San Francisco Shakespeare Festival Announces Show Titles, Directors and Assistant Directors for 2024 Season

San Francisco Shakespeare Festival announces Shakespeare's As You Like It will perform in schools and libraries this Feb through May, and Shakespeare's The Tempest will perform outdoors this summer for Free Shakespeare in the Park.

Following a fully booked 2023 season, Shakespeare on Tour will be back on the road with a production of Shakespeare's comedy As You Like It, directed by SF Shakes Resident Artist Sydney Schwindt. Katja Rivera will be the assistant director. A 5-actor troupe will travel with set, costumes, and props throughout the state bringing the magic of live theater and the beauty of Shakespeare's language to students of all grade levels, elementary through college. In addition to being a welcome curriculum enrichment at schools, public shows will also be scheduled at libraries and community centers where all are welcome to attend, at no charge.

People of all ages will find the classic comedy As You Like It engaging as well as enriching. Join Rosalind, Orlando, Celia, and Touchstone as they escape to the forest of Arden in Shakespeare's antic comedy focusing on love, loss and redemption. With a hilarious love triangle, mistaken identities and an exciting wrestling match, this production is sure to delight. Featuring one of Shakespeare's strongest heroines, thought-provoking family dynamics and the famous “All the world's a stage…” speech, As You Like It is a perfect way to introduce students to Shakespeare's works, as well as further the exploration with those already familiar.

Free Shakespeare in the Park will present The Tempest for summer of 2024. This compelling play will be directed by Rotimi Agbabiaka. Rotimi looks to highlight the themes of forgiveness and recovering from loss. All are invited to attend at no charge. Shows will take place July through September in public parks throughout the Bay Area, including San Francisco's Jerry Garcia Amphitheater in McLaren Park. Dates, times, and additional location details will be announced soon. Cast members, creative team, and other exciting announcements are also tba.

Thought to be Shakespeare's last solo written play, The Tempest tells the tale of a father (Prospero) and daughter (Miranda) set adrift to sea by the jealous machinations of Prospero's brother. On an island inhabited with magical creatures, Prospero uses magic to rule the land, until a tempest washes ashore Prospero's brother and co-conspirators. Complete with clownish shipwrecked sailors, The Tempest explores themes of revenge and forgiveness and asks the audience to find the humanity in all the characters they meet.

This season's selection process was helmed by new Artistic Director Carla Pantoja. Carla worked in concert with the Festival's Director Selection Committee, composed of Resident Artists and staff members. As a way to broaden the selection process and to center the artist, a general invitation went public for directors to propose a play they would like to direct with SF Shakes. Carla says “So many incredible directors and proposals came through, I'm excited for this next level of collaboration with directors and season selection”.

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