Heart of America Shakespeare Festival

About Us

The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival was founded in 1991 by Tony-Award-winning Broadway producer Marilyn Strauss, and it launched its first season in 1993 in Southmoreland Park. Since then, more than 800,000 theatergoers from 42 states and 11 countries have enjoyed the Festival's free professional productions.

Our mission is to make the works of Shakespeare and Shakespeare-inspired works accessible to a diverse audience through a free, professional, outdoor festival, and additional free and paid performances and educational programs.