Production history of plays performed by the Idaho Shakespeare Festival, as of May 2020. The sections are sorted by venue. The festival has utilized a single venue each season, starting with the plaza outside the One Capital Center, and eventually facilitating the construction of its own theatre known as the Idaho Shakespeare Festival Amphitheater and Reserve.
One Capital Center (1977-1980) In 1976, founder Doug Copsey noted a green-space in downtown Boise, Idaho that could function as an outdoor performance area. The first performance of the Idaho Shakespeare Festival premiered in the summer of 1977 in the plaza outside the One Capital Center. The festival presented its first seasons in partnership with the Main Street Bistro, later known as Ray's Oasis.
In the first years of the Festival, the only plays produced were works of William Shakespeare.
+ISF Production History: 1977-1980YearPlay1977A Midsummer Night's Dream1978The Two Gentlemen of Verona1979The Merry Wives of WindsorRomeo and Juliet1980The Comedy of ErrorsThe Taming of the ShrewThe Merchant of Venice
The Plantation (1981-1983) In the spring of 1981, Ray's Oasis announced they would be vacating the One Capital Center building and the festival would need to find a new outdoor performance venue. They were given permission to use a plot of land on the Plantation Golf Club. After they drained a pond located on the site, a part of the land-use arrangement, they were able to set up a new outdoor performance area.
In the final year at this venue, the Festival produced their first work from an author other than Shakespeare.
+ISF Production History: 1981-1983YearPlayPlaywright1981The TempestWilliam ShakespeareMuch Ado About NothingWilliam ShakespeareAs You Like ItWilliam Shakespeare1982HamletWilliam ShakespeareTwelfth NightWilliam ShakespeareA Midsummer Night's DreamWilliam Shakespeare1983Henry IV, Part OneWilliam ShakespeareLove's Labor's LostWilliam ShakespeareThe Merry Wives of WindsorWilliam ShakespeareThe Curate Shakespeare As You Like ItWilliam Shakespeare Don Nigro
ParkCenter (1984-1997) After the festival lost the lease at The Plantation, it moved to a park in Boise: ParkCenter. The Festival remained here until 1997 until the construction of its own outdoor theatre space.
The 1980s +ISF Production History: 1984-1989YearPlayPlaywright1984King LearWilliam ShakespeareThe Taming of the ShrewWilliam ShakespeareRobin HoodDon NigroThe World of ShakespeareBilly Bishop Goes to WarJohn GraySister Mary Ignatius Explains It All for YouChristopher DurangCrimes of the HeartBeth Henley1985Richard IIIWilliam ShakespeareThe Two Gentlemen of VeronaWilliam ShakespeareThe Winter's TaleWilliam ShakespeareWaiting for GodotSamuel BeckettRobin HoodDon Nigro1986A Midsummer Night's DreamWilliam ShakespeareOthelloWilliam ShakespeareAll's Well that Ends WellWilliam ShakespearePendragonDon Nigro1987Romeo and JulietWilliam ShakespeareThe Comedy of ErrorsWilliam ShakespearePericlesWilliam ShakespeareThe Adventures of Sherlock HolmesMark RosenwinkelMark Twain, HisownselfCynthia Gaede (adapter) Dan Peterson (adapter)1988As You Like ItWilliam ShakespeareMeasure for MeasureWilliam ShakespeareTitus AndronicusWilliam ShakespeareQuiltersMolly Newman Barbara DamashekWhat the Butler SawJoe OrtonMacbethWilliam Shakespeare1989Much Ado About NothingWilliam ShakespeareTroilus and CressidaWilliam ShakespeareRichard IIWilliam ShakespeareWaiting for the ParadeJohn MurrellA Touch of the PoetEugene O'Neill
The 1990s + ISF Production History: 1990-1997YearPlayPlaywright1990The Merry Wives of WindsorWilliam ShakespeareThe Merchant of VeniceWilliam ShakespeareHenry VIIIWilliam ShakespeareA Woman of MeansR.N. SandbergThe Skin of Our TeethThornton Wilder1991The TempestWilliam ShakespeareTwelfth NightWilliam ShakespeareMacbethWilliam ShakespeareA Woman of MeansR. N. SandbergThe CrucibleArthur Miller1992Romeo and JulietWilliam ShakespeareThe Taming of the ShrewWilliam ShakespeareRichard IIIWilliam ShakespeareScapinoFrank Dunlop Jim Dale1993QuiltersMolly Newman Barbara DamashekA Midsummer Night's DreamWilliam ShakespeareTartuffeMolièreThe Comedy of ErrorsWilliam ShakespeareA Christmas CarolCharles Dickens Richard Hellesen (adapter)
David de Berry (adapter)1994Dancing at LughnasaBrian FrielMuch Ado About NothingWilliam ShakespeareJulius CaesarWilliam ShakespeareAs You Like ItWilliam ShakespeareA Christmas CarolCharles Dickens Richard Hellesen (adapter)
David de Berry (adapter)1995The Two Gentlemen of VeronaWilliam ShakespeareLove's Labor's LostWilliam ShakespeareHenry IV, Part OneWilliam ShakespeareHenry IV, Part TwoWilliam Shakespeare1996The Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)Adam Long Daniel Singer
Jess WinfieldThe Merry Wives of WindsorWilliam ShakespeareThe TempestWilliam ShakespeareTwelfth NightWilliam Shakespeare1997Private LivesNoël CowardThe Merchant of VeniceWilliam ShakespeareThe Taming of the ShrewWilliam ShakespeareMacbethWilliam Shakespeare
Idaho Shakespeare Festival Amphitheater (1998-Present) In 1997, the Festival broke ground on their current home: The Idaho Shakespeare Festival Amphitheater and Reserve. Due to an agreement with the Idaho Foundation for Parks & Lands and the Idaho Department of Parks & Recreation, the theatre exists in a habitat reserve along the Boise River.
The Late 1990s +ISF Production History: 1998-1999YearPlayPlaywright1998A Midsummer Night's DreamWilliam ShakespeareRomeo and JulietWilliam ShakespeareCymbelineWilliam Shakespeare1999A Midsummer Night's DreamWilliam ShakespeareScapinMolière Shelley Berc
Andrei Belgrader
Rusty MageeThe Winter's TaleWilliam ShakespeareTitus AndronicusWilliam ShakespeareThe Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)Adam Long Daniel Singer
Jess Winfield
The 2000s +ISF Production History: 2000-2009YearPlayPlaywright2000The Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)Adam Long Daniel Singer
Jess WinfieldThe Three MusketeersAlexander Dumas Linda Alper (adapter)
Douglas Langworthy (adapter)
Penny Metropulos (adapter)The Two Gentlemen of VeronaWilliam ShakespeareOthelloWilliam ShakespearePump Boys and DinettesJohn Foley, Mark Hardwick Debra Monk, Cass Morgan
John Schimmel, Jim Wann2001The Two Gentlemen of VeronaWilliam ShakespeareAmadeusPeter ShafferMuch Ado About NothingWilliam ShakespeareHamletWilliam ShakespeareForever PlaidStuart Ross James RaittThe Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)Adam Long Daniel Singer
Jess Winfield2002Much Ado About NothingWilliam ShakespeareArms and The ManGeorge Bernard ShawTwelfth NightWilliam ShakespeareMacbethWilliam ShakespeareYou're a Good Man, Charlie BrownClark Gesner Charles M. Schultz2003The Importance of Being EarnestOscar WildeA Midsummer Night's DreamWilliam ShakespeareThe Comedy of ErrorsWilliam ShakespeareHenry VWilliam ShakespeareThe FantasticksTom Jones Harvey Schmidt2004The Importance of Being EarnestOscar WildeAs You Like ItWilliam ShakespeareThe Merry Wives of WindsorWilliam ShakespeareJulius CaesarWilliam ShakespeareI Love You, You're Perfect, Now ChangeJoe DiPietro Jimmy Roberts2005The Taming of the ShrewWilliam ShakespeareShe Stoops to ConquerOliver GoldsmithA Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumBert Shevelove & Larry Gelbart Stephen SondheimKing LearWilliam ShakespeareThe Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)Adam Long Daniel Singer
Jess WinfieldI Am My Own WifeDoug Wright2006A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the ForumBert Shevelove & Larry Gelbart Stephen SondheimLove's Labor's LostWilliam ShakespeareMajor BarbaraGeorge Bernard ShawRomeo and JulietWilliam ShakespeareThe Spitfire GrillJames Valcq Fred Alley
Lee David Zlotoff2007Hay FeverNoël CowardThe TempestWilliam ShakespeareArsenic and Old LaceJoseph KesselringMeasure for MeasureWilliam ShakespeareLittle Shop of HorrorsHoward Ashman Alan Menken2008All's Well that Ends WellWilliam ShakespeareThe CrucibleArthur MillerInto the WoodsJames Lapine Stephen SondheimMacbethWilliam ShakespeareGreater TunaJaston Williams Joe Sears
Ed Howard2009The Comedy of ErrorsWilliam ShakespeareThe SeagullAnton ChekhovThe Mystery of Edwin DroodRupert HolmesTwelfth NightWilliam ShakespeareA Tuna ChristmasJaston Williams Joe Sears
Ed Howard
The 2010s This decade saw changes in leadership that brought new customs to the season construction. The "season musical", which had previously been performed in the fall, is now produced for the duration of the season. In addition, a slot has been specifically allotted to a murder mystery. +ISF Production History: 2010-2019YearPlayPlaywrightDirector2010A Midsummer Night's DreamWilliam ShakespeareBat Boy: The MusicalKeythe Farley Brian Flemming
Laurence O'KeefeAn Ideal HusbandOscar WildeOthelloWilliam ShakespeareThe Woman in BlackStephen Mallatratt
Susan Hill2011The Two Gentlemen of VeronaWilliam ShakespeareThe Complete Works of
William Shakespeare (Abridged)Adam Long Daniel Singer
Jess WinfieldCabaretJoe Masterof John Van Druten
Christopher Isherwood
John Kander, Fred EbbThe Taming of the ShrewWilliam ShakespeareAlfred Hitchcock's The 39 StepsAlfred Hitchcock John Buchan
Patrick Barlow (adapter)2012Romeo and JulietWilliam ShakespeareCharles FeeThe MousetrapAgatha ChristieDrew BarrThe Imaginary InvalidMolière adapted by
Oded Gross & Tracy YoungTracy YoungThe Winter's TaleWilliam ShakespeareJesse BergerNoises OffMichael FraynGordon Reinhart2013Blithe SpiritNoël CowardCharles FeeMuch Ado About NothingWilliam ShakespeareSharon OttSweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet StreetStephen Sondheim Hugh WheelerVictoria BussertKing Richard IIIWilliam ShakespeareJoseph HanreddyThe ForeignerLarry ShueSari Ketter2014DeathtrapIra LevinCharles FeeAs You Like ItWilliam ShakespeareEdward MorganLes MisérablesAlain Boublil Claude-Michel Schönberg
Herbert KretzmerVictoria BussertThe Merry Wives of WindsorWilliam ShakespeareTracy YoungSteel MagnoliasRobert HarlingSari Ketter2015Dial "M" for MurderFrederick KnottCharles FeeThe TempestWilliam ShakespeareDrew BarrThe Secret GardenMarsha Norman Lucy Simon
Frances Hodgson BurnettVictoria BussertKing LearWilliam ShakespeareJoseph HanreddyThe FantasticksTom Jones Harvey SchmidtVictoria Bussert2016And Then There Were NoneAgatha ChristieCharles FeeLove's Labor's LostWilliam ShakespeareTyne RafaeliMy Fair LadyAlan Jay Lerner Frederick LoweVictoria BussertTwelfth NightWilliam ShakespeareDrew BarrForever PlaidStuart Ross James RaittVictoria Bussert2017Wait Until DarkFrederick KnottJoseph HanreddyHamletWilliam ShakespeareCharles FeeDisney's The Hunchback of Notre DameAlan Menken Stephen Schwartz
Peter Barnell
Victor HugoVictoria BussertA Midsummer Night's DreamWilliam ShakespeareJoseph HanreddyThe Hound of the BaskervillesSir Arthur Conan Doyle Steven Canny (adapter)
John Nicholson (adapter)Charles Fee2018MiseryWilliam Goldman Stephen KingCharles FeeMacbethWilliam ShakespeareCharles FeeMamma Mia!Benny Andersson Björn Ulvaeus
Stig Anderson
Catherine JohnsonVictoria BussertPride and PrejudiceJane Austen Joseph Hanreddy (adapter)
J. R. Sullivan (adapter)Joseph HanreddyBeehive: The 60's MusicalLarry GallagherVictoria Bussert2019The Taming of the ShrewWilliam ShakespeareSara BrunerWitness for the ProsecutionAgatha ChristieCharles FeeThe Music ManMeredith Wilson Franklin LaceyVictoria BussertJulius CaesarWilliam ShakespeareSara BrunerMillion Dollar QuartetColin Escott Floyd MutruxHunter Foster
The 2020s Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, the 2020 season, which was set to include Much Ado About Nothing, Ain't Misbehavin', Henry V, Emma, and Sleuth, was cancelled.
Cumulative Shakespeare Canon Productions A list of the number of times the Idaho Shakespeare Festival has produced each of Shakespeare's plays is available below. The Festival has produced A Midsummer Night's Dream the most. There are nine plays in the full Shakespeare Canon that have never been produced by the Idaho Shakespeare Festival. PlayNumber of