With a mission to bring Shakespeare and other classic theatre to life for audiences of all ages, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company has been sharing the wit and magic of Shakespeare with audiences since 1993. Originally founded as the Fahrenheit Theatre Company, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company’s first production was "The Taming of the Shrew" in Cincinnati’s Over-the-Rhine. In 2014, CSC became one of the first five theatres in the U.S. to "Complete the Canon" by professionally producing all 38 of Shakespeare’s plays.

Beginning in July, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company will present its 2019-2020 Season of the Woman celebrating women as playwrights, actors, directors and designers, and shining a light on the female experience through various genres and ages. This season will feature reimaginings of classic works, such as "Miss Holmes" depicting the iconic Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson as two women solving crimes in Victorian England, and "Hamlet," directed by a female with the title character re-gendered as a woman. Shakespeare’s classic "The Merry Wives of Windsor" will be set on the eve of women’s suffrage in 1919, and a delightful new Kate Hamill adaptation of Jane Austen’s "Pride and Prejudice" will also be directed by a woman. The acclaimed American playwright Lauren Gunderson will be celebrated with the Regional Premiere of "Book of Will," a heartwarming story about the friends who saved William Shakespeare’s plays from disappearance.

"All of the plays that are going in [this season] are in celebration of the centennial of the 19th Amendment [granting women the right to vote]," says Sara Clark, Associate Artistic Director. "It always begins with, ‘What’s happening in the world right now, and what do we want to say about it?’ This is in alignment with an initiative called The Power of Her that’s being driven by ArtsWave. Many organizations all across the community – arts and otherwise – are going to be investing time and resources to feature women and celebrate the centennial."

At the end of the day, while entertainment may be the primary goal, Clark stresses that it isn’t the only goal. "We love entertaining and making people laugh, but we really believe that the work that we do should reinforce the idea of theatre as a communal experience. We chose the Season of the Woman because it’s vital, especially in our present moment, to ensure that women’s stories and voices are told, heard, acknowledged and valued. Just as we believe that Shakespeare is for everyone, we feel that everyone can and should recognize not only their mothers, sisters, wives, and daughters in these stories, but also themselves. It’s our responsibility and purpose to ‘hold the mirror up to nature’ by producing great theatre. It is our hope that, although the mirror might look a little different on the outside, we’ll all still find ourselves reflected within it."

Cincinnati Shakespeare Company and The Otto M. Budig Theater are located at 1195 Elm St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 513.381.2273 or visit www.cincyshakes.com