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Our Mission:
The mission of Southwest Shakespeare Company is to create professional theatrical productions, which will entertain, educate, inspire and elevate the general public and educational communities of Arizona. Southwest Shakespeare Company will produce classical plays in a variety of styles; provide programs designed to make classical literature understandable and appreciated by all patrons; conduct outreach programs that will educate and inspire students; maintain a leadership role within Arizona's artistic community; achieve cultural diversity; and, operate a fiscally responsible company.

Board Members:
Jim Cassidy - Informative Graphics Corporation

Debby Elliott - Community Activist

Mike Elliott - Nesbitt Contracting Co., Inc.

Karen Ford - Episcopal Church of the Epiphany

Diana Francis - The Boeing Company

Claude Jackson - Gila River Indian Community Law Office

Peg Lauver - Community Activist

Angee Lewandowski - Chandler Unified School District

Judi Missel - Mesa Unified School District

George Pauley - Microchip

Leslie Pearson - Community Activist

Dawnetta Williams - Community Activist

Staff

Associate Artistic Director
Richard Baird
lordthane@hotmail.com 

Managing Director
Chris M. Rhodes
crhodes@swshakespeare.org 

General Manager
Jennifer Ruddle
jruddle@swshakespeare.org 

Marketing Director
Steve Conrad
sconrad@swshakespeare.org 

Education Outreach Director
Amanda Schaar
aschaar@swshakespeare.org

Student Performance & Flachmann Seminar Reservations
Susan Alston
salston@swshakespeare.org 
 

Our History:
Southwest Shakespeare Company (SSC) was co-founded in 1994 by two educators/actors and Shakespeare aficionados: Kevin Dressler and Randy Messersmith. Their "user-friendly" theatre concept, high artistic values and educational bent were present from the start. SSC's mission and goals have changed little over the years.
The goal of the "user-friendly" approach is to create a modern day "people's theatre," originally inspired by Shakespeare and his contemporaries, whereby audience members from all walks of life are encouraged to take an active role in SSC through contact with artists. SSC believes this enhances the total theatre experience for the audience and fosters a sense of community. While SSC's inaugural season of all Shakespearean plays was wildly successful, there was a three-year foray into musical theatre for one show of the season.
Although the numbers were favorable, the additional expense of mounting the musicals did not allow a large enough profit margin to make them worthwhile. The 1998-99 season saw a return to the original three classical play format.
In May 2000, a national search brought Jared Sakren to SSC as Artistic Director. He was a member of the first graduating class of the Julliard Drama Division and a founding member of John Houseman’s The Acting Company, with which he appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway and on national tours. His background includes teaching, performance and directing credits throughout the nation including the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Yale School of Drama, American Conservatory, Denver Center Theater Co., Arizona Theatre Company, and more. He is also founding artistic director of Shakespeare Sedona.

For the first 11 seasons, SSC performed the fall and spring shows in the outdoor Mesa Amphitheatre and the winter show indoors at either Mountain View or Westwood High School. The 2005-06 season opened at the new Mesa Arts Center, a $94.5 million facility located in downtown Mesa. Under Jared Sakren’s leadership, SSC expanded its season and performed a total of five shows in two of its four theaters (the 550-seat Virginia G. Piper Repertory Theater and the 99-seat Anita Cox Farnsworth Studio Theater).

SSC mounted a six show season in 2006-07, performing in yet a third theater at the “MAC,” the Nesbitt/Elliott Playhouse Theater.

Production History:

1995 - 1996 Season
West Side Story
Oedipus Rex
A Midsummer Night’s Dream

1996 - 1997 Season
Oliver!
Othello
Much Ado About Nothing

1997 - 1998 Season
Hamlet
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
Twelfth Night

1998 - 1999 Season
The Merchant of Venice
The Taming of the Shrew
As You Like It

1999 - 2000 Season
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Macbeth
Measure for Measure

2000 - 2001 Season
The Tempest
Romeo and Juliet
A Midsummer Night's Dream

2001 - 2002 Season
All’s Well That Ends Well
Julius Caesar
The Merry Wives of Windsor

2003 - 2004 Season
Richard III
The Taming of the Shrew
As You Like It
Cardenio

2004 - 2005 Season
Twelfth Night
King Lear
Henry V

2005 - 2006 Season
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Arms and The Man
Hamlet
The Compleat Works of Wllm Shkspr (abridged)
Much Ado About Nothing

2006 - 2007 Season
London Assurance
The Tempest
Mrs. Bob Cratchit’s Wild Christmas Binge
Romeo and Juliet
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
Cyrano de Bergerac

2007- 2008 Season
The Taming of the Shrew
A Shakespearean Christmas
Macbeth
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Pygmalion

2008- 2009 Season
As You Like It
The Winter's Tale
Othello
Tartuffe
Merchant of Venice

Awards:

Southwest Shakespeare Company congratulates and thanks its Actors, Designers, Directors, and Artists who, collectively, received a total of 26 AriZoni Theatre Award Nominations for their work during the 2007-08 Season.

AriZoni Nominations for 2007-2008:
Best Overall Production
The Taming of the Shrew
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Pygmalion

Best Actress in a Major Role
Maren Maclean              Pygmalion 
Sarah Wolter                 The Merry Wives of Windsor 
Courtney Lato                The Merry Wives of Windsor 
Kaitlin O'Neal                 The Taming of the Shrew 

Best Actor in a Major Role
David Adkins                  Pygmalion 
Ben Tyler                       The Merry Wives of Windsor 
Richard Baird                 The Taming of the Shrew 

Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Dorothy Anderson           Pygmalion 
Leeanne Dearing             Pygmalion 
Tracy Coe                      Pygmalion 
Janae Thomas                The Merry Wives of Windsor 

Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Sandy Elias                     A Shakespearean Christmas 
Michael Bailey                 The Merry Wives of Windsor 
James Porter                   Pygmalion 

Best Director
Eve Shapiro                     Pygmalion 
Jared Sakren                   The Merry Wives of Windsor 
Jared Sakren                   The Taming of the Shrew 

Best Scenic Design
Tiana Torrilhon                  The Merry Wives of Windsor 

Best Costume Design
Micheal H. Waid                Macbeth 
Karin Beatty                      The Merry Wives of Windsor 

Best Hair and Make-up Design
Kelly Elizabeth Turner         The Merry Wives of Windsor 

Best Lighting Design
Nykol DeDreu                     Macbeth 
Dori Brown                         The Merry Wives of Windsor 

And congratulations to our award winners for 06-07!
Actor in a Major Role-Play      RICHARD BAIRD           Cyrano de Bergerac
Hair and Make-up Design        PATSY JOHNSON        The Tempest
Hair and Make-up Design        MARYBETH INGRAM    The Tempest
Lighting Design                      PAUL BLACK                The Tempest
Sound Design                        CHRISTIAN MILLER       The Tempest
Original Music Composition     LINCOLN WRIGHT        Two Gentlemen of Verona