Marin Shakespeare Company Receives $1 Million Donation

Marin Shakespeare Company announced that it has received a $1 million gift donation.

Under Robert and Lesley Currier's artistic and managerial direction, Marin Shakespeare's summer festival has become a Marin tradition with a season of three outdoor professional productions presented in repertory at Dominican University's Forest Meadows Amphitheatre in San Rafael.

The professional theater company received the anonymous donation as a gift for its 25th anniversary. News of the donation was announced last Saturday, May 31 at a gala event celebrating Marin Shakespeare Company's 25th Silver Season.

"There are going to be a million new ways to enjoy Shakespeare in Marin," said Robert Currier, Marin Shakespeare Company's Artistic Director.

"This gift will create new jobs, touch more lives and ensure the future of Shakespeare in Marin. It's not very Shakespearean, but all we can say is 'wow!' " said Lesley.

"We are so grateful to our anonymous donor. This is not only a ringing endorsement of our work over the past 25 years, but also a loving gift to the community and an investment in the future that will benefit untold numbers of people. We're looking forward to the next 25 years," said Lesley Currier, Marin Shakespeare Company's Managing Director.

"We are thrilled to receive this transformational gift, which will help us secure the future of Marin Shakespeare Company," said Lesley. "We are looking forward to creating bigger, bolder productions; adding new amenities for audience comfort, enjoyment and engagement; and expanding our education and outreach programs. We are investing in a mic system this summer that should vastly improve acoustics at Forest Meadows and audiences will see other improvements as well.

"We're starting a new Shakespeare program in the coming school year at the County Community School and we'll be inviting more public elementary schools to participate in 'Play Power' which sends teaching artists into classrooms to share Creative Dramatics with students in grades K through 5," said Lesley.

Marin Shakespeare Company's 2014 season features "As You Like It," "Romeo and Juliet" and "An Ideal Husband." Outdoor productions are presented in repertory, July 5 to Sept. 28 at outdoor productions at Forest Meadows Amphitheatre, located on the campus of Dominican University of California in San Rafael, Calif.

For more information about Marin Shakespeare Company and its 2014 season, visit www.marinshakespeare.org.

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