The mission of the New Orleans Shakespeare Festival at Tulane is to produce professional, classical theatre with a primary focus upon the works of William Shakespeare. Our commitment is to utilize local, national, and international talent to create dynamic, visceral, text-based performances celebrating Shakespeare’s brilliant insight into the human condition. With this programming we will provide to the people of the Gulf South both entertainment and educational resources of the highest quality, honoring Shakespeare’s legacy.
Founded in 1993 by several Tulane Faculty members, the Festival has become one of the most significant theatre companies in the Gulf South. Each season typically consists of two mainstage productions, various lagniappe events, and our acclaimed Peformance for the Schools educational program. Programming is also taken to schools in the greater New Orleans area to awaken new generations to the power of language and literacy through live, professional performances of Shakespeare’s plays.