OUR MISSION
Through the engagement with and performance of Shakespeare’s text using a unique artistic methodology, we create matchless and transformative experiences that empower audiences of all ages to expand and challenge their worldview.
History
The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre was founded as The Red Heel Theatre in 1989, initially focusing on classic works of English theatre. In 1993, Carmen Khan became the Artistic Director of Red Heel and in 1996 focused the company’s efforts on the works of Shakespeare, renaming it The Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival. In 2008/2009, we engaged in intensive planning with our board of directors and cultural and community leaders and decided to re-brand and rename the company The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre, to better reflect our programming. We now have several programs for adults and students including a lecture series featuring world-renowned Shakespeare Scholars, Professional Touring Shakespeare Productions in schools and community centers, and a Classical Acting Academy providing early career actors with intense classical training. In the past 20 years, the Theatre has produced over 50 plays, reached over 100,000 High School students and over 110,000 adult audience members.
In Summer 2008, The City Council of Philadelphia passed a resolution honoring The Theatre for excellence in performance and educational programming, recognizing the impact The Theatre has made on Philadelphia’s cultural landscape and particularly on its students.
City of Philadelphia
2008 Resolution from the City Council of Philadelphia Honoring the theatre for its commitment to producing excellent Shakespeare productions and education programming and making both accessible to all. Introduced by Jannie L. Blackwell and Blondell Reynolds Brown
Barrymore Awards
2007 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play Award for John Zak as Caliban, The Tempest
Barrymore Nominations
2016 Barrymore Recommended for Excellence in Theatre, Macbeth
2015 Barrymore Recommended for Excellence in Theatre, Henry V
2008 Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Award Prize, sponsored by the Virginia and Harvey Kimmel Arts Education Fund for The Open Door Project
2007 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play for John Zak as Caliban, The Tempest
2007 Charlotte Cushman Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play for Christie Parker as Desdemona, Othello
2006 Clear Sound Award for Outstanding Sound Design for Fabian Obispo, The Tempest
2003 Outstanding Sound Design for Fabian Obispo, Macbeth
2002 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play for John Peakes as Gloucester, King Lear
2002 Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play for Mollie Hall as Puck, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2002 Outstanding Original Music for Obadiah Eaves, King Lear
2001 Outstanding Direction of a Play for Harriet Power, Measure for Measure
2001 Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play for David Howey as Malvolio, Twelfth Night
2001 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play for Ian Merrill Peakes as Mercutio, Romeo & Juliet
Additional Awards and Accolades
2016 Named one of 2016’s “Best Plays in Professional Theatres in Philly, NY, DE, & NJ” by DC Metro Theater Arts, Macbeth
2015 Falstaff Awards: Best Supporting Performance, Female (Nomination) & Best Sound Design/Original Score (Nomination), A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2014/15 Philadelphia Critics’ Awards: Best Lighting Design (Honorable Mention), A Midsummer Night’s Dream
2014 Falstaff Awards: Best Principal Performance, Female (Nomination), iHamlet; Best Director (Nomination), Henry V; Best Scenic Design (Nomination), Romeo & Juliet
2013 Falstaff Awards: Best Sound Design/Original Score (Nomination), Much Ado About Nothing
2012/13 Philadelphia Critics’ Awards: Best Director (Honorable Mention), Much Ado About Nothing; Best Actor: Male (Runner Up), Othello; Best Supporting Actor: Male (Winner), Othello; Best Ensemble (Runner Up), Much Ado About Nothing
2012 Falstaff Awards: Best Director (Nomination), Titus Andronicus
2011 Falstaff Awards: Best Choreography or Fight Direction (Winner), Comedy of Errors
2010/11 Philadelphia Critics’ Awards: Best Actress (Honorable Mention), Hamlet
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- 2019 Hamlet – Carmen Khan
- 2018 Macbeth – Carmen Khan
- 2017 Hamlet – Carmen Khan
- 2016 Macbeth – Carmen Khan
- 2016 Twelfth Night – Carmen Khan
- 2015 The Taming of the Shrew – Carmen Khan
- 2015 Kill Will (FringeArts Festival) – Kevin McGuire
- 2015 A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Carmen Khan
- 2014 Henry V – Aaron Cromie
- 2014 iHamlet (FringeArts Festival) – David O’Connor
- 2014 The Classical Acting Academy’s Love’s Labour’s Lost – Aaron Cromie
- 2014 Romeo and Juliet – David O’Connor
- 2013 Much Ado About Nothing – Domenick Scudera
- 2013 Othello – Carmen Khan
- 2013 The Two Noble Kinsmen – Aaron Cromie
- 2012 The Classical Acting Academy’s Cymbeline – David O’Connor
- 2012 Twelfth Night – Carmen Khan
- 2012 Titus Andronicus – Aaron Cromie
- 2011 The Classical Acting Academy’s The Comedy of Errors – Rosemarie Hay
- 2011 Hamlet – Carmen Khan
- 2011 As You Like It – Carmen Khan
- 2010 The Classical Acting Academy’s Henry V – Aaron Cromie
- 2010 Macbeth – Carmen Khan
- 2010 A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Carmen Khan
- 2009 The Classical Acting Academy’s Henry IV, Part I – David Stradley
- 2009 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) – Domenick Scudera
- 2008 Romeo & Juliet – Carmen Khan
- 2008 Pericles, Prince of Tyre – Carmen Khan
- 2007 The Taming of the Shrew – Domenick Scudera
- 2007 Othello – Carmen Khan
- 2006 Much Ado About Nothing – Carmen Khan
- 2006 The Tempest – Carmen Khan
- 2006 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) – Domenick Scudera
- 2006 Young Professional Company, The Two Gentlemen of Verona – Domenick Scudera
- 2005 As You Like It – Carmen Khan
- 2005 Hamlet – Carmen Khan
- 2005 Young Professional Company, Twelfth Night – Jonah Cohen and Emmy Miller
- 2004 The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) – Domenick Scudera
- 2003 Julius Caesar – David Howey
- 2003 Macbeth – Gus Kaikkonen
- 2002 Othello – Carmen Khan
- 2002 A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Dennis Delaney
- 2002 King Lear – Carmen Khan
- 2001 Measure for Measure – Harriet Powers
- 2001 Twelfth Night – Carmen Khan
- 2001 Cymbeline – David Howey
- 2000 The Winter’s Tale – David Ingram
- 2000 The Taming of the Shrew – Eleanor Holdridge
- 2000 Romeo and Juliet – Tazwell Thompson
- 1999 Much Ado About Nothing – Domenick Scudera
- 1999 Hamlet – Jim Christy
- 1998 The Merchant of Venice – Carmen Khan
- 1998 The Tempest – Eleanor Holdridge
- 1997 Macbeth – Domenick Scudera
- 1996 Deirdre of the Sorrows by J.M. Synge
- 1996 Much Ado About Nothing – Domenick Scudera
Support provided by the Philadelphia Cultural Fund
