FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 15, 2023
BOSTON, MA – The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) and Steven Maler, Founding Artistic Director, are pleased to announce CSC’s 2024 Season – celebrating the “Seasons of Shakespeare” – through new and exciting partnerships, vital educational opportunities, and our signature Shakespeare productions.
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare; Directed By Victoria Townsend; March 14 – 21, The Strand Theatre, Dorchester” in text over an image of a rustic bed in a dark wood. “Lullaby and Goodnight” in text. A Banner with “Seasons of Shakespeare 2024” and a CSC logo in gold.
This Spring, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s CSC2 company will present our Stage2 production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Performances will return to the historic Strand Theatre in Dorchester and feature student matinee performances from March 14-21, 2024 for area youth and performances for the general public on March 15 at 7:30 PM and March 16th at 2 PM. This production, directed by CSC Associate Director of Education and Training Victoria Townsend, will bring audiences to a darker forest where powerful fairies turn our familiar narratives of love, competition, camaraderie, and fantasy upside down. Lullabies are more ‘lit,’ some trees have thorns, and sweet dreams will never be quite the same.
“The Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare; Directed By Bryn Boice; July – August 2024; Free on Boston Common” in text over an image of a concrete heart, broken with light emanating from it against a harsh snowy landscape and a colorful sky. “Can Time Heal?” in text. A Banner with “Seasons of Shakespeare 2024” and a CSC logo in gold.
The highlight of our season will be the 28th annual Free Shakespeare on the Common production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. King Leontes of Sicilia falsely accuses his wife, Hermione, of infidelity with his best friend, the King of Bohemia. Overwhelmed with jealousy and convinced that he is right, Leontes’s torment creates a ripple of loss. The Winter’s Tale is a captivating parable of betrayals, renewed hope, and the transformative power of time. Directed by CSC Associate Artistic Director Bryn Boice in her Boston Common debut, the production will take place at the Parkman Bandstand in July-August of 2024 in partnership with the City of Boston, Mayor Michelle Wu, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Ryan Woods, and Boston Chief of Arts and Culture Kara Elliott-Ortega.
The Midsummer and Winter’s Tale imagery on tickets in a patterned graphic with “Seasons of Shakespeare 2024” in text on a centered ticket.
“Shakespeare artfully wove the changing seasons into the tapestry of his works, using the ebb and flow of nature to mirror the passions and rhythms of human existence,” shares CSC Founding Artistic Director Steven Maler, “Our seasonal play on the timelessness of Shakespeare -Midsummer and Winter- highlights both this rich history and our desire to share his classic stories with Greater Boston all year long.”
To round out the summer, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s Apprentice Rep Company (ARC) will present two Shakespeare plays in rotating repertory, Two Noble Kinsmen, directed by Regine Vital, and Richard II, directed by Victoria Townsend. Each play is FREE to the public and features actors from CSC’s nationally recognized Apprentice Program for actor training. ARC Performances will be presented at the Modern Theatre in Downtown Boston in Summer 2024 as part of our ongoing partnership with the Suffolk University Theatre Department.
CSC is also excited to offer other engagement opportunities throughout the year. Our “Shakespeare Reimagined” Film Series returns for the third year in collaboration with The Coolidge Corner Theatre. Titles will include Forbidden Planet on Monday, January 22, A Midwinter’s Tale on Thursday, February 29, and She’s the Man on Monday, April 22. More information is available at coolidge.org or here.
We’re also thrilled to introduce our very own micro-podcast, The Shakes-Down. In this monthly podcast, Bryn Boice (CSC Associate Artistic Director) breaks down and shakes down Shakespeare’s most interesting speeches from the famous to the obscure. Flip through the pages of the folio with her and see what treasures there are to uncover! Stream it on our website or wherever you listen to podcasts starting in January of 2024.
Steven Maler (CSC’s Founding Artistic Director), Faran Tahir, Karen Macdonald, and David Remedios at a past CSC Gala.
Our generous donors sustain our season of work and our donor societies offer exclusive access to events throughout the year, including performances and behind-the-scenes content. For more information about joining our Donor Societies visit commshakes.org/ways-to-give. In 2024, CSC will host performances and events for our Prospero Society donors including our March event, “CSC’s Education Ecosystem,” our June gathering to meet the artists of The Winter’s Tale, an October Salon Series event featuring an exclusive, intimate performance, and our annual December holiday party.
CSC’s event lineup for 2024 will also feature the grand return of our Commonwealth Shakespeare Company Gala. “Shakespeare Under the Stars” comes to the Newbury Hotel Boston on Friday, April 5th. Tickets are available at commshakes.org/gala. Our Opening Night Soirée dinner fundraiser will take place preceding the official opening night of The Winter’s Tale.
About Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC), best known for its annual free performances on Boston Common, is a non-profit theater organization founded in 1996, dedicated to artistic excellence, accessibility, and education. CSC’s Free Shakespeare on the Common has served over one million audience members over its 27-year history and has become a beloved summer tradition enjoyed by more than 50,000 people annually.
In addition to its live theatre productions, CSC also provides robust Education and Training programs, including our Apprentice Training Program and CSC2 company for early-career actors, and Stage2 programming for middle and high school students and educators. For more information, visit commshakes.org.
Press Contact: Katalin Mitchell – Katimitchell.pr@gmail.com
