The Momentum Is Back - Help Us Keep It Going

I’m 33 years old, and I’ve spent 11 of those years at Island Shakespeare Festival.

That’s a full third of my life.

And somehow, this past year felt like one of the most meaningful yet.

After years of uncertainty, something shifted last season. Our audiences showed up. The energy came back. The laughter felt louder, the applause lasted longer, and performance after performance, our space was filled with something we hadn’t fully felt in a while: 

Momentum.

It reminded me why I said yes to this place 11 years ago. Back then, I thought I was just taking a summer job. I didn’t know I was stepping into something that would shape so much of my life

But here I am, 33 years old, and I’ve spent those years helping build a theatre that believes something simple and radical:

That art should be for everyone, no matter their ability to pay.

At Island Shakespeare Festival, we’re Pay-What-You-Will. No fixed ticket price. Just an open invitation.

And because of that, every summer, thousands of people gather together; neighbors, families, visitors. Each brings their own story, and each leaves a little more connected than when they arrived.

Last season proved how powerful that can be.

It showed us what’s possible when a community rallies around something it loves. It showed us that this work still deeply matters. And now, we get to build on that.

This summer, we’re carrying that momentum into a new season with Macbeth and Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest - two stories that invite us to explore power, justice, and what it means to stand up for one another.

We’re growing, dreaming bigger, and continuing to create a space where everyone belongs. But here’s the truth:

Momentum like this doesn’t sustain itself.

It takes continued investment. It takes belief. It takes people choosing to show up—not just in the audience, but in support.

That’s where you come in.

About 80% of our budget goes directly to people—the artists and staff who make this work happen. Your donation has an immediate, tangible impact on the lives of the people creating these experiences.

So this year, I’m asking you to be part of what comes next.

Like previous years, I’ll be matching the first $500 in donations to my campaign.

If you were part of last season—if you felt that energy, that connection, that joy—I hope you’ll help us carry it forward.

Because after spending a third of my life here, I can say this with complete certainty:

What we’re building together is not only worth sustaining - it’s worth celebrating. Let’s keep it going!