Upcoming Events

Free Staged Reading: Henry VI cycle

Dates: April 23 (Shakespeare's birthday!) and April 24

Time: 6 PM

Location: Boulder Public Library Canyon Theatre

Are you hoping to brush up on your Plantagenet history before attending the CSF summer production of Richard III?  Don't miss the chance to learn about what has happened immediately before Richard proclaims his famous first lines: "Now is the winter of our discontent..."  

At the start of Richard III, the hunchbacked duke of Gloucester is plotting his path to the throne. His brother has just become king after the death of Henry VI. But who was Henry VI? How did the Wars of the Roses begin? Why is there so much tension between the Yorks and the Lancasters? Early in his career, Shakespeare wrote a three-play cycle about Henry VI, which was wildly popular with Elizabethan audiences, but is rarely performed today. The plays explore the rule of Henry VI and his powerful queen, Margaret, the struggle for power between the houses of York and Lancaster, and the back-story for Richard III.  

The Colorado Shakespeare Festival and the Shakespeare Oratorio Society are proud to present a new cutting of the Henry VI cycle (parts 1, 2 and 3), condensed into one play!  This free staged reading, directed by Anne Sandoe, is your chance to peek into the history behind Richard III.  

Annual Events

Classics 101

Join the CSF dramaturgs at the Boulder Public Library for behind-the-scenes discussions on the plays in the CSF summer season. Each presentation will include information about the plot, production history, and major themes of the CSF productions. If available, the director and designers will participate in the discussion, too.  The Classics 101 series is great way to get behind-the-scenes knowledge about the CSF summer season.  

Free and open to the public.

Each presentation concludes with a free drawing for tickets to the CSF season.

Presentations begin at 7 PM, and are held in the Pulse Point at the Boulder Public Library's Main Branch.  

June 4: Twelfth Night (Rand Harmon, dramaturg)

June 11: Richard III (Heidi Schmidt, dramaturg)

June 18: Noises Off (Greg Thorson, dramaturg)

June 25: Women of Will (Hadley Kamminga-Peck, dramaturg)

July 2: Treasure Island (Bianca Gordon, dramaturg)

Dramaturg Presentations

A dramaturg researches the background information, production history, and context of a play. Each summer, CSF hires graduate students from the Department of Theatre & Dance at CU Boulder to work as dramaturgs on the productions. These dramaturgs work closely with the director, designers and actors during the rehearsal period. CSF dramaturgs are available during the spring and summer for book-club talks, private lectures, or classroom visits. For a $50 fee, CSF will arrange a dramaturg presentation for your group. Call (303) 492-1973 or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to schedule a dramaturg presentation.

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