For students in Theatre 249: Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF), summer means more than just reading Shakespeare’s plays—it’s about stepping into the world of live theatre. Over the span of six weeks, students study plays in the classroom, discuss their social and historical contexts, and then experience them firsthand at OSF.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is located in Ashland, Oregon, roughly 300 miles south of Portland. It offers a range of performances in three unique venues—two indoor spaces, the Angus Bowmer Theatre and the Thomas Theatre, plus the outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre, designed to recreate a traditional Shakespearean experience.
“It’s a major cultural institution for the state and the region,” says Stephen Weeks, professor emeritus of theatre, who created the course and now teaches it approximately every other year. “It’s high-quality theatre, and it draws audiences from around the country.”
Act I: A Shakespeare Deep Dive
Planning for the OSF trip begins months in advance. Weeks meets with interested students during the registration period to help select the plays they’ll see later in Ashland. This year, students saw five core plays, with the option for students to see additional performances on their own. The core plays were As You Like It, Fat Ham, The Importance of Being Earnest, Jitney, and The Merry Wives of Windsor.
Most of the course is held on the Lewis & Clark campus. During summer session, students meet two hours each weekday for intensive readings, discussions, and performance analysis. The curriculum includes reading plays, studying supplementary materials, and engaging in lots of class discussion. After students attend the plays in Ashland, they return to campus to prepare a culminating project, usually a lecture and slide presentation or a scene recreation.
“We prepare, then see the plays, and then do the class projects,” says Weeks. “There’s a nice through line to the course.”
As the course unfolds, students study contemporary plays as well as American and British classics. A particular focus is on how Shakespeare’s plays can be made more accessible to modern audiences. As Alexandra Gische BA ’25 explains, “Reading Shakespeare is hard. It wasn’t written to be read—it was meant to be heard and performed.” The OSF performances provide a valuable opportunity to understand how contemporary directors make Shakespeare’s works relatable and compelling.
Act II: A Community of Artists
The class is an intimate experience—only nine students were enrolled, with a mix of theatre majors and students from other disciplines, including biology and computer science. “It was a smaller class, and the community aspect was really great,” says Gische, who hails from San Carlos, California, and is double majoring in theatre and biology.
Students carpool the roughly five hours from Portland to Ashland and then stay together in a local hostel. “Their space is really more like an apartment,” says Weeks. “They can eat meals together, go to a park, or check out downtown Ashland.”
Weeks enjoys the sustained interaction with his students. “I get the chance to see a wonderful group of plays with students, which also gives me a chance to know them better in an exciting environment. It’s fun and a learning experience for me.”
Another part of the immersive Ashland experience is interacting with a variety of theatre professionals. “One of the perks of the course is that students get to meet OSF people,” says Weeks. “Students usually meet them in one of two ways—either by attending ‘Prefaces,’ which are pre-show lectures that are done by OSF staff and actors, or in serendipitous moments.”
One such moment occurred when students spotted Tim Bond, OSF’s artistic director, in the back of the Thomas Theatre between performances. “He was lovely and knew Professor Weeks,” says Gische. “We managed to connect the two of them … it was great!”
During their Ashland visit, students may also meet actors, stage managers, production assistants, and other OSF workers. This year, students met with fellow L&C community member Caroline Wilkes BA ’20, who works as an OSF production assistant. “These interactions really enrich the overall experience,” says Weeks.
Act III: Career Impact
For some students, the course has more than just academic value—it can serve as a stepping stone to a theatre career.
Gische plans to apply to OSF’s Fellowship, Assistantship, Internship, and Residency (FAIR) Experience next season or the following year. According to OSF, the program is designed to offer “meaningful professional development for aspiring, emerging, mid-career, and established artists, artisans, and arts administrators.” The program serves as a gateway to theatre careers.
While Gische had been aware of the FAIR Experience before this summer, taking the L&C course “solidified in my brain that I need to apply … I need to work there!”
As she reflects on the course, Gische says she found her interactions with OSF’s theatre professionals particularly meaningful. “They are living our dreams,” she says. “They’re successful and so kind, so sweet. They used to be us.”
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