Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival Inc

ROOTED IN THE LANDSCAPE OF THE HUDSON VALLEY, WITH THE PLAYS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AS OUR TOUCHSTONE, HVSF ENGAGES THE WIDEST POSSIBLE AUDIENCE IN A THEATRICAL CELEBRATION OF OUR SHARED HUMANITY.IN LATE 2019, HVSF COMMENCED THE PRIVATE PHASE OF A CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO SUPPORT THE CREATION OF A NEW OUTDOOR, ECOLOGICALLY-DRIVEN THEATER CAMPUS IN THANKS TO A GENEROUS BENEFACTOR WHO OFFERED THE COMPANY 98-ACRES OF RIVER-VIEW PROPERTY IN THE HUDSON HIGHLANDS. THIS CAMPAIGN IS ONGOING.IN 2021, HVSF WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THEATERS IN NEW YORK STATE TO RE-OPEN AFTER THE COVID PANDEMIC SHUT DOWN WITH A SUMMER SEASON OF OPEN-AIR PERFORMANCES OF THE MOST SPECTACULARLY LAMENTABLE TRIAL OF MIZ MARTHA WASHINGTON BY JAMES IJAMES, DIRECTED BY TAYLOR REYNOLDS AND THE TEMPEST BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE DIRECTED BY RYAN QUINN. THE SEASON REACHED 13,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS, DESPITE AUDIENCE RESTRICTIONS FOR COVID SAFETY.

IN 2021, HVSF WAS ONE OF THE VERY FIRST THEATERS IN NEW YORK STATE TO RE-OPEN AFTER THE COVID PANDEMIC SHUT DOWN WITH A SUMMER SEASON OF OPEN-AIR PERFORMANCES OF THE MOST SPECTACULARLY LAMENTABLE TRIAL OF MIZ MARTHA WASHINGTON BY JAMES IJAMES, DIRECTED BY TAYLOR REYNOLDS AND THE TEMPEST BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE DIRECTED BY RYAN QUINN. IN TOTAL, HVSF PRODUCED NEARLY 60 PERFORMANCES, FEWER THAN PRE-COVID, BUT THERE WERE NO INTERRUPTIONS TO THE SEASON AND ARTISTS AND AUDIENCES WERE ABLE TO REMAIN SAFE. THE SEASON REACHED 13,000 AUDIENCE MEMBERS, DESPITE AUDIENCE RESTRICTIONS FOR COVID SAFETY.

THIS WAS THE 27TH YEAR OF HVSF'S WELL-ESTABLISHED AND HIGHLY REGARDED EDUCATION PROGRAM. HVSF'S SCHOOL PROGRAMMING TYPICALLY REACHES MORE THAN 15,000 STUDENTS AT MORE THAN 40 SCHOOLS IN THE TRI-STATE AREA. WHILE WE ARE PROUD TO HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE, BECAUSE OF THE COVID PANDEMIC, THE 2021 PROGRAMMING WAS ENTIRELY DIGITAL INCLUDING REMOTE WORKSHOPS WITH TEACHING ARTISTS AND DIGITAL RESIDENCY PROGRAMMING. ADDITIONALLY, IN LIEU OF OUR STANDARD SCHOOL TOUR, WE OFFERED A "PODCAST" AUDIO PLAY OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE'S MACBETH DIRECTED BY RAZ GOLDEN.

THE ANNUAL HVSF NEW PLAY DEVELOPMENT SERIES OCCURRED IN AUGUST, TWO PLAYS WERE READ OVER ZOOM AND ONE WAS PERFORMED AS A PUBLIC READING OUTDOORS AT THE PHILIPSTOWN DEPOT THEATRE. 2021 READINGS INCLUDED HVSF 'S COMMISSIONED "UNTITLED AGATHA PROJECT" BY HEIDI ARMBRUSTER (READ FOR AN AUDIENCE OVER ZOOM), "HIP HOP THERAPY" BY LUIS QUINTERO (READ FOR AN AUDIENCE OVER ZOOM), AND "DIGNITY ALWAYS DIGNITY" BY ZACHARY FINE AND BRYCE PINKHAM AND COMMISSIONED BY LONGWHARF THEATRE, READ OUTDOORS FOR AN AUDIENCE BY BRYCE PINKHAM. THE BAKE-OFF COMMUNITY PLAYWRIGHTING SERIES ALSO OCCURRED IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT IN NOVEMBER 2021, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FIVE LOCAL LIBRARIES WITH ONLINE WRITING WORKSHOPS ATTENDED BY 150 PEOPLE AND RECEIVED OVER 70 PLAY SUBMISSIONS. SIX PLAYS WERE SELECTED FOR THE FINAL READING IN THE FALL. THE 2021 THEME WAS " SUSTAINABILITY." HVSF OFFERED A PANEL DISCUSSION ABOUT THE INTERSECTION OF HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY WITH HVSF DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION AND ASSOCIATE ARTISTIC DIRECTOR SEAN MCNALL, ECOLOGICAL CITIZEN'S PROJECT FOUNDER AND TOWN BOARD MEMBER JASON ANGELL, MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST AND ACTIVIST MORAYA SEEGER DEGEARE, AND PHILIPSTOWN BEHAVIORAL HUB EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR DANIELLE PACK MCCARTHY. THIS CONVERSATION HELPED TO KICK OFF THE WRITING PERIOD FOR BAKE-OFF PLAY SUBMISSIONS AND TO INSPIRE OUR COMMUNITY PLAYWRIGHTS. THE "BAKEOFF" IS A PART OF HVSF 'S FULL CIRCLE INITIATIVE TO BUILD AND SUSTAIN COMMUNITY THROUGH RADICALLY PARTICIPATORY ART-MAKING.