The Shakespeare Theatre Association (STA), Formally known as The Shakespeare Theatre Association of America, was established to provide a forum for the artistic and managerial leadership of theatres whose central activity is the production of Shakespeare's plays; to discuss issues and share methods of work, resources, and information; and to act as an advocate for Shakespearean productions throughout the world. The name was changed in January 2011 to reflect the increasingly international reach of Shakespeare and the Shakespeare Theatre Association.[1]
The Shakespeare Theatre Association of America was organized at a meeting held January 12 and 13, 1991 at the Folger Library and the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Sidney Berger, Producing Director of the Houston Shakespeare Festival, and Douglas Cook, Producing Artistic Director of the Utah Shakespearean Festival, invited the producers, artistic directors and managing directors of over thirty-seven Shakespeare festivals and companies from the United States and Canada to this meeting. Berger was elected the first President,[2] and Cook the first Vice President.[3]
The annual conference is the most important activity of the STA.
| Year | Host Organization | City | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | Folger Shakespeare Theatre | Washington, D.C. | |
| 1992 | Houston Shakespeare Festival | Houston, Texas | |
| 1993 | Utah Shakespearean Festival | Cedar City, Utah | |
| 1994 | Alabama Shakespeare Festival | Montgomery, Alabama | |
| 1995 | Tygres Heart Shakespeare Company | Portland, Oregon | |
| 1996 | Stratford Festival | Stratford, Ontario, Canada | |
| 1997 | San Francisco Shakespeare Festival | San Francisco, California | |
| 1998 | Georgia Shakespeare Festival | Atlanta, Georgia | |
| 1999 | Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival | Orlando, Florida | |
| 2000 | Royal Shakespeare Company and Shakespeare's Globe | Stratford-upon-Avon and London, England | |
| 2001 | Idaho Shakespeare Festival | Boise, Idaho | |
| 2002 | Shakespeare Theater Company | Washington, D.C. | |
| 2003 | Oregon Shakespeare Festival | Ashland, Oregon | |
| 2004 | American Shakespeare Center | Staunton, Virginia | |
| 2005 | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |
| 2006 | Marin Shakespeare Company and Baja Shakespeare Festival | San Rafael, California and Los Barriles, Mexico | |
| 2007 | Nashville Shakespeare Festival | Nashville, Tennessee | |
| 2008 | Utah Shakespearean Festival | Cedar City, Utah | |
| 2009 | Shakespeare & Company | Lenox, Massachusetts | |
| 2010 | Shakespeare's Globe | London, England | |
| 2011 | Colorado Shakespeare Festival | Boulder, Colorado | |
| 2012 | Orlando Shakespeare Theatre | Orlando, Florida | |
| 2013 | Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival | Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | |
| 2014 | Stratford Festival | Stratford, Ontario, Canada | |
| 2015 | San Francisco Shakespeare Festival | San Francisco, California | |
| 2016 | Shakespeare at Notre Dame | South Bend, Indiana | |
| 2017 | Chesapeake Shakespeare Company | Baltimore, Maryland | |
| 2018 | Cincinnati Shakespeare Company | Cincinnati, Ohio | |
| 2019 | Prague Shakespeare Company | Prague, Czech Republic | |
| 2021 | Chesapeake Shakespeare Company | Virtual (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) | |
| 2022 | Gamut Theatre | Harrisburg, Pennsylvania | |
| 2023 | Shakespeare in Paradise | Nassau, The Bahamas |