(June 12 – September 2, 2012) From its humble beginnings on a rainy field fifty miles north of Manhattan to its current dramatic home under a theatrical tent on a gorgeous Hudson River estate, the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival has grown to encompass a thriving three-show summer season uniting the stories of Shakespeare with the great outdoors and big time audience draw (over 32,000 patrons in 2009 alone – including Bill and Hillary Clinton who live nearby).
Elegantly situated on a breathtaking bluff overlooking West Point Academy, HVSF’s home at Boscobel Gardens provides a lush backdrop for such summer classics as A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Richard III, while its Access-Shakespeare program provides year-round touring performances with an educational bent. The Festival’s Teaching Shakespeare Summer Institute has become a popular draw for select performers from colleges throughout the tri-state area.
Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (Garrison, NY) Information
- Public Transportation: Good (easily accessible by Metro North train and special Bard Bus that operates between train station and theater)
- Handicapped Accessibility: Good
- Performances/Programs: Three productions are presented from June to early September. Performance schedule is Tuesday–Sunday
- Admission: $28–$44. A 15% discount for students and seniors (excluding Saturday nights) is available. Half-price tickets for children 12 and under (excluding Saturday nights) are also offered. On Family Nights, tickets for a family of four cost just $80
- Group Discounts: Discounts available for groups of 10 or more on most dates
- Educational/Community Outreach: Educational programs include touring productions, artists-in-residence program, summer apprentice program, and an institute for teaching Shakespeare.