All the community is our stage with the
2012 GREAT Theatre Shakespeare Festival.
Join with people of all ages and cultures to share in an unprecedented central Minnesota wide collaboration of art and education as we celebrate the renowned playwright and poet William Shakespeare. Featuring theatre, music, dance, literary and visual arts (and even a custom ShakesBEER from Granite City Brewery) this is the festival of the year. Purchase a ShakesPASS and receive half-price admission to all ticketed events.
Can't wait for the festival to begin? Get your Shakes met with a Shakespeare Festival Preview Event:
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare- Abridged
Presented by Pioneer Theatre Company at Pioneer Place on Fifth
Click Here for Tickets ranging from $11-$24.50
Click Here to hear see clips of the original cast of Complete Works
Click Here to read the synopsis of all 37 Bard works on which this comedy was created
Click Here to learn about our cast of actors performing Complete Works
Click Here for information on Veranda Lounge specials during the run
Live Theater Events:
WEST-SIDE-STORY- Broadway Musical
Presented by the GREAT Theatre at the Paramount Theatre 
April 28-May 13, 2012
Click Here for Tickets ranging from $11-$23.50
Click Here to hear music from the Broadway production
Click Here for clips from the motion picture
Click Here to read the story ROMEO & JULIET upon which the musical is based
Click Here to learn about our cast of actors performing West-Side-Story
Click Here to share your greatest love story
A Midsummer Night’s Dream- Children’s Adaptation of Shakespeare’s Comedy
Presented by the GREAT Theatre at the Stephen B. Humphrey Theater, Saint John’s University
Click Here for Tickets $10 all ages
Click Here to read a plot synopsis to share with your children before attending
Click Here to make a Midsummer Craft Project that you bring with to the play
Click Here to learn about our cast of actors performing A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Romeo & Juliet- Young Adult Promenade Theatre Production
Performed outdoors at St. Cloud Skate Park
Click Here for Tickets $10 all ages
Click Here to read the play before attending
Click Here to read a cliff-notes version of the play
Click Here to learn about our cast of actors performing Romeo & Juliet
Click Here to learn more about Promenade Style Theatre {In promenade theatre there is no formal stage, both the audience and the actors are placed in the same space. The performance starts when one of the actors draws attention to himself or light is pointed in such manner that draws attention to a particular person. During the performance actors will stimulate the audience to move around.}
The Comedy of Errors- A Guthrie Theatre, Acting Company Production on Tour
Elk River Area Arts Alliance – High School Stage
Click Here for Tickets ranging from $8-$20
Click Here to read the play before attending
Click Here to read a cliff-notes version of the play
Click Here to learn more about the Guthrie Theatre and Acting Company
Romeo & Juliet- the original dramatic masterpiece
Pioneer Place on Fifth
Click Here for Tickets ranging from $11-$24.50
Click Here to read the play before attending
Click Here to read a cliff-notes version of the play
Click Here to learn about our cast of actors performing Romeo & Juliet
Click Here for information on Veranda Lounge specials during the run
Live Music Events:
St. Cloud Symphony Presents ROMEO & JULIET
Ritsche Auditorium 
Click Here for Tickets ranging from $5-$21
Click Here to learn about the St. Cloud Symphony
Click Here for a synopsis of the Orchestration for Romeo & Juliet
Minnesota Center Chorale presents SHAKESPEARES SONNETS & SONGS
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Chorale works inspired by Shakespeare's plays and sonnets, including Jean Sibelius' Selections From "The Tempest" and William Walton's Music From "Richard III".
Click Here for Tickets ranging from $5-$15
Click Here to learn about the Minnesota Center Chorale
Click Here for a list of musical selections from the concert to download
Humanities Events:
St. Cloud State University presents A Shakespeare/Renaissance Festival
Barden Park 
Join us rain or shine outdoors for roving performers, delicious food, film presentations, live music and much more at Barden Park. Renaissance costume wearing encouraged! FREE
Stearns History Museum
Hwy 15 St. Cloud 
Featuring an original portrait of William Shakespeare and excerpts from the Kings Bible on display.
St. Cloud Technical College
North St. Cloud
Staged Reading of Shakespeare’s THE TEMPEST. FREE
Film Events:
Hamlet & Omelets at House of Pizza- Downtown St. Cloud- All tickets $5 
Got six hours? Hamlet, (1948). Directed by Lawrence Olivier & Hamlet, (1996), starring Kenneth Branagh, Richard Attenborough, Judi Dench, Billy Crystal and Kate Winslet. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. See five hours of Hamlet and enjoy an Omelet breakfast between. Delicious and fun.
Tuesday Shakespeare Film Night- Paramount Theatre – Free 
At last count over 420 movie adaptations have been made of Shakespeare’s iconic works. Each Tuesday evening at 7:00pm April 17-May 15 the Paramount will screen some of our favorites. Including Taymor's Titus, Polanski's MacBeth, Kurosawa's Throne of Blood and McKellan's Richard III.
Shakespeare in Love, (1998), starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Geoffrey Rush and Judi Dench. Directed by John Madden, written by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard.
10 Things I Hate About You, (1999), (based on The Taming of the Shrew), starring Julia Stiles and Heather Ledge. Directed by Gil Junger.
Click Here to order tickets
Art Events:
Visual Arts Minnesota presents SHAKESPEARE – Pop Up Gallery – FREE 
Art inspired by Shakespeare will be on display for this exhibit! Where and when will be exclusively tweeted, so sign up to be in the know.
Visual Arts Minnesota presents American Pride & Assimilation – Paramount Theatre Lobby – FREE 
Art inspired by themes of the Broadway Musical WEST-SIDE-STORY by many of central Minnesota’s finest artists will be on display and for sale in this exhibit!
Classes and Workshops:
Guthrie Theatre Shakespeare Workshop for Teens & Adults $25
Click Here to register
Kidspeare Workshops for grades 4-6 at KIDSTOP - FREE
Click Here for more information
Bookclub: 
Click here for a list of recommended Shakespeare Books and to join a local book club
Food:
Visit Granite City Brewery for your very own hand-crafted Shakesbeer original brew. A Granite City Exclusive!
Click here for directions to Granite City Brewery
Does anyone know how to make this happen?
Trip Shakespeare Band- Red Carpet Night Club
This Minneapolis band is reunited for one night only reprising their greatest hits. Is it based on Shakespeare? Not really. But they rock.
Click Here for Tickets ranging from $10-$15
Click Here to learn about the band members and their history