See the original practice FOR FREE!
OPS Fest brings no-cost repertory Shakespeare to parks and venues all over the Portland Metro area. The company uses the original practice techniques of Elizabethan England: limited rehearsal, scrolls in hand, audience interaction, and an onstage prompter.
In Shakespeare's Era, the audience knew the actors had not rehearsed and that the only context each had of the play was their own role on a scroll. The play was as fresh to the actors as the audience.
In our company, you'll NEVER see the same cast do the same play in the same way. Because Shakespeare should be a little dangerous!
In Shakespeare's Era, the audience knew the actors had not rehearsed and that the only context each had of the play was their own role on a scroll. The play was as fresh to the actors as the audience.
In our company, you'll NEVER see the same cast do the same play in the same way. Because Shakespeare should be a little dangerous!
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I love this group; they give me hope for the human race." |
OPS FEST IS BACK
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PORTLAND, OR - 5/21/25 - OPS Fest is Back for a 17th Season! ORIGINAL PRACTICE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL (OPS Fest) is back in the parks for a 17th season!
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Come celebrate our seventeenth year of free Shakespeare, wild audience interaction, and onstage moments that are too good to be rehearsed with OPS Fest’s company of dynamic actors out in the Portland metro area’s beautiful parks (and beyond!).
OPS Fest’s summer season kicks off on Friday, June 20 at 9:00pm with audience favorite Midsummer Midsommer at the summit of Mt. Tabor. They then jump directly into presenting the BEST OF OPS this summer, performing their biggest hits and some underrated faves, so check in at https://opsfest.org to keep current! About Midsummer Midsommer: On Friday, June 20th, OPS Fest starts their 17th season off right with the fan favorite, A Midsommer Nights Dreame at the summit of Mt. Tabor. The actors have no idea what character they will play until the AUDIENCE CASTS THE SHOW one hour prior to curtain! This is OPS Fest at its liveliest and most chaotic—there’s no better way to begin the season! Folks will delight in arriving early to the show to cast the play on-site at 8PM and watch their creation take shape at 9PM. This performance will NOT be suitable for children. Picnics and leashed dogs are welcome. About OPS Fest’s Repertory: OPS Fest performs its repertory over the summer at 9 different parks in the Portland metro area and beyond! OPS Fest’s company of skilled, flexible actors will perform with occasional interruptions of songs, dances, and sketches throughout. Shows are free to attend and begin at 7pm. The audience is welcome to arrive during the hour before to watch the pre-show song, dance, & fight rehearsals. Children, picnics, and leashed pups are always welcome! New this year: Shakespeare double features! On select Saturdays, OPS Fest is holding matinee performances of abridged versions of a selection of Shakespeare’s most well-loved plays, followed by full-length performances in the evening. These matinees are free to attend (just like the full-length shows!) and begin at 2pm. About the 2025 Season: OPS Fest is proud to bring admission-free Shakespeare to the Portland public parks and beyond for their 17th season! This season will see a shake-up of OPS’s repertoire: the company will present a selection of Shakespeare’s most popular plays, as well as a mix of overlooked classics! They’re also touring their iconic style of performance to some non-Portland locations! Throughout August, look out for OPS at Lake Oswego’s Roehr Park and George Rogers Park, Beaverton’s Raleigh Park, Sherwood’s Veterans’ Park, and the Tillamook Library on the coast. OPS believes that Shakespeare’s work and characters benefit from exploration by a wide array of artists from different backgrounds and experiences. In this spirit, they actively seek out artists of color, LGBTQ+ artists, artists with disabilities, as well as all gender identities, ages, and expressions of humanity! About Original Practice Shakespeare Festival: OPS Fest brings no-cost Shakespeare to parks all over the Portland metro area. The company uses the original practice techniques of Elizabethan England: limited rehearsal, scrolls in hand, audience interaction, and an onstage prompter. Gender fluid casting is our jam! Learn more at opsfest.org, opsfest.org/tour-calendar, and https://Facebook.com/opsfest. |
Photo by Tiffany Gilly
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Original Practice Shakespeare players have a great talent for improv, making the Bard’s words not just relevant, but also bringing out the best lighter qualities of the script... this allows the audience and cast to work together, and the words to stand, as they can, on their own." |
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Every little bit helps, friends! We thank you right now for being an OPS Superhero and helping bring our company to a park near you! Sincerely, The artists, staff, and board of Original Practice Shakespeare |
Photo by Tiffany Gilly
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