Fiercely devoted to the community
Catskill Mountain Shakespeare stages vibrant professional productions in the Catskill Mountains. Through the magic of live art and clear storytelling, we create a shared space for local community members, weekenders, and visitors alike. Excellence and inclusion drive CMS and our work is richer for every voice welcomed on stage and into the audience. We are fiercely devoted to the Catskills and to the people who make it home.
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Catskill Mountain Shakespeare is a 501(c)(3) non-profit theater company.
Born in 2020
Che Kabia as Sebastian & Yansa Fatima as Viola in Twelfth Night, 2021
Jackson Goad as Demetrius & Abram Blau as Helena in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2022
2020
The beginning
Catskill Mountain Shakespeare is founded in February. During the pandemic, we launch Forest Scenes, sharing filmed outdoor performances of Shakespeare online for free.
2021
Our first live season
We premiere Twelfth Night, our first live outdoor Main Stage production, and introduce our low cost/no cost ticket initiative to make theater accessible to all.
2022
Expanding community access
A Midsummer Night’s Dream launches along with our community outreach programs, including pay what you can performances, our annual LGBTQ+ Summer Social, relaxed performances, and free community theater workshops.
2023
A new home in Hunter
Our production of As You Like It, with a live music soundtrack, moves to Main Street in Hunter through a partnership with the Catskill Mountain Foundation, doubling our audience.
2024
New directions
We present our first tragedy, Julius Caesar, and launch our first community tour with The Tempest, mobilizing our programming.
2025
Reaching new communities
Our sixth Main Stage season features Romeo & Juliet, alongside our second Community Tour, Pericles, expanding our reach across New York State.
2026
A growing regional presence
Our seventh season features Much Ado About Nothing, our most successful Main Stage production to date, welcoming 1,200+ audience members. Our third Community Tour, Hamlet, reaches 2,000+ students and community members across nine New York counties through twenty-three performances. We also offer a theater camp for more than fifty young local artists and introduce pre-show picnicking, creating new opportunities for audiences to gather and connect.
Committed to advancing the work of anti-racism
Catskill Mountain Shakespeare recognizes the devastating consequences of racism and systemic oppression within the theater community and across our country.
We acknowledge that there is an urgent need for change in our industry, and we want to respond to this call to action as an organization.
We strive to be active participants in the movement towards anti-racism and care deeply about creating and sharing stories and programs that are inclusive, equitable, and just.
CMS is committed to advancing the work of anti-racism, throughout our organization, through the following:
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Actively searching out and listening to the stories and experiences of our BIPOC and Global Majority theater and Catskills community members, and evolving our offerings in response to these interactions and dialogues.
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Combatting racism through inclusive and equitable representation on and off stage.
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Prioritizing the diversification of our staff, Board, artists, and artisans.
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Acknowledging that this work is ongoing and that there is always more for us to learn.
We invite you to share any further insight, inquiries and questions with us at info@catskillmountainshakespeare.com.