The Ithaca Shakespeare Company is a regional theatre organization in Central New York. Our performances draw thousands of audience members each year, with visitors over the years coming from throughout New York State and from 38 other states and 34 foreign countries.
ISC currently presents an outdoor Shakespeare festival each July, featuring two plays in rotating repertory. The Company has also produced indoor productions in the winter and fall at the Hangar Theatre and other venues in Ithaca. ISC productions have included both Equity and non-Equity actors, with actors and designers coming from throughout Central New York, New York City, Chicago, and elsewhere.
ISC's work has received enthusiastic support over the years from the Tompkins County Strategic Tourism Planning Board, the New York State Council on the Arts, the Tompkins County Community Arts Partnership, and the Cornell Council for the Arts. We have strong ties to the Cornell and Ithaca College Theatre Departments, and our productions often feature the work of faculty, staff, students, and alumni from both institutions.
The Ithaca Shakespeare Company is dedicated to making Shakespeare clear and exciting to everyone. Our goal is to bring Shakespeare's works to life in productions that combine the highest artistic quality with broad audience appeal.
Our approach to Shakespeare is built on the core principles of:
As an organization, we are committed to:
From the very beginning, we have had a vision of creating an Ithaca Shakespeare Festival. Given Ithaca's beautiful locations, deep pools of theatrical talent, and unique spirit, there could not be a more perfect place for an event like this.
As we envision it, the Ithaca Shakespeare Festival would:
