Emotions, not Emojis
July 7 – 11
Monday through Friday – 10 am to 3 pm
LOCATION
Mid-City Area, near La Cienega & Rodeo
Grades 2 through 8 (Fall 2025)
July 14 – 18
Monday through Friday – 10 am to 3 pm
LOCATION
Mid-City Area, near La Cienega & Rodeo
Grades 2 through 8 (Fall 2025)
We are excited to announce our new season – three plays, to be presented in March of 2025, at the beautiful Hudson Theatre Backstage (6539 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038). The Box Office is now open – reserve your tickets today!
Meet Proteus and Valentine in the OG “bro-mantic comedy.”
Saturday, March 8 at 2 pm
Sunday, March 9 at 2 pm
Saturday, March 15 at 2 pm
Sunday, March 16 at 2 pm
Set against the backdrop of post-apocalyptic LA, it’s the anti-Romeo & Juliet …
Saturday, March 22 at 5 pm
Sunday, March 23 at 5 pm
Saturday, March 29 at 5 pm
Sunday, March 30 at 5 pm
Cross-dressing women, a professional “fool,” and mass weddings galore.
Saturday, March 22 at 1 pm
Sunday, March 23 at 1 pm
Saturday, March 29 at 1 pm
Sunday, March 30 at 1 pm
We are excited to announce openings in our production of “As You Like It.”. If this will be your first time participating in a class, workshop, or production, please email us at speak@shakespeareyouthfestival.com to schedule an introductory meeting (phone/Zoom).
All rehearsals will be held at World City Center (3911 W Adams Blvd – just east of Crenshaw). Performance venue details are still being finalized, and will be announced before rehearsals begin.
Tuition for each participant is $700.
Finances should never be a barrier to participation – you may apply here: Financial Aid. If you have received financial aid in the past, please email us for details on continuing.
Evil Duke Frederick is not a nice guy. After a rigged wrestling match goes sour, Rosalind and friends escape the rigidity and nastiness of the cruel city, where they were the victims of arbitrary and unfair rules, for the Forest of Arden, where “Do Unto Others” is the law of the land, and where a cast of eccentric characters are all just trying to find someone to love.
For grades 3 through 8
REHEARSALS
Saturdays from 3 pm to 5 pm
First rehearsal – Saturday, October 12
No rehearsal Thanksgiving weekend
Winter Break – December 21 and 28
Retreat – Sunday, March 2 (extended afternoon rehearsal)
Techs (4:30 to 7:30 pm)-
Tuesday, March 18
Thursday, March 20
Tuesday, March 25
Thursday, March 27
PERFORMANCES
Saturday, March 29 at 1 pm
Sunday, March 30 at 1 pm
Saturday, April 5 at 2 pm
Sunday, April 6 at 2 pm
ONE WEEKEND ONLY!! Join us for Ren Week ’24 and our production of Love’s Labours Lost!
Friday, July 26 at 6 pm
Saturday, July 27 at 4 pm
Village Green
5300 Obama Blvd
Enter at Cloverdale and Obama Blvd, and park near Court 12, then follow the SYF signs to the West Green.
(https://maps.app.goo.gl/EbJPZDX7p1TnZLfr7)
Please bring chairs or blankets for seating.
No reservations needed!!
We are delighted to present our 3rd Annual Renaissance Week (aka “Ren Week”) production, inspired by a tradition at Staunton, Virginia’s American Shakespeare Center, where actors gather to explore a play according to the staging conditions in Shakespeare’s day. The following are some of the guiding principals of our process:
Natural Light
Shakespeare’s actors rehearsed and performed outdoors, in daylight. This means that the actors can see the audience, making you an important part of the performance.
Short rehearsal periods
Plays were generally mounted with just a few rehearsals; the actors would come to the first rehearsal already knowing their lines. Audiences loved coming to the early performances, knowing that the production was still being crafted.
No directors
Crafting the production was a collaborative effort, by a group of theatre artists who, like us, had worked together many times, and shared a history.
No designers
Actors devised their own costumes from what was on-hand – back then, it was often discarded clothing from their supporting patrons!!
Posted in Summer 2024
by mistressq
July 8 – 12
Monday through Friday – 10 am to 3 pm
LOCATION
Mid-City Area, near La Cienega & Rodeo
Grades 2 through 8 (Fall 2024)
Posted in Summer 2024
by mistressq
July 15 – 19
Monday through Friday – 10 am to 3 pm
LOCATION
Mid-City Area, near La Cienega & Rodeo
Grades 2 through 8 (Fall 2023)
After 18 years of growth and expansion, we have had a rich and notable year of milestones in 2023.
After moving online during COVID, it was glorious to be together again in 2022 to present The Winter’s Tale and Much Ado about Nothing, and we continued to regain our momentum with Shakespeare Youth Festival LA ‘23.
Using the amphitheater at Our Lady of Bright Mount (a hidden gem in Mid-City), our teen ensemble presented a sweepingly epic production of a condensed edit of all three parts of the rarely performed Henry VI – an almost five hour show each performance!
Running alongside Henry, our younger players gave us a dark and inspired production of Macbeth, made even more evocative by our setting outside of the opulent Catholic Church.
Sadly, the end of our 2023 Festival also brought an end of an era as this was the final season for founder Blaire Baron Larsen as Artistic Director. After almost twenty years guiding the creative vision behind SYF, Blaire has taken her passion and talent across the country to Staunton, Virginia to begin a new chapter in her Shakespeare journey. Not having her in rehearsals and meetings leaves a massive hole that will never truly be filled, however, Blaire’s blood will always run through the veins of SYF and we are proud to announce that she will be joining as the first member of our newly forming Board Of Trustees.
Although the “Bl-era” (Blaire + Era) is over, we are just getting started! Our Executive Director Julia Wyson has stepped into the role of Artistic Director to carry forward the vision of the organization. To fill her role as ED, one of our long-time teaching artists, and former manager of the Pasadena Playhouse, J. Bailey Burcham has taken the reins. Looking to the future, Julia and Bailey hope to continue the legacy of the Festival while also expanding our name to larger audiences of the greater Los Angeles community.
This past summer we spent three weeks in Shakespeare Intensive heaven at Kenneth Hahn Park – two of those weeks were spent with our younger tragedians (mostly new to SYF) building the basics, while our final week featured our high school students, who, in just five magical days, directed and performed an extraordinary production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Performed under a massive “wedding” tree at the idyllic Village Green, our “Renaissance Run” (replicating as closely as possible the norms of the original productions in Shakespeare’s day) was a difficult and rewarding process that we will be continuing in future summers.
Since September we’ve been focused on our 2024 festival to be presented at the historic Hudson Theater Backstage in Hollywood – home to many theatrical world premieres, as well as Comedy Central stand-up specials. We hope you will join us – you can find performance details here!!
January will see us expanding our circle even further, as we return to our community outreach! We are establishing partnerships with local libraries and LAUSD schools to continue our goal of giving access to the magic of Shakespeare to every child in our city.
We are fortunate to have a loyal staff of extraordinary teaching artists – Kila Packett, Esdras Toussaint, Anniwaa Buachie, and Stephanie Ferrell have all been with us for over a decade and although they may step away periodically to pursue other professional endeavors, they maintain roles within the festival and will always have an artistic home with us. We’ve also added two new teaching artists to our rolodex of talent – we welcome Alessandra Ma
The Future is bright for SYF. There is potential for us to travel again in Summer 2024 to spread the joy of theatre and the stories of Shakespeare across the globe. Many of our alumni have expressed interest in our goal to present Alumni Shows, possibly at the Hollywood Fringe Festival, allowing our past players to return to our stage.
Here’s where you come in – It is time to rebuild our infrastructure to support the more than 1,000 young artists we will work with in the coming years – your donation can help us do that! Please help us continue our mission to make the magic of theater and Shakespeare accessible to all!
With much love, and best wishes for a spectacular 2024!
Julia & Bailey
PS. Interested in helping Shakespeare Youth Festival in other ways? Check out our Wish List!!
We are excited to announce our new season – three plays, to be presented in March of 2024, at the beautiful Hudson Theatre Backstage (6539 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038). The Box Office will open at the beginning of February – hope to see you in the audience!!
What makes a tyrant? And who is the hero and who is the villain?
Saturday, March 2 at 2 pm
Sunday, March 3 at 2 pm
Saturday, March 9 at 1 pm
Sunday, March 10 at 1 pm
Man vs. Martyr – the downfall of an insecure king …
Saturday, March 9 at 5 pm
Sunday, March 10 at 5 pm
Saturday, March 16 at 5 pm
Sunday, March 17 at 5 pm
Marauders meet Magic – shipwreck and sorcery on an island of dreams!!
Saturday, March 16 at 1 pm
Sunday, March 17 at 1 pm
Saturday, March 23 at 2 pm
Sunday, March 24 at 2 pm
After seventeen years with Shakespeare Youth Festival, Blaire Baron is leaving Los Angeles as well as her position as Artistic Director of the youth arts non-profit that she founded. She will continue to serve on the Board of Directors and as a global ambassador from her new location in Staunton, Virginia (home of American Shakespeare Center). J. Bailey Burcham, who has been involved/engaged with the organization since 2015, will step into the Executive Director spot, replacing Julia Walker Wyson who, as the new Artistic Director, will focus on the artistic direction of the company.
Baron founded SYF (formerly, Los Angeles Drama Club) in 2005, with a handful of children in her backyard — home of the historic Brookledge Theatre, precursor to LA’s Magic Castle. Through her artistic vision, the group exploded into a thriving non-profit that has reached children not only all over LA, but in Kenya, Botswana, and Mexico. “We are delighted that Blaire will continue her association with Shakespeare Youth Festival,” Wyson commented. “Among other things, as a Board member, she will be integrally involved in developing our international program, which she initiated with a trip to Botswana in 2018.”
As Executive Director, J. Bailey Burcham will focus on expanding the programming and reach of SYF to make the highest quality of theater and community even more accessible to the youth of Los Angeles and beyond. Burcham, who first became associated with SYF in 2015 as a cast member of a production of Baron’s original script “Outspoken: Shakespeare in Shackles,” is also a local Director, Producer and Award-Winning Writer. He has directed and produced everything from Regional Musical Theater to Experimental Fringe offerings. Previously, in his role as the Manager of the Pasadena Playhouse, Burcham was an integral part of their Tony Award Winning season. “Shakespeare Youth Festival has changed the lives of so many people, including myself,” said Burcham. “I couldn’t be more proud to take on this position to bring more of what we do to the world.” Wyson added, “Bailey is a creative, dynamic, and multi-talented artist, and we are excited to see where he takes our organization. His deep connections to the Los Angeles theater community will benefit our young artists, and he is already using those connections to bring new and diverse talent to our teaching staff.”
Shakespeare Youth Festival’s first project under Burcham’s leadership was the annual Summer Shakespeare Institute. Youth, ages 7 – 14, from all over Los Angeles gathered in Kenneth Hahn Park to explore Shakespeare and theater. Immediately following that, the SYF Teen Ensemble presented the 2nd Annual “Ren Week,” inspired by a tradition at Staunton Virginia’s American Shakespeare Center, where they met on Monday, rehearsed all week, and presented a full-length production (this year’s was “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”) on Friday and Saturday.
In the Fall, the troupe will begin rehearsals for “Richard II” (first time for the company), “Julius Caesar,” and “The Tempest.” The productions will be presented at the 18th annual Shakespeare Youth Festival LA.
Saturday, March 11: Part One at 2 pm and Part Two at 4:30 pm
Sunday, March 12: Part One at 3 pm and Part Two at 5:30 pm
Saturday, March 18: Part One at 3 pm and Part Two at 5:30 pm
Sunday, March 19: Part One at 3 pm and Part Two at 5:30 pm
Saturday, March 25: Part One at 3 pm and Part Two at 4 pm
Sunday, March 26: Part One at 3 pm and Part Two at 4 pm
All performances will take place at:
Our Lady of Bright Mount
3424 W Adams Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90018
COVID POLICIES
Because the performance is outdoors, we will not require masks or proof of vaccination. We kindly request, though, that if you are feeling ill, you stay home, as you will be sitting in close proximity to other audience members.
Posted in Summer 2023
by Kirsten
July 10 – 14
Monday through Friday – 10 am to 3 pm
LOCATION
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
4100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90056
Grades 2 through 8 (Fall 2023)
Posted in Summer 2023
by Kirsten
July 17 – 21
Monday through Friday – 10 am to 3 pm
LOCATION
Kenneth Hahn State Recreation Area
4100 S La Cienega Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90056
Grades 2 through 8 (Fall 2023)
