The New Mexico Shakespeare Festival began in 2010 as a summer Shakespeare program called “Will Power” at The Vortex Theatre. It was a three-play, nine week season in the theatre, with admission charged. In 2014, The Vortex entered into a collaboration with the City of Albuquerque and moved the festival to Civic Plaza, where it was known as “Shakespeare on the Plaza.” The outdoor setting, while challenging, allowed the plays to breathe the outdoor air as they had in Shakespeare’s time, and as they do in so many summer festivals around the world.
The first summer featured “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Romeo and Juliet” alternating over four weeks and sixteen performances. Audiences immediately flocked to see these al fresco shows. “I can’t think of a better way to spend a summer evening in the Land of Enchantment,” said one reviewer. “The outdoor setting encourages people to bring children to see Shakespeare,” he continued. “I guess that’s why Shakespeare really is for the ages.”
In June 2015, the Plaza hosted “Julius Caesar” and “The Taming of the Shrew,” again for sixteen shows over four weeks. One reviewer described “Caesar” as “fast-paced, well-performed, and wonderfully staged.” Another called “Shrew” “enjoyably balanced” and “thoughtfully directed.”
In 2016 the wonderful level of public and private support allowed us to present the plays free of charge. Company and public alike were delighted with the open and community-building spirit which this brought into the festival. The season of “The Tempest” and “Much Ado About Nothing” delighted audiences, which spilled off the stage and onto the plaza. More than 3000 people attended our productions – an attendance record.
At NMSF, we believe that Shakespeare is for everyone - whether you've seen dozens of plays or none at all.
In 2019, we moved to our new home in the amphitheater at the New Mexico Veterans Memorial Park to produce the first season of the New Mexico Shakespeare Festival! This beautiful venue allowed us increased seating capacity (as well as better parking) for our audience, better facilities for our actors, and an unbeatable view of the Sandia mountains against which to perform. We performed “Romeo and Juliet” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost” to enthusiastic crowds.
As You Like It
The Merry Wives of Windsor
The Comedy of Errors
Macbeth
Much Ado About Nothing
The Tempest
The Taming of the Shrew
Julius Caesar
Romeo and Juliet
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
As You Like It
Measure for Measure
Macbeth
Richard III
Twelfth Night
The Winter’s Tale
The Comedy of Errors
Romeo and Juliet
The Merchant of Venice
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
The Taming of the Shrew
Much Ado About Nothing
