The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Free For All is
a much-loved Washington tradition, offering free performances of
a Shakespearean classic to the general public. STC is thrilled
to kick off our 25th Anniversary Season with Julius Caesar.
Each summer, with the help of numerous community-minded sponsors,
the Shakespeare Theatre Company presents a series of free Shakespeare
performances. Started in 1991 to bring free Shakespeare to new and
diverse audiences in the Washington metropolitan area, the Free For
All has presented Shakespeare under the stars to more than 560,000
area residents.
Students
for Shakespeare, launched in 1996, has attracted thousands
of area public school students to the Free For All by providing transportation
and free t-shirts, fun books and drawings for scholarship savings
bonds. The Shakespeare Theatre Company Free For All's unique contribution
to the community was recognized with the Washington Post Distinguished
Service Award in 1992 and the 1997 Public Humanities Award presented
by the Humanities Council of Washington, D.C.
The Shakespeare Theatre
Company Free For All is a highlight of Washington's theatre season,
a traditional outing that attracts the city's most diverse audience.
Championed by Kahn and Shakespeare Theatre Company founding chairman
R. Robert Linowes, and made possible with invaluable support from
The Washington Post, Philip L. Graham Fund and a committed group
of community-minded sponsors, the Free For All proved an enormous
success its first year, attracting more than 2,500 theatregoers each
night. Succeeding summers have seen the Free For All build on its
early promise, with audiences flocking to see some of Shakespeare's
greatest plays—Much
Ado about Nothing, Hamlet, Measure
for Measure, Henry V and King Lear—performed
by the Shakespeare Theatre Company's actors and such guest artists
as Sabrina LeBeauf, Kelly McGillis and Harry Hamlin.
Former Chair
of the National Endowment of the Arts Jane Alexander, a frequent
attendee at Free For All productions, enthuses about the program's
importance to Washington: "I remember once when I
was at the Free For All, there was a couple sitting next to me with
a very, very young child, and I began to talk to them and I asked:
'Why are you here?' And they said, 'Where else would we have the
opportunity to introduce our child to Shakespeare and be able to
afford it?'"
Alexander sums up the sentiments shared by Kahn, the Shakespeare
Theatre Company and the many generous individuals, foundations and
corporations who make the Free For All possible each year: "The
Free For All is a wonderful success for everybody involved ... not
just for the Shakespeare Theatre Company, but for the entire city."
Past Free For All Productions
- 2010: Twelfth Night
- 2009: The Taming of the Shrew
- 2008: Hamlet
- 2007: Love's Labor's Lost
- 2006: Pericles
- 2005: A Midsummer Night's Dream
- 2004: Much Ado about Nothing
- 2003: Hamlet
- 2002: The Two Gentlemen of Verona
- 2001: King Lear
- 2000: The Merchant of Venice
- 1999: The Merry Wives of Windsor
- 1998: All's Well That Ends Well
- 1997: Henry V
- 1996: Measure for Measure
- 1995: Twelfth Night
- 1994: Comedy of Errors
- 1993: Much Ado about Nothing
- 1992: As You Like It
- 1991: The Merry Wives of Windsor
As swift and enthralling as a political thriller, Julius Caesar portrays
the life-and-death struggle for power in Rome. Fearing that Caesar’s
growing strength and imperial ambitions threaten the Republic, a
faction of politicians plots to assassinate him. But when Caesar
is killed, chaos engulfs Rome. Alive with stunning rhetoric, Julius
Caesar investigates the intoxicating effects of power and the
dangers of idealism. In Caesar, Brutus, and the young Marc Antony,
Shakespeare created three fascinating, dynamic characters.
Click
here for a full play synopsis.
“★★★★ All hail Julius Caesar! …One
of the best productions of this or any season.”
The Washingtonian
“Impressive … Keeps the plot boiling
[but] the fast pace of the piece never seems rushed.”
Potomac Stages
“Majestic”
The Washington Times
“Electrifying”
DC Theatre Scene
“Emotionally powerful”
The Georgetowner
“Remarkable performances … Imaginative
and fast-paced. Highly recommended.”
Artistically Speaking
Free For All FAQ
Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your Free
For All experience!
What is Free For All?
The Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Free
For All is a much-loved Washington tradition, offering
free performances of a Shakespearean classic to the general public
at Sidney Harman Hall in the heart of Washington, D.C.’s Penn
Quarter.
So, it's really free?
Completely 100% FREE. Tickets cost nothing.
Nada. Zip. Zero. Zilch.
Totally free Shakespeare? How is this possible?
Free For All is made possible by many incredible community-minded
sponsors and partners, as well as individuals just like you! If you're
interested in supporting the Free For All so we can continue to provide
quality productions, consider joining the Friends
of Free All. You get great benefits as well as the satisfaction
of knowing you're helping to provide totally free Shakespeare for
future generations.
Is the Free For All family friendly?
Julius Caesar is recommended for people ages 13 and older, although anyone can
attend.
Guardians should bring children out into the lobby if they are restless.
How many tickets are available?
There are 774 seats in Sidney Harman Hall. For each performance,
a certain number of seats are designated to STC Subscribers, Friends
of Free For All, students and other community partners through numerous
outreach initiatives.
A minimum of 200 seats will be offered to the general public for
each performance through our Ticket Line as well as many more given
away through our Online Lottery.
How can I get Free For All tickets?
There are a number of ways you can secure tickets for the Free For All:
- Become
a Subscriber
All 2011-2012 Season Subscribers have the ability to reserve
seats in advance. Each subscriber can reserve two (2) Free For All
tickets for every subscription seat they hold and have the ability
to exchange their tickets.
- Join
Friends of Free For All
Gifts starting at $200 allow Friends to secure reserved
seating in advance, receive program recognition and access our Patrons
Lounge which includes complimentary beverages and snacks!
- Enter the Online Lottery
For each performance, a select number of seats are given
away to lucky lottery winners. See below for details.
- Get in line instead of online
Every day STC will make at least 200 tickets available the public
in our Ticket Line at Sidney Harman Hall beginning approximately
2 hours prior to curtain. Limit is 2 tickets per person. Remember
to get there early! The line usually starts forming around 4:00
p.m.
- Follow STC on Social Media
Our Facebook and Twitter fans can
tell you from experience that we like giving stuff away. Start following
STC and keep an eye out for chances to secure VIP seating for the
Free For All and updates on ticket distribution.
How does the Online Lottery work?
A block of tickets will be given away on our website via the
ticket lottery for each performance. Entries can be submitted at ShakespeareTheatre.org
by selecting your performance on our online calendar.
You may enter the daily lottery for each performance between 12:01
a.m. and 8:00 p.m. the day PRIOR to the performance you are interested
in attending. (i.e. If you are interested in seeing Julius Caesar on
Saturday, August 20, you may enter the lottery starting at midnight
on Friday, August 19, through 8:00 p.m. Friday, August 19.)
Winners will be chosen at random. The time you enter the lottery
has no bearing on your chances of winning. Only one entry per account
will be considered for the drawing. All entrants will receive an
email after 8:00 p.m. the night before the performance. Limit 2 tickets
per winner.
If I win tickets through the online lottery, when can I
pick them up?
Winners may pick up their tickets at the Sidney Harman Hall Box Office
beginning 2 hours prior to curtain on the day of their performance.
All tickets MUST be picked up no later than 30
minutes prior to curtain. Any unclaimed tickets will be released
to the ticket line.
All attendees MUST be physically in their seats no later than 10
minutes prior to curtain. Any empty seats will be filled in by standby
patrons. PLEASE NOTE: Jackets and bags do not count
as bodies.
What if I’m a Subscriber or a member of Friends of
Free For All?
Subscribers and Friends of Free For All who have not already received
their tickets may pick up their tickets at the Sidney Harman Hall
Box Office beginning 2 hours prior to curtain on the day of their
performance.
All tickets MUST be picked up no later than 30
minutes prior to curtain. Any unclaimed tickets will be released
to the ticket line.
All attendees MUST be physically in their seats no later than 10
minutes prior to curtain. Any empty seats will be filled in by standby
patrons. PLEASE NOTE: Jackets and bags do not count
as bodies.
What happens if I win tickets through the online lottery,
but cannot attend that performance?
Lottery winners may not exchange tickets. Tickets will be forfeited
and you must enter the lottery again for another performance.
Subscribers and Friends of Free For All may exchange their FFA tickets
for other performances of Julius Caesar.
What happens if I don't win tickets through the online lottery?
Fear not! If you didn't win tickets for the performance you
want, a block of tickets is held for the general public and given away
each day at the theatre for that day's performance. Simply come to
Sidney Harman Hall and join other Free For All-ers in the Ticket Line.
And remember, you can always re-enter the online lottery for any
Free For All performance.
Talk to me about this Ticket Line.
Back by popular demand, our Ticket Line is the best place to get
in the spirit and share your love of Shakespeare, theatre or free
stuff with other Free For All-ers. We'll be giving away coupons
for local eateries and other fun stuff! You can also enter to win
tickets to other fabulous STC productions and other swag given
away before every show!
At least 200 seats will be made available to give away to the Ticket
Line for each performance. This is also a great way to get tickets
for a group. Limit of 2 tickets per person.
Once I have my tickets, when can I take my seat?
Lobbies will open one hour prior to curtain and you may enter to
use the restrooms or purchase concessions.The house will
open 30 minutes prior to curtain and you may then take your seats.
All attendees MUST be physically in their seats no later than 10
minutes prior to curtain. Any empty seats will be filled in by standby
patrons. PLEASE NOTE: Jackets and bags do not count
as bodies.
Does Sidney Harman Hall have public facilities for those
waiting in line?
Sidney Harman Hall restrooms will be accessible one
hour prior to curtain for patrons who receive tickets. Public facilities
are located in the National Portrait Gallery (located on F Street NW
between 7th and 8th Streets NW) during museum hours (11:30 a.m. to
7:00 p.m.).
Where can we get a bite to eat?
Penn Quarter is full of great restaurants for pre- or post-theatre
dining. Visit our Dining
Page for suggestions and make reservations through Open Table.
Concessions provided by Ridgewells are available beginning one hour
prior to curtain and during intermission.
Ok. You've convinced me. Now, how do I get there?
The easiest way to visit Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW) is
by taking Metro, the area’s extensive and easy-to-use public
transportation system. Sidney Harman Hall is a block from the Gallery
Pl-Chinatown and Judiciary Square stations. For Metro maps and
times visit wmata.com.
Several parking garages are located around Sidney Harman Hall; rates
and closing times vary, so please check with each individual garage.
For more information, click
here.