Chesapeake Shakespeare Company Celebrates 10 Years in Baltimore and Announces Its 2024-2025 Season
Opening the season is August Wilson's masterwork set in 1911, Joe Turner's Come and Gone.
By: A.A. Cristi Apr. 23, 2024
As Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (CSC) celebrates its milestone of 10 years in Baltimore, the upcoming season stands as a testament to its enduring commitment to the city's vibrant cultural landscape. With a diverse lineup spanning from the works of August Wilson to Shakespearean classics, the 2024-2025 season embodies CSC's dedication to fostering artistic excellence and community engagement in the region and beyond.
“We're proud of the innovative and heartfelt way we stage the classics, our commitment to using local actors and the diversity on our stages, our introducing thousands of local students to live performances of Shakespeare, and our burgeoning Shakespeare Beyond free parks tour,” says Producing Executive Director Lesley Malin. “Our theatre has a unique ability to connect Baltimore to the classics. This next season carries on that work as we continue to enrich the collaborative spirit and artistic excellence of the region.”
Opening the season, KenYatta Rogers takes the directorial helm in September for a captivating rendition of August Wilson's masterwork set in 1911, Joe Turner's Come and Gone. In this mysterious tale, Herald Loomis embarks on a journey in search of his lost wife and his lost sense of self. This production is the second installment of the Baltimore August Wilson Celebration, a collaborative endeavor uniting the city's vibrant theater community in a stirring rendition of Wilson's esteemed American Century Cycle.
In December, audiences will once again be enchanted by our cherished holiday tradition as A Christmas Carol takes center stage under the deft direction of CSC company member Sèamus Miller. A perennial favorite since the inception of CSC in the heart of the city, this story set in 19th century Baltimore unfolds as a heartwarming narrative woven with familiarity and festivity.
Under the vision of Founding Artistic Director Ian Gallanar, Shakespeare's beloved comedy undergoes a transformation in February. It's The Comedy of Errors, Hon! infuses the timeless tale with the colorful tapestry of Baltimore's unique charm. With nods to the city's iconic imagery—marble stoops, pink flamingos, and a generous dose of quirky humor—this production promises a delightful romp through the streets of Baltimore, brimming with mistaken identities and uproarious antics.
In the spring, CSC presents a regal showdown in Mary Stuart by the German Shakespeare, Friedrich Schiller. This vigorous new translation illuminates the personal and political feud between Mary, Queen of Scots and Elizabeth I. As power dynamics shift and loyalties are tested, audiences are transported to a realm where ambition clashes with allegiance, bringing to life a riveting tale of rival queens locked in a battle for supremacy.
As the season draws to a close, the ruins of the Patapsco Female Institute are set for a gripping telling of Julius Caesar. Against the backdrop of starlit summer nights, audiences are invited to immerse themselves in a world of deadly ambition, political maneuvering, assassination, and conspiracy, as the drama unfolds under the open sky, offering a stirring finale to a season rich with splendor.
This season serves as a reflection of Chesapeake Shakespeare's unwavering mission to inspire, entertain, and enrich audiences, while honoring Baltimore's rich heritage. Through innovative storytelling and immersive experiences, CSC invites theatregoers to embark on a journey of discovery, celebration, and shared moments of wonder, marking a decade of transformative impact and triumph in the heart of Charm City.
TICKET INFORMATION
For those interested in securing their first choice of seats for CSC's 10th season in Baltimore, subscription packages go on sale today. Single tickets for mainstage shows will go on sale later this summer.
With their fixed subscription package, full-season subscribers save 20% or more on single ticket prices; pay no exchange or service fees; receive a 10% discount on additional single tickets; secure early access to add-on shows like A Christmas Carol and Julius Caesar before they go on sale to the public; and get discounts on signature drinks for each downtown production at The Company Bar.
Season Includes:
Joe Turner's Come and Gone
Directed by KenYatta Rogers
September 20th - October 13, 2024.
Student Matinee: Macbeth
Performances run October 21 - November 8, 2024
A Christmas Carol
Adapted from Charles Dickens by Laura Rocklyn
Directed by Sèamus Miller.
November 30, 2024 - December 23, 2024
It's The Comedy of Errors, Hon! “In the Land of Pleasant Living”
Adapted and directed by Ian Gallanar
February 14, 2025 - March 9, 2025.
Student Matinee: Romeo and Juliet
Performances run: March 19 – May 9, 2025
Mary Stuart
April 25 - May 18, 2025
Julius Caesar
Chesapeake Shakespeare-in-the-Ruins
June 12 - July 20, 2025
ABOUT CHESAPEAKE SHAKESPEARE COMPANY:
Founded in 2002, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company brings great classic theatre to Baltimore, Howard County, the state of Maryland, and beyond. The company offers performances of Shakespeare and other plays of classic stature that are unforgettable, challenging, and innovative. In 2012, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company acquired the Mercantile Safe Deposit and Trust Company building in downtown Baltimore, renovating it into a modern Globe Theater for indoor performances, while continuing to produce outdoor Shakespeare every summer at the PFI Historic Park in Howard County. The organization regularly serves 30,000+ people annually through artistic projects and intentional community engagement. CSC's vibrant education program includes an extensive matinee series, camps, classes, and in- and out-of-school residencies. The company invites patrons, students, and neighbors to become part of the creative collaboration that generates powerful, magical theatre and a more purposeful, engaged, and connected community.
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