THE OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL EXPERIENCE

The folks at Oregon Shakespeare Festival make it easy to welcome kids to an incredible experience and I’m really excited. Often these shows are modern takes on classics with diverse, out-of-the-box casting. Even if your child is not super jazzed about Shakespeare they will still glean a lot from an experience like this.

WHO: Advanced students get first dibs; if there is space after advanced have registered experienced middle school PDC students may register; (Caroline must know and trust your child on an overnight trip). We travel by private car - volunteer parent chaperones drive their child(ren) + however many other kids they can fit in their car!

This is meant to be a fun time spent as a whole group and we will do our best to stay together. When shopping and dining in restaurants it’s especially hard to do this, but all students are expected to attend PDC official weekend events together. There is no opt-out for students. If you attend the weekend you attend all PDC scheduled events. Chaperones do not attend the student workshop and can opt out of the tour or shows if they want. We do have to reserve tickets for every event early so if you decide to skip any of these please let us know ASAP so we can reduce the # of tickets and your chaperone fee.

WHEN: June 13 - 15, 2025
(we will have a meeting in our PDC classroom on Thursday June 12 at 7pm)
Here’s what is planned for 2025:
Friday June 13: cars should leave by 8:30ish Friday morning to arrive by 2pm at the latest (we figure a 30 minute lunch break on the way down)
3pm: student workshop (waiting for OSF confirmation late November)
Hotel check in is also 3pm- parents/chaperones can get settled while Caroline and Kids head to workshop
4:30 - 6:30 free time to swim or shop with a chaperone
6:45- dinner (together hopefully at hotel - TBD)
8pm: The Merry Wives of Windsor (At the Allen Elizabathen Theater outdoor venue)
lights out by midnight

Saturday June 14:
7 - 9:30am: breakfast available in hotel breakfast room
Morning free time to swim, shop, etc or a student tour (TBD)
lunch on your own with chaperone/small groups (or a PICNIC LUNCH TOGETHER here or maybe tomorrow, TBD)
1:30pm: The Importance of Being Earnest (Angus Bowmer theater)
4pm - 7:40pm- free time to swim or shop, dinner on your own in smaller groups with chaperone
8pm: Into The Woods (At the Allen Elizabathen Theater outdoor venue)
lights out by midnight

Sunday June 15:
7 - 9:30am: breakfast available in hotel breakfast room
9:30: backstage tour (waiting for OSF confirmation late November)
hotel check out 11am, students should be packed up before going on the tour (there is a possible late check out option at noon)
11:30am PICNIC LUNCH together either in Lithia Park (in previous years we ordered from Sammich and had lots of fun playing games in the park.)
Car groups can leave any time after lunch - some groups may choose to stay and shop

WHERE: Ashland, Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and The Bard’s Inn
accommodations at The Bard’s Inn in Ashland, OR (walking distance to the theaters); All rooms will have one adult present unless- this year we do not have access to adjoining rooms. Chaperones and kids should be comfortable rooming with people other than family members! Generally, students will need to share a bed with another student to keep the costs down for everyone - please discuss this with your child and with me if needed. Roommate requests can be made and are usually accommodated if you request early. Where possible we will wheel in roll away beds (not all rooms will support this so it depends on the available rooms) so please ask about that if nervous about sleeping with another student. I will keep the rooms divided by boys or girls, but please also talk with me about this if needed!! If rooming with others is a no go for your child and you are chaperoning please expect to pay for your room. Things also depend on the chaperones we have - please understand allocations are tricky and take a lot of work!

HOW MUCH: The total per student for 2024 was $330. I anticipate this year closer to $375 - 395 because we will see 3 shows. We will have confirmation from OSF by end of November and final costs in early 2025. Please hold your child’s spot by December 20 with a $25 refundable deposit. If you’re considering chaperoning please also register yourself- if you decide not to go or we don’t need as many chaperones as have registered we can apply that $25 to your child’s fee.

WHAT IT INCLUDES:
Chaperone/drivers do not pay for hotel, but all other adults in the room must cover their portion of the room (if both parents attend, the family should pay for the full room).
Hotel accommodations for two nights
breakfast at hotel both mornings
student workshop
student tour
picnic lunch
Friday evening show
Saturday matinee and evening shows

Extra costs per student are estimated to be somewhere around $50-80 depending on how long you stay, additional meals/souvenirs the student chooses on their own time and some gas money to your child’s driver.
Please discuss with your child how they will pay for additional meals (cash, apple pay, card?). Please do not plan on reimbursing chaperones for your child’s purchases.


I’m not promising your child will love Shakespeare after this trip, but I know your child will come away from this experience with more interest in theater and literature in general (and hopefully a better understanding and respect for Shakespeare). Shakespeare is meant to be seen and experienced. By watching, listening and breathing it in they will be better equipped when it’s time to read it in high school (or maybe middle school). Shakespeare is not to be feared! I loved the idea of Shakespeare as a kid, but had such a hard time deciphering and didn’t think I’d ever really get it it until I started watching films.
I never got to see live Shakespeare when I was young and really want that for my students. OSF does such an incredible job with their productions. Often these shows are set in different time periods and swap genders to tell the stories in a new way. You can read more about the upcoming show on the OSF website.