National Endowment for the Arts presents Shakespeare in American communities

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NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

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PRESENTS

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SHAKESPEARE

IN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES

In partnership with

Welcome to the world of William Shakespeare.

The National Endowment of the Arts is proud to present
Shakespeare in American Communities, the largest tour of
Shakespeare in our nation's history.

Over 15 months, six distinguished theater companies will
bring new productions of Shakespeare to more than 100
small and mid-sized cities in all 50 states. The program will
also reach thousands of schools through exciting educational
materials, classroom workshops, and in-school performances.

The National Endowment for the Arts has created this
program in cooperation with Arts Midwest to help revive
the American tradition of theatrical touring and to bring
the finest art to the broadest possible public.

I would like to thank the honorary co-chairs of Shakespeare
in American Communities, Mrs. Laura Bush and Jack Valenti,
Motion Picture Association of America President and CEO.
Their enthusiastic support has gready enriched the program.

This special commemorative program provides a timeline
on the life and times of William Shakespeare. We hope this
information will enhance your enjoyment of the performance.

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Dana Gioia

Chairman, National Endowment for the Arts

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Title pages from
the quarto
editions of the
four plays being
toured as part of
Shakespeare in
American
Communities.

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map of London,

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NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS

PRESENTS

SHAKESPEARE

IN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES

Queen Elizabeth I
of England begins
her reign.

J[ife and Times o/WIL

1564 1565 1566 1567 1568 1569 1570 1571 1572 1573 1574 1575 1576 1577 1578 1579 1580 1581 1582 1583 1584 1585 1586 1587 1588 1589 1590 1

• William Shakespeare
: born to John and Mary
'• Shakespeare in
; Stratford-upon-Avon.

The first
permanent
theater in
England,
the Theatre,
is built.

Shakespeare
marries Anne
Hathaway.

Arthur Golding

translates Ovid's

Metamporphosis.

The text later

influenced

Shakespeare's

work.

Richard
Burbage, who
portrayed
many of
Shakespeare's
characters,

555 1556 1557 1558 1559 1560 1561 1562 1563 1564 1565 1566 1567 1568 1569 1570 1571 1572 1573 1574 1575

Shakespeare's
twins Judith and
Hamnet born.

Shakespeare's
daughter
Susanna born.

Shakespeare
goes to
London to
pursue life as
an actor and
playwright.

Marlowe's play
Dr. Faustus first
produced.

perf
th

Rid

A

1582 1583 1584 1585 1586 1587 1588 1589 1590 1

LLIAM SHAKESPEARE

1%

John Barrymore
in Hamlet

1590 1591 1592 1593 1594 1595 1596 1597 1598 1599 1600 1601 1602 1603 1604 1605 1606 1607 1608 1609 1610 1611 1612 1613 1614 1615 1616 1617 1618 1619 1620 1621 1622 1C

162

Shakespeare
begins writing
the Sonnets.

First

performances of

the Henry VI

series,

Richard III, and

A Comedy of

Errors.

Hamnet

Shakespeare dies
at age 11.

The Theatre
permanently
closes due
to the
expiration
of its lease.

Shakespeare

becomes

founding

member of

the Lord

Chamberlain's

Men.

Shakespeare's
father dies.

Lord

Chamberlain's
Men lease land
and build the
Globe Theatre
from the remains
of the Theatre. The
Globe opens.

Shakespeare
retires from the
theatre, moves
permanendy
to Stratford.

Puckjrom

A Midsummer

Night's Dream

First

performances of
A Midsummer
Night's Dream,

Romeo and Juliet,
and Richard II.

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Shakespeare
is listed as a
principal actor
in the program
for Ben Jonson's Every
Man in His Humour,
confirming his
reputation as
an actor.

First
performances of
Twelfth Night
and Hamlet.
First
performances of
Julius Caesar,
Henry IV Part I
and II, Henry V,
Much Ado About
Nothing, and The
Merchant of
Venice.

Queen Elizabeth
dies. James VI of
Scodand ascends
to the throne,
becoming King
James I of England
and Scodand.

Shakespeare's
Sonnets
published
without his
permission.

SHAKE5PEAKES

SONNETS

Lucy

Newmcm-Wffiams
in Macbeth

First

performances of

Othello, King

Lear, Macbeth,

and Antony and

Cleopatra.

First
performances of

The Tempest
and Henry VIII.

*

On April 23,
Shakespeare dies at
age 52, and is buried
at Holy Trinity
Church, Stratford,
two days later.

Shakespeare's

wife, Anne

Hathaway,

dies.

First Folio of

Shakespeare's

work is

published.

Ben Jonson's
Workes

published. He
is first living
playwright to
publish his
complete works.

Benjamin West's

King Lear and Cordelia

5MJ 1591 1592 1593 1594 1595 1596 1597 1598 1599 1600 1601 1602 1603 1604 1605 1606 1607 1608 1609 1610 1611 1612 1613 1614 1615 1616 1617 1618 1619 1620 1621 1622 1623 1624 162

A MESSAGE FROM OUR PARTNER
THE SALLIE MAE FUND

As a charitable organization committed to creating
educational opportunities for underserved students,
The Sallie Mae Fund is proud to support the National
Endowment for the Arts' Shakespeare in American
Communities tour.

The Fund applauds this impressive endeavor to share the
works of one of the world's most celebrated artists with
communities throughout the United States. We are
particularly pleased that our contribution to the Shakespeare
in American Communities tour will support The Sallie Mae
Fund's Free Seats for Students initiative. In each community,
50 seats will be made available for free to underserved high
school students and their parents or chaperones.

The Sallie Mae Fund strongly believes that every student
deserves the opportunity to reach their potential and
fulfill their educational dreams. Today's students will be
tomorrow's teachers, police officers, astronauts, doctors,
and, of course, playwrights. That's why the Fund is working
hard to make access to a post-secondary education a reality
for America's children.

The Sallie Mae Fund extends its best wishes to the National
Endowment for the Arts and Arts Midwest for a successful
tour. We hope you enjoy the performance.

y& AS

'0°™^ Theufll iHldbFund e s i

www.shakespeareinamericancommunities.org

FOLGF.R.

Unless otherwise indicated, all images are from the Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington, DC,
home to the world's largest Shakespeare collection. To learn more, visit www.folger.edu.