California Shakespeare Theater Announces Shared 47th Season

Responding to the ongoing pandemic and movement for racial equity, California Shakespeare Theater has announced their 2021 Season of Shared Light that will open its outdoor Bruns Amphitheater to community groups, artists, and arts and culture organizations from across the Bay Area.

"At Cal Shakes, many of our performances take place-not in the relative anonymity of a dark theater-but under the sun," says Artistic Director Eric Ting explaining the meaning behind Shared Light. "It's a thing I've come to love (and miss dearly): actors and audience alike, in full view of one another, relinquishing the control we normally associate with the theater and instead navigating the complexity of each other's very real presence across the arc of a performance, cohabiting the shared light of our space.

"We've done a lot of reflection this past year, about the need to respond to these recent crises with compassion and humility; and have thought long and hard about how Cal Shakes might return in meaningful service of a more resilient community. How might we seek to share resources rather than amass them, to cultivate relationships rather than transact them?

"Over the next few months we'll be sharing the fruits of that labor--a developing vision of mutual aid rooted in creative expression and collective action."

In order to share space, Cal Shakes will produce one play in their 47th season, The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare and directed by Ting. In addition, they will continue to develop digital and in-person programming (safety permitting) throughout the year, including Shakespeare In-Depth with Philippa Kelly, its Direct Address series, and other performance and educational opportunities.

Throughout the summer, Cal Shakes will share its extraordinary open-air venue with an array of local arts organizations and community groups including Destiny Arts, Bandaloop, West Edge Opera, and other groups to be announced.

"We know that outdoor space will continue to be a premium in 2021, so sharing our grounds with our fellow arts and cultural organizations feels like exactly the thing we can and should be doing this year," says Managing Director Sarah Williams. "We are eagerly looking forward to the summer, and operating under the assumption that by May we will be able to responsibly return in some capacity. Above all, we will continue to be flexible and monitor the mandates around reopening to ensure the safety of our artists, staff, and community."

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and uncertainties associated with it, Cal Shakes will hold off announcing specific dates and ticket sales for The Winter's Tale until there is more clarity around re-opening, gathering, and social distancing guidelines. All events are subject to change.

Further artistic and community initiatives as part of the Season of Shared Light will be announced over the coming months.

For information visit www.calshakes.org.

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