Melissa Chalsma News

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), announces that Ebony Murphy-Root and Gillian Wagner have unanimously been elected to its board of directors.

Independent Shakespeare Co. is roaring back as one of the first Los Angeles theater companies to present live, in-person performances following the pandemic. The Tempest will be presented at a new, temporary performance site in Griffith Park as a result of construction beginning on the long-awaited Griffith Park Performing Arts Stage Project.

Independent Shakespeare Co. has launched a new play development program, upholding our commitment to our Black artists. ISC has always approached theater in a deeply collaborative manner, and this project emphasizes collaboration and the voices of our Black Ensemble members. Giving our artists the freedom to create is the goal of this project.

Independent Shakespeare Co. is continuing to occupy the digital space in 2021 with a groundbreaking virtual experience, the last syllable, written & directed by Melissa Chalsma, based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, with poetry by Luis Galindo.

Coming soon is the first in a series of newly commissioned Digital Shorts videos, pairing gifted composers with visual artists, which have recently been expanded to include composer Anna Clyne's forthcoming The Gorgeous Nothings, a setting of Emily Dickinson texts for soprano and string quintet.

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC) presents a new adaptation of Shakespeare's play, an innovative hybrid stage production blending recorded and live scenes, with surprising moments of audience interaction. Romeo & Juliet will livestream eight performances September 17 - 27. All events will be available free and online.

As live theatre remains in lockdown, Independent Shakespeare Company (ISC) is morphing their Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival into a free, livestreaming program of four FESTIVAL EVENTS on Saturdays in August, and a hybrid stage production of ROMEO & JULIET Labor Day weekend. ISC's co-founders David Melville & Melissa Chalsma were most gracious in answering my emailed queries on their twenty-plus-years-old theatre organization.

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC) is venturing into the digital space with the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival a?" Living Room Edition, launching a series of four Festival Events live streaming in August, culminating in a brand new, hybrid stage production of Romeo & Juliet live streaming Labor Day weekend. All events will be available free and online.

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), producers of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, announces the establishment of the new position of Artistic Associate for Social Justice. Filling this position is Carene Mekertichyan. She will identify and facilitate strategies of interaction between ISC and the Los Angeles community in an effort to proactively dismantle systemic injustices.

It's summer in L.A. and the theaters are closed. What's a Shakespeare lover to do? Well, artists continue to create in whatever way they can as they brainstorm plans for 2020 and beyond. We've heard from some of your favorite companies and here's the latest on cancellations and some of the inventive solutions meant to help you get your Bard on this season. Go see a showa??.online!

On April 30, Independent Shakespeare Co. artistic director Melissa Chalsma released the following statement to supporters, audience members, donors and the community of Los Angeles:

The 2020 Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival has been cancelled due to the health crisis. 

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), presenter of the annual Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, presents Art Break, a series of new podcasts, original short videos and music from the ISC archives. New content will be released each week in an effort to brighten everyone's days as we all navigate through this unprecedented time of staying safer at home due to COVID-19.

Independent Shakespeare Co. launches Art Break podcast:

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), producers of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, presents for A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens. This holiday season ISC recreates (with a little artistic license) the experience of a reading of A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens, given by Charles Dickens himself. Expect a performance full of the acting pyrotechnics Dickens was famous for, holiday music, wry humor, and redemption. for A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens will perform at the ISC Studio from Wednesday, December 4 a?" Sunday, December 22 at the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, 3191 Casitas Ave., #130 in Atwater Village.

Love is lost and found again in PERICLES, one of Shakespeare's most spellbinding plays. The young Pericles sets out for adventure, but gets more than he bargains for. Twenty-five years later, it's his daughter's turn to sail the high seas as she seeks to unravel the mystery of her birth. 

Summer is the best time of year to get out and see a Shakespeare play, especially in Southern California. Whether it's under the stars, staged in a unique performance space, or revived in a traditional theater, you can't go wrong when it comes to the world's greatest writer. Here's what we've currently got on our radar. Go see a show!

This summer Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC) presents the rarely-performed epic Pericles at the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, directed by ISC Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma. Pericles will begin previews on Saturday, July 27 at 7pm, will open on Saturday, August 3 at 7pm and perform through Friday, August 30 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public! Pericles is the second of two productions being presented at this year's Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival. Twelfth Night is currently playing and will run in repertory through September 1.

This summer Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC) presents the romantic comedy Twelfth Night at the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, directed by ISC Co-Founder and Managing Director, David Melville. Twelfth Night will begin previews on Saturday, June 29 at 7pm, will open on Saturday, July 6 at 7pm and perform through Sunday, September 1 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public!  Twelfth Night is the first of two productions being presented at this year's Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival. Pericles begins Saturday, July 27 and will run in repertory with Twelfth Night.

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC) returns to the Old Zoo at Griffith Park for the 2019 season of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival with two plays by William Shakespeare performed in repertory: Twelfth Night directed by David Melville and Pericles directed by Melissa Chalsma. ISC is thrilled to return to the Old Zoo for the 16th season of presenting free Shakespeare in Los Angeles Parks! The Old Zoo is located in Griffith Park near the intersection of Crystal Springs Drive and Griffith Park Drive.