Our History

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 Juilliard 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

1994 - 1995 Season
The Comedy of Errors
Julius Caesar
Henry V

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

2002 - 2003 Season
Our Town
The Comedy of Errors
Love’s Labour’s Lost

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