Preview performance of ‘Julius Caesar’ will welcome back playgoers to a theater festival that began in 1935

The curtain will rise once more in Ashland as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival launches its milestone 90th anniversary season this weekend.

OSF will open with previews of “Julius Caesar” on Friday, March 7; “The Importance of Being Earnest” on Saturday, March 8; and August Wilson’s “Jitney” on Sunday, March 9. All three plays are at the Angus Bowmer Theatre. “Fat Ham” will open on Tuesday, March 11, in the Thomas Theatre.

The 2025 lineup of nine productions on three stages includes Shakespearean classics, timeless dramas, comedies, new works and even a Sondheim musical.

 “Our 90th season is more than a celebration — it’s a testament to the talent and creativity that have made OSF a cornerstone of American theater,” said Tim Bond, OSF artistic director.

“We’re honored to welcome our incredible artists, whose vision and passion will make this anniversary season truly extraordinary.”

After preview performances, official opening dates are March 14 for “Julius Caesar,” March 15 for “The Importance of Being Earnest” and “Fat Ham,” and March 16 for “Jitney.”

“As You Like It” joins the lineup on April 18. “Shane,” “Quixote Nuevo,” “The Merry Wives of Windsor” and “Into the Woods” will follow.

The outdoor Allen Elizabethan Theatre will open May 30 with “Merry Wives” and May 31 with “Into the Woods.”

Other events

During the season, OSF will offer prefaces and post-show talk-backs to enhance the playgoing experience. Dates, times and venues can be found at osfashsland.org.

Ticket prices at the Bowmer and Elizabethan theaters range from $36 to $128, depending on seating zone and day of the week. Tickets cost $36 to $105 at the Thomas Theatre.

Youth discounts of 20% off full price are available for ages 6-17. Patrons can purchase ticket insurance for $40 for the season to get no-fee refund or exchange privileges. For $5 per ticket, patrons can get on a wait list for sold-out shows. Ticket insurance and wait list fees are waived for those in certain premier membership categories.

OSF’s Green Show will expand to five nights a week, Tuesday through Saturday, at 6:45 p.m. from June 13 to Sept. 22. The popular show offers free summer and fall entertainment on the bricks.

Chautauqua roots

OSF traces its roots back to the Chautauqua movement, which brought culture and entertainment to rural areas of the country in the late 19th century. Ashland’s first Chautauqua building was erected in 1893. In 1905, the building was enlarged to accommodate an audience of 1,500.

In 1917 a round, dome-covered structure was erected in the place of the original Chautauqua building. However, the Chautauqua movement died out in the early 1920s and the structure fell into disuse.

The dome was torn down in 1933. The concrete walls remain standing, however. They surround the Elizabethan Stage, renamed the Allen Elizabethan Theatre in 2013.

Angus L. Bowmer, an enthusiastic young teacher from Southern Oregon Normal School (now Southern Oregon University), was struck by the resemblance between the Chautauqua walls and some sketches he had seen of Elizabethan theaters. He proposed producing a festival of two plays within the walls, in conjunction with Ashland’s Fourth of July celebration.

The Oregon Shakespearean Festival was officially born on July 2, 1935, with a production of “Twelfth Night.” The festival presented “The Merchant of Venice” on July 3 and “Twelfth Night” again on July 4.

$1 for the good seats

Reserved seats cost $1, with general admission priced at 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for children. Even at those prices, the festival covered its own expenses.

The festival also absorbed the losses of the daytime boxing match that the city — which feared that the plays would lose money — held onstage.

And so it all began.

For more information about the plays, performance times, special events, and to purchase tickets, visit osfashland.org.

Freelance writer Jim Flint is a retired newspaper publisher and editor. Email him at jimflint.ashland@yahoo.com.