Company Description

Susannah Rose Woods founded island Shakespeare Festival in 2010 with the goal of making the language of the great classics, notably the works of William Shakespeare. Relevant—raw—visceral—demystifying the language through physicality and commitment to the story, making it come alive to the widest possible audience through a “Pay What You Will.” Timothy, Fritz, and Vivienne Hull offered ISF its first home. After months of hard work and clearing, Storyhouse Theater was born. That first year, the company of the inaugural production of As You Like It was not sure if anyone would attend. They were astounded when approximately 800 people arrived over the course of two weekends, through rain and shine, to four performances at Storyhouse.

By the following year, ISF came under the wing of Whidbey Island Arts Council who continued to be their non-profit umbrella until 2013 when ISF incorporated as a 501-c3. With Romeo and Juliet in 2011, the word spread and the phone began ringing from out of the area and across the country with people making plans to see the show. An additional weekend was added for a total of nine performances. ISF welcomed 2,000 patrons that season. For their third year, in 2012, the company produced A Midsummer Night’s Dream and in four weekends, they were performing at near capacity with 3,000 patrons from near and far. The dream had become a reality!

In 2013, a board of directors was formed, with founding President Peggy Juve at the helm. The staff also grew, and a Managing Director, Michelle Durr, was hired. The ongoing growth of the audience and a desire to add multiple productions and expand the season required a move from the beauty of the Storyhouse Land. A decision was made to bring ISF to Langley so that the Festival could grow. The City of Langley, the South Whidbey School District, and the local community all responded enthusiastically to this decision. For the 2013 season, ISF commissioned a custom built vintage circus tent that would become their home. A lively production of Much Ado About Nothing performed over six weekends, rain or shine, inaugurated the new tent. ISF also created an educational component and was thrilled to hire Eric Mulholland as the first Educational Director.

In 2014, ISF took another step forward and further expanded its theatrical offerings with two productions in repertory: The Taming of the Shrew, directed by guest director, Jackie Apodaca, and Richard III, directed by Woods. Mulholland created the Classic Conservatory for Young Adults (CCYA), a world class training for young adults in classic theatre, culminating in a performance of The Importance of Being Earnest.

In 2015, ISF found a new home on Maxwelton Road, just outside of Langley. Located on the old South Whidbey Primary School campus, this new location offers space for storage, an office, and a venue all in one place. Continuing as a regional repertory theater, the 2015 season included The Tempest, directed by Woods, and a world premiere adaption of Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers, adapted and directed by Gordon Carpenter. Exciting off-season additions of a staged reading series, “Bard & Brew” were created, as well as an incredible visit and talk by Michael Dobson, Director of the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Professor of Shakespeare Studies, University of Birmingham.


In 2016, ISF is excited to move into a new stage of growth, offering three plays in rotating repertory over nine weekends! 2016 will see a return of As You Like It, directed by Woods, as ISF returns to the outdoors, beginning steps toward creating an amphitheater in their new home. Corey McDaniel, Artistic Director of Seattle’s Theatre22, will direct Julius Caesar, and rounding out the season, Julie Beckman will direct her award-winning adaptation of the Charlotte Bronte classic, Jane Eyre. Also in 2016, ISF will collaborate with Whidbey Children’s Theater to continue the CCYA program. ISF is also working to develop an outreach pilot program, called “Shakespeare Interactive,” to further the reach of accessible Shakespeare in Western Washington schools. 2016 will also see an expansion of the “Bard & Brew” staged reading series, with one-night-only performances of Twelfth Night, Henry V, Love’s Labors Lost, As You Like It, and Titus Andronicus.

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