Illinois Shakespeare Festival

The festival's three productions—The Importance of Being Earnest, A Midsummer Night's Dream and Hamlet—run in rotation through Aug. 2.

The 2025 Illinois Shakespeare Festival marks a first-ever production of Oscar Wilde's "The Importance of Being Earnest" and two directorial debuts by Central Illinois natives Kim McKean and Vanessa Stalling.

It is the first season for artistic director Robert Quinlan, whose history with the Illinois Shakespeare Festival began in 2013.

The 1623 tragedy by William Shakespeare is the final play to open at Illinois Shakespeare festival this season. Survivor season 46 star Tevin Davis plays Ross.

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival costume shop is getting ready for their 2024 season.

The Illinois Shakespeare Festival has named Robert Quinlan as its next artistic director. Quinlan will take over in the fall when current director John Stark retires.

Local theater companies aren't suffering as badly as the nationwide trends, but without more financial support, they can't afford to go pro.

"Macbeth" was last produced at the Illinois Shakespeare Festival in 2013. The so-called Scottish play was originally scheduled for 2020 and is only now finding its way back into rotation.

For 46 years, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival has brought the works of the Bard to Bloomington-Normal residents — and beyond.

Illinois Shakes newcomer Geoffrey Warren Barnes II and Adonis Perez-Escobar play some of the silliest characters this season. Getting the comic relief right is not as easy as it looks.