shakespeare training program in the nation.

A few years back we found that our daughters,now 12 and 10, had outgrown the children's theater at the Mac-Haydn so we attended The Ghost of Canterville at Shakespere & Co. instead. We were mesmerized and blown away by Michael Hammond's performance and all of the cast. Since then we have waited anxiously each season to get the schedule of events to see what we can attend at Shakespere & Co. The Hound of Baskervilles was our next adventure and I can not say enough about this performance! The four of us could not remember a time laughing so hard and long. It was an event we would have attended twice had we not gone on the last weekend showing. We became instant fans of Josh McCabe and Ryan Winkles, so when we saw Inspector Hound and The Mystery of Irma Vep advertised, there was no doubt that we would go and we were not disappointed! We can't wait for our next family outing to Shakespere & Co.!

As a fan and customer over the past 15 years, I'm constantly and consistently impressed by the quality of the vision and execution of the Bard's timelessly relevant classics. Looking forward to the next 15 years, and 15 after that!

Shakespeare & Company has always produced top-notch performances for many, many years. Their productions are not only entertaining but always hint back to educating the public in so many ways about an almost lost art in Shakespearean language. I am such a fan that I look forward to sending my children to their summer camp program in a few months' time. An excellent organization with a stellar reputation.

I have been connected with S&Co in a variety of ways since 1989. Initially I came down to visit a friend who was training with the company. At that point I was blown away by the productions - they were so accessible to all audience members. Subsequently I attended two month-long training sessions and could not get enough of this incredibly powerful work. From there I trained with one of their faculty privately and started to help teach at the workshops. And finally I graduated to full faculty myself. Although it has been a few years since I have worked for the company I still believe it is the best place in North America to learn how to perform Shakespeare and their public productions lead the way in terms of how one continues to make Shakespeare accessible, relevant and fun for all. This company truly merits all the support it gets.

Kevin Coleman has provided stability and longevity to programming at Shakespeare. Having known Kevin since he began the Shakespeare-in-the-Schools program over two decades ago, his presence and manner has popularized Shakespeare with our youth and their families and their friends. Kevin has made Shakespeare accessible and alive in our busy lives today. Kevin 's love of Shakespeare and youth has also reached out to troubled youth in his establishing the Shakespeare-in-the-Courts program.
Currently, Kevin's directing of the two most talented actors in the Berkshires---Josh McCabe and Ryan Winkles---appearing in The Mystery of Irma Vep demonstrates his legendary contributions to theater and the community.
Long may he run....

Dick Noble
Retired Lenox School Counselor
Pittsfield Resident

My contact with Shakespeare & Co. goes back many years. My children grew up in Williamstown, MA, and there was a Shakespeare & Co. workshop in the elementary school each year. Now that they are grown, my husband and I have attended some of their productions. They have always provided wonderful theater experiences. The company is a wonderful asset to the Berkshire community.

I can't speak highly enough about the actor and teacher training that I have received from Shakespeare and Company. It has been exciting and enriching, both personally and professionally, and it has made me a better artist and teacher. I am grateful for all of the experience and growth that I have gained through my work with them.

My wife and I come out to the Berkshires every summer as a tradition. And every year we come a see a different play. S&C consistently exceeds our expectations and seeing one of their performances has become a highlight of our time in the Berkshires.

My wife and I attended only one time in the fall of 2010 while vacationing in the area. It was a refreshing experience. We thorough enjoyed the performance. It was very well done by all in the company. We are appreciative and hope to visit again soon.

I attended the The Month-long Intensive at Shakespeare and Company and the experience surpassed my wildest expectations. This company is a treasure to the American theatre scene. Company members and instructors have a generosity of spirit, profound knowledge, and ability to inspire greatness in others. Bravo!

Shakespeare & Co came to my school when I was 16. They set the place ablaze. Kids from all parts of the school came together and explored and learned and performed. They came back several times, and it became a highlight and transformational experience for our town. I now run a Shakespeare company in Boston, and have met colleagues from across the US who testify to the transformational influence of Shakespeare & Co on their actors, directors, and teachers. They are pioneers and a treasure. Thank you to Shakespeare & Co for all you do and have done for many generations of theater-goers and students.

I've enjoyed being an audience member numerous times at Shakespeare & Company, every year since I discovered it more than 15 years ago. I've also taken their weekend seminars for the fine professional training. This is an unusually distinctive company. The best production I've ever seen was a Midsummer Night's Dream performed by Shakespeare & Company.

Training with a quality second to none. So passionate, knowledgable and dedicated, the whole faculty is focused on engaging, encouraging and enlivening this and the next generations in the joy of Shakespeare.

I spent the greater part of my young adult life either learning from or working for Shakespeare and Company. The youth programs, from the Fall Festival, to Summer and Spring Young Company, helped shape me into the adult I am today, and the opportunity to participate in trainings, and later teach the youth programs that had been so instrumental in my own development was truly a gift.
Regardless of where I go in life, I know I will be taking all of the years of work and learning at this wonderful company with me.

Tina Packer, founder and artistic director of Shakespeare & Company, has led three annual retreats for my company, CEO Roundtable. Every one of them has been excellent. The CEOs really respond to the opportunity to get inside Shakespeare and engage in self reflection about our common humanity. Tina is an exceptional person and the world is a better place for her being with us. That is why we are honored to contribute to Shakespeare & Company.
Loren G. Carlson
Chairman
CEO Roundtable LLC

My first acquaintance with Shakespeare & Co. was in l987 when I was fortunate enought to win an NEH grant to participate in a Summer Institute for Secondary Teachers and then returned as an assistant the following summer. From there, the curtains stayed up - with Shakespeare & Co. joining us to Great Neck Schools to perform and do workshops - winning the minds and hearts of hundreds of students each season. Fast forward to 2010 when four of my grandsons finally reached the appropriate age (7-17) to participate in the Riotous Youth summer program. In addition to learning how to understand and speak Shakespeare , they gained an astounding degree of self-confidence, motivation, and skill: a magical combination. We plan to return for the summer of 2011 with eager anticipation.

Both my husband and I try to get out to Lenox at least once a year to see a Shakespeare production or two. We have become fans of Shakespeare and Company's intelligent and moving performances. We have also participated in workshops, both for teachers and for actors and have learned a great deal. As someone who teaches Shakespeare, the knowledge I have gained and teach to my students has been so valuable. Both of us use exercises learned in the workshop to help out students get Shakespeare into their bodies, voices and minds.

My wife and I have been coming to Lenox, MA, for over 15 years to see plays at Shakespeare & Company, bringing our children as well. Our younger daughter, Judith, after graduating from Oberlin College in May 2010, was admitted to the Summer Training Institute at S&Co. Those five weeks of intensive actor training in all aspects of theater were transformative, both personally and professionally, inspiring her to try for a career in acting. She hopes to return to S&Co as an intern. Many others have been served by their educational program, and, of course, the public has enjoyed the performances of wonderful plays by Shakespeare and others. Shakespeare & Company forever!

Over the last 33 years, Shakespeare & Company has become an essential and irreplaceable part of the Berkshire community. Aside from a long history of spectacular, moving, and hilarious Shakespeare productions, the company offers training programs for professional actors from around the world that cannot be found elsewhere. By creating these opportunities whereby actors, directors, and educators come together to train and learn from each other, this company had rendered a cadre of top teachers who've gone out into the world and dramatically changed the way that theatre is taught at all levels of education, and thus, improved the theatrical productions, television, and films we see. Shakespeare & Company deserves all of the support they can get.

The productions at Shakespeare and company and always rewarding and special. We are fortunate to have them in the Berkshires, adding to the cultural richness of the area.

Berkshire residents and visitors are fortunate indeed to have Shakespeare & Company, one of the most creative and vital organizations in the area. My family has enjoyed S&Co productions for years, and my daughter has participated in the Riotous Youth summer camp for the past four years. Recently the year-round season has been a bonus as well. The abundance, scope, and variety of the offerings is astonishing: not only the Shakespeare plays but also lectures, original dramas, shows for children, programs in the high schools, and of course the summer camps. This is inspiration, enlightenment, and audience building of the highest order. I love to visit the campus on a typical summer day and watch the camp kids perform, see a clever and funny program in the Rose Footprint theater, catch the free show outside the Founders Theater, admire the gardens, join the crowd mingling in the lobby, and then be transported to another place and time at the evening performance. I only wish S&Co could find the funding to deal with the decaying buildings around the perimeter of the grounds.

In addition to the great theater performances for visitors and locals, Shakespeare and Co. runs and absolutely outstanding educational program. The "Fall Festival" has to be seen to be believed. Its crazy to think that anyone could get 100's of teenagers eagerly packing themselves into a theater, hooting and hollering for Shakespeare, but they do exactly that year-after-year. 10 regional high schools, each having worked under the direction of a S&Co director, come together for a long weekend of non-stop Shakespeare, showing off their efforts and cheering on the other schools. Its hard to imagine this working, but it does and admirably so.

I have been a patron of and donor to Shakespeare and Company for more than 20 years. Always entertaining, S & Co is also highly educational because of the content of its programming.
S & Co is unique in it's ability to appeal to all ages, not just thru the extensive presentation of the plays of William Shakespeare, but also a liberal program of hilarious farce. There is nothing more rewarding than to hear the gleeful laughter of childern at theatre which can also be throughly enjoyed at an intellectual level by adults. Immediate examples would be the current production of "The Mystery of Irma Vep", the upcoming revival of the 2009 "The Hound of the Baskervilles" or last season's "The Real Inspector Hound".
S & Co's outreach education programs are the delight of young people and their parents throughout our region. These involve productions produced by the company starring students, acting classes in regional schools, court imposed "sentences" to study Shakespeare as the result of juvenile delinquency, and this years 30th anniversary tour of a special S & Co production of "Hamlet", featuring only six actors playing all the roles, to over 50 schools throughout New York State, New Jersey and New England.
I cannot think of an organization more deserving of your consideration.

My daughter attended Shakespeare & Company, Inc. and it helped Monica gain an insightful view of herself as an intellectual who is called to act. So often brilliant people feel acting is "beneath" them. The staff from those trained in the culinary arts through each dimension of the preforming arts brought an integrity to the program energizing every one of us attending. May your work continue to bring the hidden "best" out of those who work and study with Shakespeare & Company. Note....If you use this information contact my daughter first.

Shakespeare & Co. is an intergral part of the community bringing good theater to those who would not have the opportunity to be exposed to such wonderful, thought-provoking themes and ideas.

It has made a difference in many people's lives and it deserves to be recognized for its hard work which impacts many.

As a more than ten year member of the Board at Shakespeare & Co., I have participated and observed the remarkable contributions this organizations have offered to Western Massachussetts as well as nationally. The company has participated in training, education, and performances affecting people of all ages. Training at multiple levels from professional actors to young (early teens and high school age) perople include week-end and monthly intensive endeavors. Education involving more than 45,000 high school students in Western Massachussetts allowing for November performances by area high school students attended by cheering students and parents. Performances, including Shakespeare plays as well as avant guarde plays, creative romps, free performances and others available to the entire community. The calibre of performances, as evidenced by reviews in the NY Times, The Wall Street Journal and local newspapers have been notably outstanding. Finally, the committment, character, idealism of the organization is unparalled.

I attended Shakespeare & Company's Summer Training Intensive, and I can say that they were the first ones to truly show me what it was to be an artist. With a rigorous schedule, extraordinary teachers and even more extraordinary classes, I felt like I was given the best education possible in just 5 weeks. Now that I'm entering the professional world of acting and theater-making, I'm even more grateful to Shakespeare & Company for the strong base they have given me.

I participated in Shakespeare and Company's Fall Festival for all four years of high school. The chance to work with professional actors as a teenager was amazing, and they were all incredibly supportive. I learned so much from this process, and I feel like their presence brought my high school together. My family also regularly goes to see their performances during the summer, and now that I'm in college I love taking my college friends. I feel Shakespeare and Co. really represents the artistry, kindness, and creativity of the Berkshires, and I don't know what our area would do without their generosity.

I cannot write enough about the educational programs Shakespeare & Company provides, both to professionals in the field (I am one who has benefitted enormously) and to young people. I've witnessed firsthand S&Co's work in high schools and have spoken with countless teens who literally have been changed by the experience of learning and doing Shakespeare through the program. Not only has the experience launched in them a life-long love of Shakespeare (which they certainly did not have prior), but they've learned a great deal about themselves in the process and have come away feeling powerful, capable, talented and smart, able to achieve more than they realized they could. Shakespeare & Co. is shaping young people to be their best selves moving forward. It's remarkable to see.

As an educator of middle-school aged youth, I respect the quality and energy of the Shakespeare & Co. performances that I am able to bring my students to witness, review and re-enact. The actors bring zest and vitality, truly bring the text to life for young teens. Attending the performances is the absolute highlight of my class for youngsters who would not otherwise experience live theater.

Shakespeare & Company has the greatest training program in North America for actors, teachers and directors on their path to mastering the work of playing and presenting Shakespeare!

We travel from upstate New York with our 4 young children to see the Shakespeare and Company performances! We love the quality shows, the spectacular casts and the whole experience. Our children still talk about Toad of Toad Hall (my youngest was 4 when seeing this) -- and the performance inspired us to reread Wind in the Willows. We love Shakespeare and Co!

We have hosted productions and workshops by S&Co. for several years at our high school. Our students LOVE Shakespeare as a result and can not wait(!) for future productions! The energy and enthusiasm that these actors bring to their craft is amazing and inspirational.

My experience with Shakespeare & Company has always been superb!
I now take my Grandchildren to as many performances as possible. This has motivated my Grandaughter to continue to Study Shakespeare in High School. If not for her experience with S&C I am sure she never would have considered further study and enjoyment of the performances.

My weekend training experience was the single most effective training experience I have ever had, and I've been doing theater since I was ten years old. There were no complex theories, there were no embarrassing games. What there was, was a simple way of connecting the breath here and now with the text, a way to access not memory but emotion here and now. And although there are many excellent books on the subject, it was the well-trained, compassionate, intelligent actor who led the workshop that made this method useful. Through careful questioning, he arrived at exactly the right method for each of us to connect to the text, whether it was starting to talk at just the right emotional moment or running in circles until we had to use our breath. I'm still not sure how he did it, but I've never felt so good about myself or my craft as I did after this weekend.

Attended a training weekend. Preparation was excellent, and role was developed with tremendous effect, a total immersion in Othello which brought totally new insight into play and specific roles. Some of the BEST physical and vocal preparation I hvae ever experienced, combining elements from yoga, martial arts, voice training. Superb coaching in voice production to back personal understanding of roles. I only wish I could attend more often.

When I heard Stephen Greenblatt, the Harvard tenured prof and Shakespeare expert, say in a lecture that he only knew -- and understood -- "King John" through a S & Co performance (the first he had seen anywhere), I knew this was a company I had to meet. And I've never regretted the association. Tina Packer and ensemble have wrought miracles in Lenox. Let's hope they continue to do so for decades more.

I have been part of S&C's training intensive. I went as a theater professional and I trained with colleges who wanted to seriously develop their craft. I then went back and volunteered by Assistant Directing and Directing and again I was impressed by the level of scrutiny and artistic integrity that the company gives to the text and all the rest of the details of production. Way to Go S&C!!!

I discovered Shakespeare & Co. about 5 years ago, after having lived in the region for 5 years and having heard about them. My first experience was a comedy (I can't remember which one) but it was absolutely superb. Since then I have made a point of making the trek down there at least once a season, and bringing as many friends and out-of-town guests as possible. I eagerly await the announcement of the new season, and it has become a summer family tradition for my son, now a "theater-type" in college. The comedies we have seen are side-splitting and unbelievably energetic; I can't say enough good things about the acting. The staging is usually spot-on as well, although there has been the occasional mismatch, usually when the company attempts to add bluegrass music or something like that. I have really enjoyed the productions by the interns in the new smaller space, too, for the past 3 seasons. Personally, I am not as big a fan of the non-Shakespeare productions I have seen by the company, but that may just be me. One suggestion: the company has a very generous reduced ticket rate for Berkshire County residents. Some of us in southern Vermont consider Shakespeare &Co local, and do come back again and again, but don't get to benefit from the discount even though we work in Berkshire County. To be honest, the economic situation in southern Vermont is at least as bad as in the less-advantaged towns in Berkshire County, and there are a lot of folks in my area who could never afford to see a single show. I wonder if a little outreach might be possible up here as well; the theater program in the public schools in Bennington is thriving and there are a lot of kids and families here who would feel like they had died and gone to heaven to be able to see one of your shows.

I was fortunate enough to participate in a summer institute with Shakespeare & Co. on the teaching of Shakespeare in the classroom. The instructors excellent and of the highest quality and provided me with superior tools to take back to my classroom.

While at the institute, I was privileged to attend many performances at the various theaters on the Shakespeare & Co. campus in Lenox, MA. The quality of each performance was superior.

I highly recommend Shakespeare & Co.

We've been going to S&Co. for many years...the quality of the performances are excellent. Now we take our grandchildren to the tent productions which are very well done.

I have been visiting this Theater group for decades. My 13 year old daughter has seen two productions of Shakespeare so far thanks to the dedication of The Shakespeare 'theater. Whenever we visit the Berkshires (we live in Pennsylvania and visit every summer several times) she wants to know what play is being performed. I'm very grateful.

The Fall Festival has been an enormous inspiration for both the participants and the audience. The community has eagerly looked forward to this time of year as a ritualistic event.

When my daughter was in eighth grade, and losing interest in education, Shakespeare and Co. came to her school to present MacBeth, both by getting each student involved in performing scenes, and by showing them what it would be in theri own lives today. The actors who came, caught the imagination and involvement of the students, and they became quite interested in Shakespeare in general. Ten years later, she still remembers MacBeth, and has attended other Shakespeare performances.
My other daughter, who was an active student, chose to take her friends to Shakespeare and Co. for her 17th birthday. We had a picnic on the lawn, and enjoyed a show. This is a wonderful organization.

My first experience with Shakespeare & Company came in the summer of 2008 as an audience member. I was so inspired by the work that I applied to and participated in the 2010 Winter Month-Long Intensive. This was the perfect complement to my MFA studies in acting. My confidence in Shakespeare grew tenfold. The personal attention I received was obviously built upon from years of expertise dealing with actors in continuous development. I opened up more than I had before in any such opportunity. I was then fortunate to be accepted as a Performance Intern for Summer 2010, performing in two shows and understudying a role in one main stage production. I was also awarded EMC points. Again, my confidence benefited.

I was fortunate to spend a month with Shakespeare & Co. in an intensive training programs for actors and teachers. Besides being top-notch performers and teachers, they are passionate about sharing their gifts and skills for the purpose of educating EVERYONE about the language, history and potential of Shakespeare's works to make this world a better and more informed place. Their mission is self-less, their transformational powers limitless. Students of ALL AGES benefit.

Shakespeare & Co. is unique as it presents wonderful productions year-round, as well as incredible training and educational programs.

Such a service to the world this company provides. Their dedication to giving others joy and drama and knowledge and insight and thought-provoking experiences enlarge us all and bring us all together as humans. Shakespeare & Co. is a Gift.

Doing great work for the planet!

I am an alum of their training program, an occasional volunteer, and a grateful audience member. It would take a book to describe the integrity, aesthetic and commitment that these people have for their craft, their trainees and for their audiences. As a result of the training I received at S&Co., I have started two Shakespeare festivals, created a touring production, and continued to teach and direct Shakespeare in the schools.

I am blessed to have spent January 2011 at the Shakespeare & Co Month-Long Intensive. I was exposed to extraordinary talent and felt privileged every day to receive guidance from such wonderful Master Teachers. This company has a beautiful philosophy, an overwhelming modesty and a sincere commitment to training and education.

Like many arts organizations, Shakespeare & Co has experienced decreased funding throughout the economic downturn. They maintain their professionalism and continue to nurture and educate performers and non-performers alike.

As a theater critic I've reviewed plays at S&Co for years, and for a long time before I became a reviewer. My daughter, who is now 42, began loving Shakespeare as a preteen because of their wonderful productions, excellent acting, and fresh takes on Shakespeare. I go to theater in New York and in New Haven, CT, and S&Co is a level above most of what I see.

My three children, now young teenagers, are all now well familiar with many of Shakespeare's plays from going to plays at the company.

Each year Shakespeare and Co. comes to my school and allows students to participate in their Fall Festival program. Most students, at first find it daunting, like myself- the prospect of performing Shakespeare is very intimidating. Once cast, and rehearsals began however, I soon realized the magic that this company has to offer the youth. It allows us to explore not only our strengths but our weaknesses and build upon both. We, as young adults and human beings are able to admit to our weaknesses and not necessarily "fix" them but rather improve upon them, work at them- that is what makes a strong human being. Someone who works hard for a cause, and Shakespeare and Company allows and enforces that in every single one of their cast members, even down to their techies.
My school did King Lear this year and the rehearsal process was extremely tough. We all knew this show was going to be a challenge from Stage 1 and we, including the directors, were ready to take it on. After some ups and downs during rehearsals we finally got to a place where we were steadily going up in the quality of our show. Two weeks before our show we had set, costumes, and lighting down and we were allowing people to come watch from the school community if they so desired. One girls' boyfriend who has the reputation of skipping class/school, not doing work, and messing up his life watched one rehearsal approached our directors and asked to be in it and in a heartbeat they were like "YES YES! We would LOVE for you to be a part of it!" Remember, this is TWO WEEKS before we went up. The night of our festival performance he told everyone in the cast that he is ready to make a change in his life. He quit smoking, cutting class, and he started doing his homework and reading books. This is a direct quote "I would never had made this change so late in my high school career if it hadn't been for Shakespeare. I wish i knew how cool this was when i was a freshman so I could get more people involved!"
Shakespeare and Company touches the souls of so many people, parents, students, teachers, the elderly etc. and it it truly amazing to see the growth and development of my peers during our involvement with this truly brilliant and inspiring company.

Our son has participated in the summer acting programs for several years. He is now 17 and is a devotee of all things Shakespeare (and theater). This summer, he doesn't have time to try out for the Young Company, but he will definitely be joining Riotous Youth to expand on the variety of roles he has played.

He and we have been thrilled by many of the performances at Shakespeare & Co. and appreciate the role the organization has played in furthering the recognition of John Douglas Thompson as one of the stage actors of our time.

We are looking forward to attending many productions this season.

I have worked with students as Faculty Advisor to the Fall Festival of Shakespeare for 10 years. They are an organization who is truly committed to students and education. Students learn by doing and by participating. The directors and technicians are willing to give their time and egergy to ensure that the students grow personally and artistically. It is a pleasure to work with this organization.

I'm a parent and board member at a school where two of Shakespeare & Co.'s superb staff worked with a group of eager but generally "green" kids for three months and guided them through the creation of a superb performance of Twelfth Night (well, five performances, actually). Many thanks to Brittany and Kelly and to Shakespeare & Co. for making this happen. It was great for the kids and it created a moving work of art, much more than just a school play.

Participating in Fall Festival, I have found it to be an amazing experience for advancing in acting as well as socializing with students from other schools in a non-competitive way that I couldn't have experience any other way. In Riotous Youth Company over the summer, I have found a great way to continue developing my acting skills while continuing to be a part of the Shakespeare and Company community.

I'm not sure what "Client served" means, but I am a teacher who has attended two workshops with Shakespeare & Company in the beautiful Berkshires. The first workshop was a three-day "Teaching Shakespeare" workshop, then the next year I went to a five-day workshop that centered on Hamlet. For the several years since, I continue to incorporate so much of what Kevin taught us, and my students walk away from having read Shakespeare with a much keener appreciation of his work than they ever did before. I frequently hear comments like, "Yeah, I actually liked Hamlet." I am forever grateful!

I attended my first S&Co production about 30 years ago and was struck by the creativity and joy that pervaded a glorious production of "Midsummer's Night Dream" that romped through the woods at The Mount.

The creativity, joy and great productions, I am delighted to say, continue in the wonderful new theatres on Kemble St.

Moreover, as a former teacher of high school Speech and English, I recognize the superior quality of the educational and personal growth experience students engaged in the Fall Festival and Riotous Youth receive.

Shake & Co. is the best summer camp in the Berkshires. They deliver on what they advertise. Many camps sound good in the brochure, but don't come close to delivering. This educational program allows children the opportunity to become comfortable with Shakespeare at an early age. I was awed by my daughter (age 8) performing scenes from Henry V.

Shakespeare and Company has without a doubt one of the finest educational theatre programs for students and teachers alike in the country. Their philosophy and approach to teaching Shakespeare has changed the way I think about directing and teaching my own students, and I know young students who have attended their sessions who have come back entirely new people with a new love and understanding of Shakespeare, theatre, and how the arts in general can shape our lives. I would highly recommend their "Riotous Youth" program for students and their Educator Workshops for anyone in education who has the opportunity to teach Shakespeare and/or theatre in general. The educator programs give not only general approaches but practical, hands-on activities that are classroom-ready and easily adaptable to various learning environments. They are truly transformative.

My daughter began participating in the Fall Festival of Shakespeare for the past two years. This program is invaluable to the students, parents, teachers involved in the program. every year 10 schools are involved. our school has 53 or more students participating. in our school that is 10% involvement; more than any single sports team. 10 of Shakespeare's plays are performed every year. school alternate their performances. a comedy one year, a tragedy or history the next. My daughter, who was shy and just wanted to be in the background began to come "out of her shell". She began to want to do speaking parts and to take on leadership roles in her school. Because of this program and it's immersion into shakespeare's writing and language she performed very well on her state exams which involved writing an essay comparing shakespeares Hamlet to another story.
Students who normally might not be in the same peer groups, for the duration of this program, are working together for 9 to 10 weeks to produce a play with the guidance of Shakespeare and Company, actors/ directors.
As a parent I am involved in costumes, transportation of students to the "tech days" at Shakespeare and Co. and chaperoning the cast to common classes during the weeks leading up to school and Fall Festival performances. I only wish that I had this wonderful program when I was in high school. Like another parent and friend said when we were introducing "new" parents to this program. "I wish I could be them!"

My whole family and I love Shakespeare and Company. All of their shows blow us away, and it is so nice to to be able to go see quality shows in such a nice location. Last summer we went to see Richard III, and it was by far the best version of Richard III I have ever seen. Their back stage tour is also wonderful, and as a theater major the quality of everything they put into their productions amaze me.

Shakespeare & Company, Inc. is a marvelous organization providing wonderful Youth Summer Programs and year round theater. My daughter's experiences during the past two summers have been terrific and have helped provide her with the confidence to perform in other community productions. It has also instilled a true love of Shakespeare within her. We look forward to attending each new Shakespeare performance and are excited about the expanded year-round programming.

My son participated last year in the summer program, it was excellent, he will join Shakespeare and company this summer again.
We just saw your show Hamlet at HVCC-- loved it, really enjoyed the talk after the performance.

Through the years our family has participated in many Shakespeare & Co. offerings. My son has attended after school programs, summer camps and we have all attended "The Language that Shaped Our World" productions and also the traveling players productions that come through each spring. All have been so wonderful that I just can't heap enough praise on. In addition, my husband and I always manage to attend one production through the year (we're currently looking forward to attending Irma Vep this month). We've never been disappointed yet! The folks at Shakespeare & Co. have got it right! We own a restaurant and a store in a nearby town that cater largely to the tourist industry, and when asked about what there is to do in the Berkshires, Shakespeare & Co. is always near the top of the list.

Shakespeare and Company is fabulous. Throughout the year they offer amazing Shakespeare plays, free community youth theater in the round, free lectures and access to high quality theater that is astounding. My son has grown up among Othello, Coriolanus, etc. The high school productions done in tandem with local high schools are so entertaining and make a difference in the student's lives. I can't wait for my son to attend summercamp at Shakespeare and Co. Great deals on student and community tickets too!

Shakespeare & Company's education programs--Riotous Youth Company, Fall Festival of Shakespeare, Shakespeare & Young Company--were the perfect creative outlet for the frustrated energy pent up inside of me as a teenager. Their acting programs allowed me to express myself in an extremely productive, creative, non-destructive fashion. Not only that; I also gained a great appreciation for classic literature. Shakespeare is AWESOME, even if most people don't know it yet.

We've been coming to Lenox to see Shakespeare and Company for the past fourteen years and I have to say that we find there productions to incredibly well done. Every season we look forward to their Shakespeare plays as well as the other works that they present.
One of the things that we've come to enjoy is how accessible the actors are after the performances. Often times we have waited in the lobby after the show and spoken with them about how much we enjoyed seeing them perform.
I've also been very impressed with their commitment to education and to make Shakespeare's works so available to the public.

Shakespeare & Company was a wonderful organization to work with. For two years, they put on performances for Roger L. Putnam V.T.H.S. These performances aligned with the curriculum and enhanced the students' understanding of Shakespeare's works. They were very accommodating. It was also great that they took time after the performance to speak with students.

My involvement with Shakespeare & Company began when I was 15 and continues over 20 years later. I have been a participant in their Fall Festival of Shakespeare, helped run the Festival after graduation, worked in the box office, taken their professional acting workshops and later worked administratively in the offices as support staff, I even met my wonderful husband there. This organization does great work, they change lives for the better using Shakespeare as their muse. Their professional stage work is moving and beautifully inspired. Now I am "just" an audience member but remain forever one of their loudest cheerleaders. I have seen this company grow over the years and I wish them love and good things. They will always have my deepest gratitude.

I attended the Month-Long Intensive this past January and I loved it so much and was so inspired and energized by the entire process that I am returning in March to do a six month work study so that I can participate in their Conservatory program. I will essentially be spending an entire year working with Shakespeare and Company, and I couldn't be happier!

I go to a lot of theater and Shakespeare and Company has some of the best acting I have ever seen anywhere. The company is a wonderful part of our theater life in the Berkshires.

To put it simply, Shakespeare and Company changed my life. I attended my first Month Long Intensive in June 1999. Subsequently, I participated in teacher trainings and brought Kevin Coleman to Children's Theatre of Charlotte to help train actors and classroom teachers involved in a Shakespeare touring and residency program I developed there.

Not a day goes by that I don't remember and use the knowledge and emotional understandings gained during that month and in the years following. This is an organization made up of a diverse corps of actors, directors, choreographers and teachers who genuinely speak from and live by a consistent aesthetic. They compassionately help people discover and uncover their own humanity through playing with Shakespeare's text, characters and stories. They allow us to do, to feel, to be and to live the human passion inherent in Shakespeare's plays. They are real. They care deeply about the work and have transformed lives all over the country.

My son attended the Shakespeare summer camp education program for many years. As a student with a learning disability that made it very difficult to master reading, he had trouble feeling confident in his abilities as a learner in school. Shakespeare camp opened up new worlds for him as he learned to handle the language, to memorize his lines and to perform. After 2 summers, he informed me that he had conquered his fear of speaking in front of groups at school. He is now a strong student who loves Shakespeare. Although he is too old for the children's camp program, we look forward to attending plays at Shakespeare and Co. every summer, like the wonderful production of Richard III this past summer.

Shakespeare & Co. is my most used resource in the classroom, rehearsal hall and life! I am constantly using the techniques that I learned there with all my students, whether they are 8 or 80. i attended three different workshops there; a long weekend, a teacher four day intensive and the month long acting workshop intensive. I keep a journal with the various theories, ideas, tips, games, techniques, inspirations and quotes and it is worn out from constant use. Every time I put the skills into action, I see incredible results with my students and my own work as an actor and director. I recently prepared the role of Gertrude in Hamlet and it was a joy and a gift to know how to approach the role and bring it to truth and life.

I have worked in many educational theatre programs across the country and Shakespeare & Company's programs (especially the Fall Festival of Shakespeare) are BY FAR the most comprehensive, educational and inspiring. At its core is the belief that Shakespeare's words are meant for everyone to play with and not the domain of a priviledged few. How magnificent to hear students speak so eloquently and passionately about Shakespeare and what it means to them! I applaud the artists and students who have worked together over the years to PLAY!

As a high school teacher in the Capital District, my classes have participated in workshops which accompanied the travelling performances. What a blast we had learning how to "play" at Shakespeare. Later, I participated in an onsite workshop for educators during the summer. It was such a great opportunity to learn the pavane, sword fighting, trust-building games, etc. all while immersed in the language of Shakespeare.

I first encountered Shakespeare & Company in one of their four day teacher workshops in the late 1980's. Kevin Coleman, the instructor at the workshop, helped me understand how to help my high school students "play" with Shakespeare. My teacher colleagues and I were introduced to swordplay, Elizabethan dance, and the importance of the supporting actors in setting the context of a scene. I believe in their mission and have been a donor ever since. At least once a year, I make the trek from Connecticut up to Lennox for a show. I am working with my school district to bring their educational program to my high school. I was also impressed to learn about their program with the juvenile justice system in Western Massachusetts that engages young men in the production of a Shakespeare play in order to help them positivelyre-design their behaviors. Tina Packer founded the company based on the English model of a theater company where everyone does all of the jobs. This "democratic" operation policy is evident in the cheerful participation of the actors in such mundane off-stage jobs as handing out programs and house managing. I also enjoy the way they bring productions of Shakepeare into today's world. For example, during the porter's drunken speech in Macbeth, the actor ad-libbed some current political situations into his speech. Indeed, Shakespeare is a man for all times, as this wonderful company makes quite clear.

I came across Shakespeare and Company in high school through the Fall Festival of Shakespeare program. When I finally mustered up the courage to tryout I was in my senior year. I really repent that it took me so long to participate because even though it was my last eligible year in the program, I had the time of my life. Thank you to everyone who helped make my play experience what it was for me

Shakespeare and Company continues to be one of the best organizations I've ever seen, both in terms of their productions and especially in their work in the fields of education, student empowerment, and the arts.

I attended one of their National Institutes on Teaching Shakespeare several years ago. That was the greatest professional development program I've had in my 9 years of teaching experience. It had a huge impact on me as a teacher, as a theater professional, and as a person.

The work this theater company does is important in the world, and I hope with all of my heart that they continue to do it for many years to come.

Hello

It is my pleasure to say that going to Shakespeare & Co. in Lenox, Ma. is one of the highlights of the summer season. Every year for the past 5 years I have taken my granddaughters (and friends) there and we all look forward to it greatly.

The productions are excellent and the staff is always welcoming and helpful. It has been a wonderful introduction to the arts for my grandchildren.

We look forward to this summer's Romeo and Juliet.

Maureen L.

As a parent of two children involved in Shakespeare and Company, I have only wonderful things to say. One of my children has Aspergers Disorder, and was welcomed with open arms by both the students and staff. He was able to spread his wings and be creative and feel happy in an otherwise sad day. All children and adults alike should be honored to have this program in their community!

As a lifelong resident of the Berkshires I cannot imagine a year going by without seeing several productions at Shakespeare and Company. From its birth at The Mount to the campus of the former Lenox School for Boys, Shakespeare & Co has revitalized the community. Each production, whether it was in the woods at The Mount, onstage at Founders or Bernstein theatres, outdoors at the Rose, or in local schools, was a masterpiece of entertainment. I am specifically proud of the work they do with troubled teenagers and the juvenile court system. I am a teacher to many of the youths who have had the privilege of working onstage with these incredible actors and directors. Shakespeare & Co gave them pride, purpose, and passion! I cannot say enough good things about this community company!

I have been a lover and supporter of Shakespeare and Company for six years now, ever since I first participated in their amazing program, the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. I have also taken part in their other education opportunities, Riotous Youth Company and Shakespeare & Young Company. Through the exploration of Shakespeare's text and the coaching and guidance of the teachers at the company, I have learned so much about myself and others. I feel so lucky to have access to such an incredible place. Without it I would have fewer friends and far less self confidence. It is an institution that I hope will be around for decades to come.

Shakespeare & Company Education programs are renowned for their extraordinary impact. A new world is opened up for students, their teachers, and the audiences that witness the work.

The Fall Festival has changed my life. I have gained so much experience from it that I never would have gotten otherwise. I have learned much about theatre and have even decided that I want to major in theatre in college. Without Shakespeare and Company's education programs, I would never have gained this much perspective on things like human language and how actions speak louder than words. I have gained many skills through Jon Croy's teaching that help me not only on stage, but in real life as well. Acting in general teaches you so much about yourself and others, but the Shakespeare and Company programs offer these teaching to such a great extent, it would be a terrible loss not to have that kind of experience and talent in our area. I would not be who I am today if it was not for Fall Festival and the Company itself. I love the people and the atmosphere they provide.
"Make mad the guilty, and appall the free,
Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeed
The very faculties of eyes and ears." -Hamlet

I performed in last years Fall Festival of Shakpere. Our school performed "Hamlet". Honastly, it was the beast theadere expereance I have ever had. I'm looking forword doing it again next year.

Shakespeare & Co in Lenox, MA consistently offers professional enteratinment in the Berkshires. I have as yet to see a show there that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. In addition, they volunteer at the schools in the county and just recently caroled, in period dress, during Lenox's first 'Spirit of the Holidays' Holiday Weekend - they made the weekend!

Shakespeare Fall Festival is a high point of the year for our family. Ten high schools put on productions of Shakespeare plays at the Founder's Theater in Lenox over 4 days every November. You wouldn't believe it if you didn't see it- the entire audience is filled with high school students, actually vibrating with enthusiasm over seeing their friends' performances. Many of the kids have been involved in Shakespeare and Co. for years- Riotous Youth in the summer, week-end acting classes, middle school productions and Fall Festival. Shakespeare and Co. educational programs are awesome!

What follows is a letter I wrote to Elaine P. Bernstein and Sol Schwartz after my children participated in Riotous Youth last summer:

Dear Sol and Elayne,

By now you must wonder what became of these two wandering minstrels!

Well, they have been on quite an adventure since they left the glow of yours and their Grandma's company in Lenox. They have been to Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard, and Provincetown. They have been
on a whale watch, and almost went water skiing. (They got dragged by a motor boat on a round rubber tube).

They came close to getting blown away by a hurricane, and now finally, they are on the end of Long Island for a few last sunny days with Dad (and mom) before school starts again.

But more important than where they were, it's what they did while there. Specifically, in Laurel Hollow, Long Island, they performed their monologues (along with their cousins, Josh and Kai) for a small audience on grass theater at a friend's beautiful home where they were videotaped. (Video tape to follow some day, I hope). They astounded three small children who had no idea what hit them. I think that's a big part of the fun. Kids who aren't exposed know not what to think. But it tells them: Hmm. Maybe there is something else out there!

All over Cape Cod they cursed at one another in Elizabethan style--usually beginning each sentence name with "Thou art...."
Thou was usually a boil.

During our escape from Hurricane Earl, Henry performed his monologue at my brother's home in Foxboro, Mass. during a big Chinese Food feast. This inspired my nice, Olivia Rose, age 11, to perform her scene from a play of Alice in Wonderland in which she was the Red Queen. Needless to say, my brother and his wife were astounded! They didn't know children could perform Shakespeare, and I don't even think they knew their daughter had starred in a play at sleep-away camp! They loved it!

I don't think the boys will ever forget their experience and Shakespeare and Company. Nor will they ever forget the fabulous, feisty, adoring couple who led them along--making them feel like they had come by special invitation. One time I saw Elayne reminding Henry to speak up and speak more slowly, and I thought how nice it would be if she could come home with us and appear each night at homework time: the perfect combination of encouragement and affection.

Gus's eyes lit up when we found out that his school is offering an after-school Shakespeare class, but was disappointed to find out
it's for kids in the two grades below him. But I know he will wow his teacher this year--especially if he is asked to write an essay
about how he spent his summer vacation. Can you imagine? And what a head start as he head for middle school. (Elayne--did you read The Wednesday Wars??)

Thanks most of all for being there for my mother-in-law. She made such a big commitment to the boys and to herself, and I am
absolutely positive that without your support--in so many ways--the two weeks would have been even more of a challenge
than they already were. Can you imagine taking on something like this? I'll bet you can. I think of the two of you, my mother-in-law, and the four boys as a small troop of intrepid actors--emerging from a little painted carnival wagon (they have one like this in The Wind in the Willows) in full costume--each with a different role--smiling at the audience, juggling, throwing out candies, and making everyone smile. Then performing a show. I think Josh would love this image more than anyone!

I hope you know how much we loved visiting both times we had the opportunity. First we had the perfect tour led by Sol, including ice cream for everyone, and a backstage look at Elayne's gorgeous theater, classrooms, props room, and costume studio!
I wanted to stay and take classes, myself. Truly.

And then the second time for the show--my parents were so impressed, my mom told me it was the highlight of her life. How about that?

Sol, Elayne: It truly is a remarkable program, and the two of you and my mother-in-law made it more than that--you made it feel like a home away from home. I think Henry would move there in a moment. He told me: "This is the greatest place ever, mom." Gus is the more dubious of the two, and even he said: "That camp is great."

I hope we will see you again. Maybe for dinner in the city? We would love to have you to brunch or dinner at our place on the Upper West Side. Or even better, wouldn't it be nice to see you back at camp next year? We may show up with our own troop if I keep telling everyone about it.

At any rate, I write this with appreciation for you both and for the great people who run the camp. It couldn't have been more exciting for my boys. A big, big thank you and a big, big hug.

Affectionately,

Jill Davis (mom of Gus and Henry)

Eleven years ago I became a volunteer at Shakespeare & Company; one of the best decisions I made in the use of my volunteer time. The members of this company are warm, friendly, outgoing. The permanent staff is so dedicated, working so many hours for a moderate salary. Many of the staff are also actors as this company follows the Elizabethan tradition in many ways, one of which is the actors not only perform but manage the company, too. If you have never seen a play performed here, and enjoy theatre, then you must see productions here. Not only are Shakespearan plays performed but also new plays or plays with a social message. Presently is The Mystery of Irma Vep. It is hilarious, the costume changes in themselves are worth seeing this show. I will never forget The Dreamer Examines the Pillow with JOhn Douglas Thompson in the summer of 2009. It was outstanding. The Berkshires is so fortunate to have this exceptional theatre located here.

My kids have been involved with the Fall Festival of Shakespeare for the last 4 years and it has helped, in a large part, in making them what they are today - which is confident, smart and capable.
The program is intense and thorough in studying and understanding the works, language and times of Shakespeare. The self-confidence that is gained by all the kids is nothing short of amazing.
The advantage that the in-depth education of Shakespeare's works gives these students in their regular studies in high school is indisputable. They do better on exams as reported by their teachers.
Our school is one of two in NY that participates in the Fall Festival of Shakespeare. We are proud to be part of the program.

My wife and I recently saw the Shakespeare & Company production of THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP. Charles Ludlum's truly ridiculous script was realized with the wit, energy and truthfulness that characterizes this remarkable company's work in Shakespeare as well as contemporary plays. Their Shakespeare productions are clear and humane. The kind of training that is at the heart of Shakespeare & Company's approach to all plays enables them to make the most complex scripts comprehensible and enjoyable..

The educational programs at Shakespeare & Company are amazing. My child has participated for the past 4 years and is looking forward to many more. They are great at helping the kids decode the text and relate it to life around them.

S&Co. as proved to be a lasting summer experience! My son has learned confidence & communication while developing a love for Shakespeare. He has made friends and looks forward to each new production.
What makes it especially wonderful is the folding in of kids with professionals. There is a flow that lets kids see the possibilities.

I first encountered Shakespeare and company as a high school student. Members of their education team came into my school and worked with the English classes, exploring Shakespeare as performance. I also participated in their Fall Festival; an amazing opportunity for high school students to come together to perform Shakespeare's plays. I eventually introduced my whole family to Shakespeare and Company. They were amazed at how understandable and interesting Shakespeare could be in the hands of these talented actors. Shakespeare and Company provides an invaluable service to the community and to Massachusetts schools!

Shakespeare and Co. is a jewel of the Berkshires. Very professional theatre: acting, staging, costumes. I love the Bernstein theate where as an audience memeber you often feel as if you are part of the play as you are basically sitting on the stage. Very reasonable ticket prices and I love the Berkshire local discount.

S&Co. brings so much to Berkshire County and beyond. Seeing the results of their outreach school program culminating in the Fall Festival is heartwarming in this era. Being a full time Berkshire resident, it is
wonderful to have theater all year. With smaller casts one gets to interact with the productions. Open rehearsals and discounted tickets to County residents are other winning factors. S&CO is generous in donating time and tickets to help other non-profits in their fundraising.
During the summer the place is wildly busy with a bucolic atmosphere, and something for all ages, often free. Other than the two main stages, Bankside, the Rose Footprint Stage is family and young actor friendly appealing in a madcap way to a diverse audience.
It is a no-brainer to support S&Co.

Shakespeare and company is an amazing organization that I am so grateful for. I've been a participant in their youth programs since I was seven years old and I've greatly benefited as an actor and a person. Shakpeare and company is a fabulous theater company that brings excellence to everything it is a part of and I cannot wait to be in the audience of another amazing performance this summer!

Clever, smart and above all else fun performance! An excellent conclusion to a well conceived and executed Valentine's Day brunch/performance. Well Done!!

Both my children participated in the Shakespeare in the Schools program, both at the elementary level and in high school. It was one of their MOST important resources to help them fit into a school where the arts have suffered due to budget cuts. They made lifelong friends, were able to use language in new and exciting ways and I have seen the effects of this program on kids with esteem issues. I really admire the program the involves high risk teenagers empowered by what they can say and the attention they can get in life through participation in theater. I think Shakespeare & Co. has innovated new ways of making theater part of the life of Berkshire residents and all in a very economical, and cost effective way. The loss of this company or a reduction in their programs would effect kids and families at many economic levels throughout the county.