From the Producing Director

Welcome to Kentucky Shakespeare Festival’s 39th season of free summer performances of the plays of William Shakespeare.

For those of you who may not be aware, Kentucky Shakespeare Festival is a year-round operation. During the academic year, our educational outreach program, Will on Wheels, tours to elementary, middle and high schools throughout Kentucky. This year we presented 459 performances in 190 venues in 70 counties to 35,752 kindergarten through high school students. To date, we have served 205,786 students in 113 of Kentucky’s 120 counties. We will tour to the remaining seven counties during the 1999-2000 academic year.

While the educational outreach program is healthy and growing, sadly, our summer programming’s health is weakening and its growth is stunted. I have been asked these past two summers why we only do one Shakespearean production. In the recent past, we did two and in the distant past (1989) we did three productions. The answer is quite simply a matter of money. We are receiving less financial support for our summer programming.

There is a perception that because we have been around since 1960, we must have a patron saint who contributes the bulk of our $500,000 annual operating budget ($150,000 of that is the summer programming budget). That simply is not true. The Fund for the Arts is our largest single supporter, contributing 20% of our annual operationg budget. The remaining 80% must come from corporations, businesses, foundations, local and state government, neighborhood associations, patrons, passing the hat at intermission, fundraising events, fees for our educational outreach programs, t–shirt and concession sales.

Each year, we are more and more challenged to keep Will’s work alive, well and free of charge. If you value our contribution to the quality of life in Louisville, then I need your able assistance. Here are eleven ways in which you can contribute to help keep our summer Will Alive:

1. contribute generously as our intern and apprentice company pass amongst you at intermission;

2. make an annual donation during our patron drive;

3. purchase tickets to our annual fund raiser;

4. help us secure support (either cash or an in–kind donation of goods and/or services) from your place of employment and from your neighborhood association, club, or religious organization;

5. help us secure a donation from your family foundation;

6. remember us in your will;

7. book a performance of one of our educational outreach programs at your school, community center, retirement home, and/or religious center;

8. buy a t-shirt or sweatshirt;

9. if a financial contribution is out of the question, then please join our volunteer organization and contribute your time and energy;

10. join our board of directors;

11. last but not least, recommend, or better yet, bring family, friends, and neighbors to our production.

Curt L. Tofteland

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