History

A Brief History of SITS

1980

The University of Pittsburgh's Department of Theatre Arts produced the popular Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival from 1980-1995, founded by the academic chair, Dr. Attillio "Buck" Favorini.

1984

Under the umbrella of TRSF programming, the Theatre Arts Department inaugurated Shakespeare-in-the-Schools with a high-school field-trip matinee series. The series, aimed at secondary students, combined attendance at a live performance of Shakespeare with performances and workshops in the classroom. The Matinee Series remained highly popular throughout the life of the Festival, at its height serving more than 6,000 students during two weeks of sold-out performances.

1989

Shakespeare-in-the-Schools added a touring component, reaching thousands of young people each year. Presented by small casts of professional actors using creative scenery and costumes, the SITS tour features specially adapted versions of the classics, new plays, and shortened adaptations of major plays from the Shakespearean canon.

1995

 When the Three Rivers Shakespeare Festival closed its doors in 1995, the Shakespeare-in-the-Schools program continued as a sponsored project of the University of Pittsburgh's Department of Theatre Arts.

2007

Tamara Goldbogen, a specialist in Theatre for Youth, arrives on board the SITS team to steer the program in new and exciting adventures!

Past Productions

 

2011-2012 Season

Shakespeare's Lovers and Fighters

Darwin and the Kid

Lessons from the Birds: A Rachel Carson Puppet Play 

2010-2011 Season

Shakespeare's Lovers and Fighters

Darwin and the Kid

Lessons from the Birds: A Rachel Carson Puppet Play  

As You Like It (Student Matinees at Pitt) 

2009-2010 Season

Macbeth [redux]

Tomato Plant Girl

Alice (Student Matinees at Pitt)   

2008-2009 Season

Macbeth

Rachel Carson Saves the Day! 

Tomato Plant Girl 

2007-2008 Season

Macbeth

The American Clock (Student Matinees at Pitt)

Rachel Carson Saves the Day! 

2006-2007 Season

Dancing at Lughnasa

Romeo and Juliet 

Rachel Carson Saves the Day!  

2005-2006 Season

Arms and the Man

Pericles 

2004-2005 Season

Twelfth Night

Rashomon

Hamlet 

2003-2004 Season

The Comedy of Errors

To Kill a Mockingbird, Readers' Theatre Adaptation

Uncle Vanya

Much Ado About Nothing

Hamlet

2002-2003 Season

The Learned Ladies

The Comedy of Errors

To Kill a Mockingbird, Readers' Theatre Adaptation

Uncle Vanya

Much Ado About Nothing

2001-2002 Season

Will Spoken: A conversation with William Shakespeare

The Taming of the Shrew  

The Learned Ladies

2000-2001 Season

Temujin

Moby Dick

Will Spoken: A conversation with William Shakespeare 

1999-2000 Season

Macbeth

1998-1999 Season

A Midsummer Night's Dream

1997-1998 Season

Hamlet

Shakespeare for Small People

1996-1997 Season

Twelfth Night

1995-1996 Season

Julius Caesar

1994-1995 Season

Romeo and Juliet

1993-1994 Season

King Lear

1992-1993 Season

A Midsummer Night's Dream

1991-1992 Season

A Midsummer Night's Dream

1990-1991 Season

Maids & Blades

1989-1990 Season

Everykid