This project draws its inspiration from a trip Max Ferguson made to New York City during the spring of 2016. While there he was struck by Shakespeare in the Park, the Public Theatre’s annual production of Shakespearean plays which are presented to the public free of charge. To obtain a ticket, one need only stand in line. He came home to Colorado Springs inspired to establish a similar program her
e. Bijou Shakes is founded upon the idea that everyone should have at least one opportunity a year to see Shakespeare. In Colorado Springs, however, there is only one annual Shakespearean production, which Theatreworks produces at Rock Ledge Ranch. Our city needs more Shakespeare and its needs more accessible Shakespeare. Colorado Springs has an increasingly vibrant and engaged theatre scene with nearly a dozen companies operating in a self-sustaining fashion ranging from small community theatres to significant regional powerhouses. This is evidence of two important facts: there is a pool of available talent always eager for more opportunities for work; and there is a significant audience interested in supporting diverse productions and artists. Yet, at this point in time, none of these organizations is presenting live theatre in the downtown core. Bijou Shakes aims to present an annual festival of Shakespeare as a co-production of The Modbo. The vision to stage site specific performances, with a flagship production outdoors in the alley off Bijou between Tejon and Cascade, using the Modbo and SPQR as the stage. In order to make these productions accessible a portion of the tickets will be offered for free through a lottery the day of each performance. Bijou Shakes will ultimately provide a vital cultural resource for the theatre-going public, actively working to include audience members who usually feel theatre attendance is out of reach due to financial constraints. It also aims to create not only performance opportunities for actors with an interest in Shakespeare, but paying jobs for local theatrical designers, a group of highly-skilled and underserved artists.
