Keeping Empathy Alive, One Story at a Time

I used to hate Shakespeare.

I couldn't understand it. It didn't make any sense to me. How could a man who lived 400 years ago have anything relevant to say about my life today? How could his words still matter?

The answer is: everything.
His work is as urgent and alive today as it was then. 

His narrative explorations of the human condition applies just as much today as it did then. The challenges we face— the divisions we create, the walls we build to separate ourselves from one another aren't new. They've been with us for centuries. Shakespeare's work shines a light on this truth. It breaks down those barriers. They bridge the then and now — and they remind us that what binds us together is far greater than what divides us. 

Shakespeare is a tool for humanity.

A time machine for empathy. A mirror for compassion. His work calls us to see each other — and ourselves — with greater love. 

Company members from the 2024 Season

Island Shakespeare Festival(ISF) is dedicated to bringing this power to everyone. They create bold, brilliant, and fun theater that is accessible to all, no matter their financial means. They believe that great theater should belong to everyone— and they make it happen.

Your donation helps ISF continue their mission:

• Make professional theater free and accessible
• Provide a space where community and compassion can grow
• Support artist who are committed to telling stories that matter
  
  

Please consider supporting Island Shakespeare Festival today. When you give, you're not just supporting a theater.
You're helping to keep art alive.
You're helping to keep empathy alive.
You're helping to keep connection alive. 

Your gift — no matter the size — makes a real difference. Together, we can build a more compassionate world, one story at a time. 

This summer, ISF brings two extraordinary plays to life:

• Shakespeare’s sharp-witted comedy Much Ado About Nothing

• Amelia Roselli’s fierce and feminist gem Anima (Her Soul), part of Hedgepig Ensemble’s Expand the Canon initiative.

Will you join me in supporting this season? Your gift powers accessible, inclusive theatre that transforms lives. Let’s make a space—together—where everyone belongs.

*Header Photo by Quinlan Corbett