Freewill Shakespeare Festival

Free Will Players Theatre Guild endeavor to create professional, contemporary, innovative productions of the works of William Shakespeare that are accessible to all audiences, regardless of age, ability, education, or income levels, while also developing new audiences and mentoring theatre professionals of the future. Free Will Players was formed in 1989 by a group of young emerging actors with the mandate to produce the works of William Shakespeare in the form of the Freewill Shakespeare Festival. The high quality of production and very affordable ticket prices, which range from pay-what-you-will performances to free admission for children ten and under, has attracted over 360,000 people to 51 main stage productions at the Festival. The plays are performed at Hawrelak Park in the 1100 seat, canopy covered, Heritage Amphitheatre over four weeks from late June to July. The Festival employs over 50 people at the height of the Festival, including actors, designers, stage managers, production crew and Front of House assistants. Over 150 volunteers lend their time and energy to making the Festival the wonderful and popular event that it is. The Festival features a number of extra ticketed events prior to the performances such as Date Nights, Cask Nights, Wine Tastings, Afternoon Tea and a Shakespearean Feast. As part of our mandate to make Shakespeare accessible to all, we also have emerging artists presenting a 15 minute synopsis of the performances in the form of a funny audience engaging puppet show before Saturday and Sunday Matinees and Tuesdays PWYW performances. The puppet shows and the special events enhance the Festival atmosphere and are extremely well received by our patrons. Our Corporate sponsors, by their monetary and in kind assistance, our private donors and our volunteers make the continued success of the Festival possible.