Tennessee Shakespeare Company

The organization is the mid-south's only professional, union, classical theatre and education Company performing the plays of william Shakespeare and other classical and southern writers; and providing innovative training and outreach programming to learners of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. The 2021-22 productions included the free shout-out production of henry vi: wars of the roses (world premiere Shakespeare adaptation); ada and the engine (regional premiere); the literary salon series of three productions: truman capote's christmas memory and blue roses of Tennessee williams and amongst the stars of jesmyn ward (all premieres); the jack jones children's literacy gala; romeo and juliet project; macbeth initiative; the juvenile justice program, and the feast of crispian-south program for military veterans. Over 30,000 points of contact were created both in-person and virtually during the season.

The organization provided over 350 year-round educational, training, and outreach programs that engaged over 25,000 student interactions in the memphis area during 2021-22. Its new online academy increased offerings to over 60 courses, lectures, playshops, and performances. Programs included the nationally-acclaimed "romeo and juliet project," which brings a 90- minute performance of the play and three non-violence workshops to every freshman in partnering title 1 high schools. Other programs included the successful pilot program of the "macbeth initiative" delivered in schools to high school seniors who experienced the performance accompanied by multiple playshops based on the play's themes; student matinees of "romeo and juliet- and "macbeth;" in-school playshops; arts-in-education residencies; four summer camps; residencies for adjudicated youth in two memphis detention facilities; and long-term residencies for military veterans in chemical dependency/ptsd units at the memphis v.a. Hospital.