The nationally renowned Illinois Shakespeare Festival (ISF) announces its 2025 repertory season with three artistic offerings including two Shakespeare plays and an Oscar Wilde classic. All plays will run in repertory, June 25 through August 2, 2025.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, directed by Kim McKean
“The course of true love never did run smooth.”
Fairies conjure magic and cast spells on unwitting humans as they attempt to navigate love and rehearse a play in the woods outside Athens. Overflowing with humor and magic, this play is a celebration of theatre, love, and life.
The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde, directed by Robert Quinlan
“The truth is rarely pure and never simple.”
Widely regarded as one of the funniest plays ever written, Wilde’s comedy of manners lampoons British high society while showcasing a bevy of witty characters as they attempt to unravel the identity of a mysterious man named “Earnest.”
Hamlet by William Shakespeare
“There is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow.”
Prince Hamlet seeks the truth about his father’s death and ghostly appearance while embarking on a quest to discover his purpose in Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy.
Season tickets will go on sale February 25, 2025. Individual tickets go on sale March 18, 2025.
Patrons can anticipate other staples of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival, including the 2025 Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) production. Audiences of all ages are invited to the yearly TYA play, a free family-friendly production staged on Thursday and Saturday mornings on the Ewing grounds.
Who’s There?!? by Nancy Steele Brokaw
What happens when Hamlet wanders into A Midsummer Night’s Dream? Puckish mischief? Downright skullduggery? Please join us for a 40-minute romp as we explore these famous plays. We will need your help to tell our tale. Hear real Shakespeare words, but not too many.
The popular Summer Camps for Youth program will return with classes for students grades 6-12, July 7 through August 1, 2025. Scholarships will be available based on individual need and camp enrollment. Theatre workshops for adults will also be taught by Illinois State University scholars.
For more information, visit IllinoisShakes.com or call the ISF Box Office at (309) 438-2535.
