The Chester County Shakespeare Festival, now in its 37th year, is an educational and entertaining event that brings together nearly 300 talented students from Chester County elementary, middle and high schools. Each school is given 20 minutes to perform and adapt a Shakespearean production, provided it stays within the main theme of the original play.

The study of Shakespeare in Chester County's classrooms is an integral part of the language arts curricula. Annually, the festival gives students an avenue to share their Shakespearean passion and to perform before an appreciative audience. The audience is also entertained by a "Master of Revelry," where professional actors present facts about Shakespeare, his works and life in Elizabethan England.

Although a festival and not a competition, individual and group awards are presented to students and their schools to recognize outstanding performances and special contributions to the stage. The goal of the festival is to cultivate a love of Shakespeare and theater in our students and to enrich the language arts curricula of our schools.

Each Shakespeare Festival will be held as long as there are a minimum of six schools. This guarantees that the experience is academically enriching and a valuable use of students' time.

This year's Festival will be held on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, at Madeleine Wing Adler Theatre at West Chester University! 

To view last year's recording of the show, click here! 

To view this year's program, click here!