Mission...
We serve our community through creating inspiring, accessible theater and bringing it to as wide an audience as possible. Our actions and our art are informed by the following beliefs:
--Classic plays are our cultural legacy and, like all great art, they are a vital part of forming bonds within our world.
--Diversity within the production, as well as in the audience, creates stronger, more entertaining theatrical experiences.
--The audience’s understanding and enjoyment of the theater experience is of paramount importance.
--Great writing and skillful performances take precedence over the technical elements of contemporary theatre.
--Dynamic speaking and innovative staging are the primary means of engaging the audience’s imagination.
--Productions of classic plays should be readily available to all.
--There is no greater cause than to expand current audiences and create future ones.
the past...
ISC was founded in 1998 by a group of actors who shared a passion for classical works. Intent on rendering vivid productions of Shakespeare’s plays, our focus was stripping back the conventions of contemporary theater and placing attention onto the spoken word. Shakespeare, we reasoned, produced his plays without lighting, without recorded sound, and without elaborate scenery and costumes. Surely we could as well.
This style also had the virtue of being cheap. The first play we produced, Henry V, had a budget of about $800. We managed this by wearing costumes we found in our own closets or in thrift stores, having no scenery but a giant St. George’s flag and a rolling trunk, and keeping props to a minimum. We also found a cheap theater space: a curious Lower East Side theater with ideosyncratic policies. Numerous theater companies shared the space, neccesitating odd performance times. So it came to pass that our first performance was at 10:00 pm on a Tuesday night following a performance of Pigoletto- the opera Rigoletto starring a man in a pig suit. Pigoletto would let out at 9:55, and we’d rush to set up as our audience was seating. That didn’t take long. Our premiere had only five in attendance.
the present...
Despite (our perhaps because of) our eccentric naissance, we persisted; always finding inspiration in the plays that were our focus. For some time, we have been committed to reaching larger audiences. Therefore we now produce free, outdoor productions. In this way we can seat many more people in a open atmosphere that encourages attendance by all members of our community.
In 2003 we partnered with the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles to produce Free Shakespeare in Barnsdall Park. Our first performance in Barnsdall Park in 2003 was attended by 14 people and a dog. Since that time we have grown steadily. Last summer’s Free Shakespeare in Barnsdall Park was attended by more than 7,250 patrons over just eight weeks.
Despite the changes, we maintain an undying belief in the power of language to transform actors and audiences alike. Our costumes are less wrinkled, but they remain simple. Lighting is still basic. The stage is still mainly bare of scenery. Limiting technical elements does cut costs. Much more importantly, it focuses the actors’ and audience’s attention in the most powerful place: on the spoken word. Our efforts are all aimed at engaging your, the audience’s, imagination. And, we are grateful that, by your indulgence and attention, you invite us to be your conduit to the great works which are our shared legacy.
the future...
It is our belief in the value of this legacy that shapes our vision of the future. We are committed to continuing and expanding our summer free Shakespeare program. We anticipate performing for over 10,000 patrons in 2007. To compliment this, we seek a year-round home, one in which we can rehearse, teach, and perform. We are intent in becoming a world-class classical theater which serves the entire, vibrant community of Los Angeles. One which is in the vanguard of classical performance, continually seeking new ways to reveal the unique power of great plays to inspire and embolden an audience.
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