The Freewill Shakespeare Festival (known as the River City Shakespeare Festival from 1998–2009) is produced by The Free Will Players Theatre Guild (FWP) in Edmonton and is one of the longest running outdoor Shakespeare Festivals in Canada. FWP was formed as a not-for-profit theatre company in 1989 by a group of seven recent graduates of the U of A in a truly cooperative, pass-the-hat spirit with the mandate to produce the works of William Shakespeare. Since then, FWP has grown to an organization that employs over 50 artists, administrators, and support staff at the height of the summer season of plays and has drawn over 250,000 people to its productions. In addition, the summer season down at the Heritage Amphitheatre in Hawrelak Park also has over 150 volunteers assisting with the afternoon and evening shows and special events. These volunteers put in over 4000 hours each summer.

The set for As You Like It and Coriolanus for Freewill Shakespeare Festival in 2015

FWP’s seasons consist of two fully realized Shakespearean productions that play in repertory over 4 weeks from late June to late July. Productions boast contemporary interpretations of setting, theme, and character to best communicate the plays ideas for a modern audience. Some seasons have also included ancillary events such as an off-site secondary production, guest productions, puppet shows, and Camp Shakespeare. FWP endeavours to make the productions accessible to all audiences, regardless of age, ability, education or income levels, while also developing new audiences and mentoring theatre professionals of the future. In the spirit of the original artists’ ‘pass the hat’ philosophy FWP continues encouraging audiences with Pay-What-You-Will and special pricing for students and seniors.[1]

Due to significant damage to Freewill's traditional venue at the Heritage Amphitheatre, the festival's 2014 season took place inside the Myer Horowitz Theatre in the University of Alberta's Students' Union Building (8900 114 Street).

In 2023 the festival was required move from the venerable Hawrelak Park Heritage Amphitheatre, which has been its home since its founding due to the City of Edmonton's Rehabilitation Project. For the 2023 season the festival will move to a Spiegeltent set up on the Edmonton Expo Centre grounds.

Recent productions

YearTragedyComedySeason
2023 Romeo and Juliet Twelfth Night August 8 - September 3
2022 Measure for Measure A Midsummer Night's Dream June 14 – July 10[2]
2021 Macbeth Much Ado About Nothing August 10 - 29 (travelling shows on-demand)
2019 The Winter's Tale The Two Gentlemen of Verona June 18 – July 14[3]
2018 Hamlet The Comedy of Errors June 19 – July 15[3]
2017Merchant of VeniceThe Merry Wives of WindsorJune 20 – July 16[4]
2016Romeo and JulietLove's Labour's LostJune 21 – July 17[5]
2015CoriolanusAs You Like ItJune 23 – July 19
2014cancelledThe Taming of the Shrew
2013King LearA Midsummer Night's Dream
2012Julius CaesarThe TempestJune 26 - July 22
2011OthelloTwelfth NightJune 30 - July 24
2010MacbethMuch Ado About Nothing
2009Titus AndronicusThe Comedy of ErrorsJune 30 - July 26
2008Richard IIIAs You Like ItJune 24 - July 20
2007Two Gents (musical)The Winter's Tale
2006HamletThe Taming of the Shrew
2005Romeo and JulietLove's Labour's Lost
2004The Merchant of VeniceTwelfth Night
2003Henry VA Midsummer Night's Dream
2002The TempestThe Merry Wives of Windsor
2001Richard IIIAs You Like It
2000King LearMuch Ado About Nothing
1999MacbethThe Two Gentlemen of Verona
1998Julius CaesarThe Comedy of Errors

References

  1. ↑ "History | Alberta | Freewill Shakespeare Festival". Freewill Shakespeare. Retrieved 2022-11-04.
  2. ↑ "Calendar | Edmonton Alberta | Freewill Shakespeare Festival". FreewillShakespeare. Retrieved 2022-07-11.
  3. 1 2 "Schedule | Edmonton Alberta | Freewill Shakespeare Festival". FreewillShakespeare. Retrieved 2019-08-27.
  4. ↑ "Freewill Shakespeare Festival – Schedule". Archived from the original on 2016-09-04.
  5. ↑ "Freewill Shakespeare Festival – Schedule". Archived from the original on 2016-07-15. Retrieved 2016-07-12.
  • Official website: Information on the festival's history and the Free Will Players


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