The Delaware Shakespeare Community Tour aims to bring professional Shakespeare performances to the full spectrum of humanity in our state.
The centerpiece of the tour is seventeen performances at homeless shelters, detention facilities, community centers and other non-traditional locations where people may have limited access to the arts.
Many of the tour performances are open to members of the general public and represent a powerful viewing experience. Individuals must RSVP. Open seats are limited so as to maintain the focus of each performance on the individuals served by each partner venue. Reservations will be opened in the fall.
THE MERCHANT OF VENICE TOUR SCHEDULE WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN LATE SUMMER 2018
Locations for the 2017 Community Tour were:
Achievement Center – Wilmington
Broad Street Ministry – Philadelphia
Delaware Psychiatric Center – New Castle
Dover homeless shelters at Christ Episcopal Church
Greenwood Public Library – Greenwood
Groves Adult High School (Red Clay) – Marshallton
Kent County Public Library – Dover
Ministry of Caring/Sacred Heart Village – Trinity Vicinity
Rick Van Story Resource Center – Wilmington Riverfront
Stockley Center – Georgetown
Performances were also offered at Baylor Women’s Correctional Institution, Ferris School for Boys, Howard R. Young Correctional Institution
The Community Tour commenced in November 2016 by offering performances of Pericles, Prince of Tyre in all three Delaware counties, serving 619 individuals. Ten of the tour performances were open to the general public to attend as guests at our community venues, creating wonderful audiences from all walks of life.
The feedback Delaware Shakespeare received from audience members for Pericles was extraordinary, some of which is included below.
“I would like to thank you very much for being willing to share your talent with us. I am happy that I was open about coming to see the play. I never in a million years that I would see a Shakespeare play and boy was it a good one. I will follow the Festival upon my release because I will go to see another one.”
– Inmate, Baylor Women’s Correctional Institute
“I felt like Shakespeare wanted to send us angels, to tell us we’re all kings and queens.”
– Patient, Delaware Psychiatric Center
“This was really nice. It was so nice that you came right here to us, because a lot of us, we can’t leave here. So we don’t get to do things like this.”
– Patient, Delaware Psychiatric Center
“I had never seen some of these boys smile and laugh before…you just don’t see it often. And I would say the same for some of the staff! So that was something really nice, to be able to smile and laugh together, for a change.”
– Staff Member, Ferris School for Boys
“I’m not a theater guy, I’m pretty sure I haven’t seen or read anything to do with Shakespeare since high school, which has been a looong time. But okay, you got me. I really liked the parts with action and music, and it was just really good overall. I might just have to come out in the summer to see the next one.”
– Audience Member, Absalom Jones Senior Center
