OSF Announces Eight New American Revolutions Commissions

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival continues to expand its ongoing commitment to the development and production of significant new theatrical work with eight new commissions as part of American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle. Thirty-two of 37 American Revolutions plays have now been commissioned.

The commissioned artists are the 1491s, Aditi Kapil, Basil Kreimendahl, Mona Mansour, Carlos Murillo, Susan Nussbaum, Robert O'Hara and Jiehae Park. Two of the commissions are in partnership with other theatres: the 1491s with New Native Theater in Minneapolis and Kreimendahl with Actors Theatre of Louisville.

"In this extremely important election year, we are so proud to welcome these extraordinary artists," said American Revolutions Director Alison Carey. "We have a responsibility to history to tell it and a responsibility to the future to listen to history's lessons."

American Revolutions is a multi-decade program of commissioning and developing 37 new plays about moments of change in United States history. Launched in 2008, the last five plays will be commissioned in 2017, with the writing and development of the plays expected to last at least through 2027.

"We are thrilled by the diversity of voice and perspective this remarkable group of writers brings to this ever-expanding portrait of our country," said OSF Artistic Director Bill Rauch.

This year's American Revolutions commissions and development are supported by grants from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, The Paul G. Allen Family Foundation, Edgerton Foundation New Play Awards, The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, and the General William Mayer Foundation.

Founded by Angus Bowmer in 1935 and winner of a 1983 Tony Award for outstanding achievement in regional theatre, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival presents an eight-month season of 11 plays that include works by Shakespeare as well as a mix of classics, musicals, and new works. The Festival also draws attendance of more than 400,000 to almost 800 performances every year and employs approximately 575 theatre professionals.

More information about OSF can be obtained at www.osfashland.org.