Mission and Values

Our Mission:

Maryland Shakespeare Festival is a professional and innovative classical theater company, which makes classical theater that matters in the lives of our children, our neighbors, and ourselves.

How Do We Do This?

• We give life to timeless stories, especially Shakespeare, in a manner that inspires, challenges, and entertains
• We foster the voices of our children, and then listen
• We illuminate what it means to be human
• We give voice to the major issues of our society
• We are a valued cultural tradition
• We further the exploration of the theatrical process, especially original practices
• We participate in the civic and intellectual life of our community

Values That Unite Us:

• We value the pursuit of excellence and work to feel pride and pleasure in all of our endeavors.
• We value curiosity and work to foster a spirit of inquiry in all our work
• We believe in a Mentoring model that both educates and transmits values, and that this model is essential to the health of this company and society.
• We value a Spirit of Generosity in which every person is honored for their experience, humanity, and individual artistry – throughout every activity of this company and community.
• We believe in a spirit of Serious Play, which tempers a strong work ethic and sense of purpose with joy, humor, and wit. We strive for playfulness and grace in all situations.
• We believe that the actor audience relationship and language are the heart of the theatrical experience.
• We believe that Exploring Elizabethan Theatrical Practices helps us to create vital theatrical experiences for our generation.
• We believe in open and honest communication and strive to implement it on every level, even when it is difficult or unpleasant
• We believe that while working for an arts organization is a privilege and has its own rewards, our employees should receive competitive wages and secure benefits.
• We value our community. We believe that people of every race, ethnicity, economic status, and belief system deserve mutual respect. We strive to be good neighbors and work for the community’s well being.