44°03′08″N 91°37′58″W / 44.05219305278904°N 91.63287993053457°W / 44.05219305278904; -91.63287993053457

GRSF 2015 season closing ceremony on the set of "Much Ado About Nothing"
GRSF 2015 company greeting the audience at the Winona State University Performing Arts Center

The Great River Shakespeare Festival (GRSF) is a professional equity theatre company in Winona, Minnesota, a Mississippi River town in the southeastern part of the state. Starting in 2004, it has produced several simultaneous performances each summer, held at the Winona State University DuFresne Performing Arts Center, with annual audiences of over 10,000. Its 2023 season runs from June 20 to July 30.

The festival features many art, music, and other events, such as an annual sonnet contest with entries from around the world. Additionally, Company Conversations, a weekly open-to-the-public talkback with company members, are hosted Sundays at Blooming Grounds Coffee House in downtown Winona.

GRSF also offers educational opportunities, especially for youth, including an apprentice/intern production. Youth classes are offered for grades 7-12, titled Shakespeare for Young Actors (SYA), Shakespeare for Young Designers (SYD), and Shakespeare for Young Filmmakers (SYF). SYA began in 2010.

Near the end of every season, GRSF company members produce a one-night performance known as Callithump, "a ridiculously fun, boisterous and wildly entertaining"[1] fundraiser and variety show. Typical acts include singing, skits, an auction, and more. Company members who participate in this show are colloquially known as "Thumpians". Before the show, pre-Callithump is held outside the Performing Arts Center; this often includes a dunk tank and other carnival-esque attractions.

Professional company productions

Performances by acting apprentices and production interns

Student performances by Shakespeare for Young Actors

*Included designs by Shakespeare for Young Designers

Shakespeare for Young Filmmakers short films

References

  1. ↑ "2023 Season". Great River Shakespeare Festival. Retrieved 2023-06-17.
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