Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival To Reschedule Season

The 2020 Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival (NDSF) has been rescheduled as a result of public health and safety concerns brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. The planned 2020 productions, including A Midsummer Night's Dream, and The Two Noble Kinsmen, will move to equivalent dates in summer 2021.

In the meantime, NDSF is working with schools, homeschool groups, and community organizations to offer online workshops, classes, and even performances. ShakeScenes and Shakespeare After Hours will both become part of online offerings this year. Fans can look forward to content from the Festival focused in its three core areas: education, training, and performance.

"Our foremost responsibility is to safeguard patrons, students, staff, and artists," NDSF Ryan Producing Artistic Director Grant Mudge said, "and the way we can be of most help is to provide what we do online."

Between June 15 and August 5, NDSF will offer a twice-weekly series of online events in the three areas, ranging from readings and "flash" performances to classes like Shakespeare in Musical Theatre, Costume Design, Stage Management, Acting Shakespeare, and more. The full schedule will be released May 15. All events will be free of charge, but patrons may need to register ahead of time for some events.

Due to these unusual circumstances, NDSF patrons who have already purchased tickets for the 2020 season may elect one of the following:

1. Ticket holders may choose to apply their purchase to their DeBartolo Performing Arts Center account to use toward a future NDSF or Actors From The London Stage event. Please email or call the DPAC Ticket Office at (574) 631-2800 and a DPAC representative will assist you. This credit will expire April 1, 2022.

2. Ticket holders may also choose to receive a refund to the card used for purchase. Patrons should email or call the DPAC Ticket Office at (574) 631-2800. All calls will be returned within two business days.

Looking ahead, the 2021 season will see the return of the NDSF Professional Company, featuring a new staging of A Midsummer Night's Dream by Chicago-based theatre director Lavina Jadhwani. A Midsummer Night's Dream will be performed August 17-29, 2021. Tickets are on sale now at shakespeare.nd.edu.

The NDSF Touring Company will present a new staging of The Two Noble Kinsmen, directed by Scotty Arnold. The Touring Company will perform at various parks and stages across Michiana during July and August 2021. A complete tour schedule will be available soon at shakespeare.nd.edu.

In uncertain times, patron support is essential. Patrons may elect to make a contribution to the Paul Rathburn Fund for the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival. Donations will help compensate artists who've already invested time and effort in the 2020 season. Click here for more information.

Finally, the staff would like to encourage patron support not only of the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival, but all the Michiana area arts organizations that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including but not limited to New Industry Dance, the Notre Dame Children's Choir, Robinson Shakespeare Company, Southold Dance Theater, South Bend Civic Theatre, South Bend Symphony, 574 Theatre Company, Acting Ensemble, and Art 4.

Patron support is all the more important now, to ensure the health and longevity of the arts in Michiana in the months and years ahead.

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