History

In 1986, The Shakespeare Center, operating as Shakespeare Festival/LA, presented the first Summer Festival, with performances of Twelfth Night in Pershing Square. More than 25 years later, The Shakespeare Center continues to create accessible theater that serves and builds community in innovative, unexpected ways. In 1993, the organization expanded to include outreach programs such as Will Power to Youth, an academic enrichment program that combines hands-on artistic experience with paid job training, specifically created to provide arts education to at-risk youth. The program has been so successful that in 2005, First Lady Laura Bush attended a Will Power to Youth performance in Los Angeles as part of a regional tour of exemplary youth programs. Will Power to Youth is currently being replicated across the country as part of the federal government's Gang Reduction Programs.

Specialties

Formerly Shakespeare Festival/LA, The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles is a vibrant hub of unique programs and events designed to make Shakespeare accessible and engaging to all.