The Hampton Roads Shakespeare Festival is the flagship public program presented by Summer Shakes, Inc., a non-profit, sponsor-supported company which produces educational and enrichment programs for schools, parents, children, and teachers, and provides a unique professional environment for artist training in the community. All Festival performances are free and open to the public.

Each year, we bring our month-long "Shakespeare Goes Elementary" program to many hundreds of students, parents, and teachers, sending theater professionals to work with children and produce an actual Shakespeare performance starring elementary-school students. Many of these programs have been in at-risk schools, and the young actors in some cases have developed enough self-esteem and work ethic to graduate to our mainstage Festival, and then on to college scholarships.

This, plus our Festival and other programs, plus our strong working relationship with area schools, city councils, and city services and commissions, has helped us in our goal of being not just a successful theater arts group but a beneficial community service. Summer Shakes, Inc., is a 501(c)(3) organization.

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