Southwest Shakespeare Company’s 15th season (2008-2009) promises to be one of our most provocative, theatrical, and entertaining. It’s called “Love, Passion and Betrayal” because Shakespeare was fascinated by these themes throughout his career—brothers against brothers, husbands against wives, betrayal—real and imagined, love and passion throughout, from Sicily to Bohemia, from Venice to Cyprus, from the Royal Court to the Forest of Arden. Our season takes you on a journey through time and around the world, and into the hearts and minds of some of the most fascinating characters Shakespeare ever created. So, we welcome you to our fifteenth season, a season filled with the pursuit of love, the most dramatic of betrayals, and the greatest of passions.

As Arizona’s premier professional classical theater company, we create the highest quality productions; contracting the best classically trained actors from New York, Los Angeles, and, of course, Arizona. Southwest Shakespeare Company has been recognized as the “Best Theater Company” by GetOut Magazine.   For the 2007-2008 season we received 26 AriZoni Theatre Award nominations, including Best Overall Production, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Set Design, and more. You’ll see more great performances this year from Richard Baird who has joined the company as Associate Artistic Director and will be both performing and directing this season.   You’ll also see great things from our Artistic Director, Jared Sakren, who, along with directing three of this season’s plays, will take to the stage in his first role for the company as Shylock in The Merchant of Venice.

To learn more about us, visit us on the web at www.swshakespeare.org. We hope to see you at Mesa Arts Center!