Georgia Shakespeare has cancelled its production of “Henry V,” which was due to open in October, citing a lack of funds. The future of the theater company is also in question again, according to an email sent to patrons and the media.
“We obviously regret that we will be unable to go forward with the show, but given our current financial status and our inability to secure strategic funding for operating capital, we felt that it simply not possible to do so,” said board chair Daniel Norris. “We regret the inconvenience to our patrons, supporters, and to the artists committed to working on the show.”
The email went on to say that Georgia Shakespeare will “quickly evaluate the theatre company’s long-term direction, providing a recommendation by early October.”
“We’ve made great progress in recent years in creating a sustainable business model, and have operated in the black four of the last five years,” said Jennifer Bauer-Lyons, Managing Director. “Each year we have strengthened our balance sheet, but our lack of operating capital has meant that we have remained a fragile organization financially. It is not enough to fix the business model. We also have to find a way to fix the balance sheet.”
Georgia Shakespeare, founded in 1986 as a summer festival, conducted a “Save Georgia Shakespeare” campaign in 2011 and raised more than $550,000. While that enable the company to keep operating, it did not eliminate a substantial debt. Georgia Shakespeare is known for its productions at Oglethorpe University’s Conant Performing Arts Center and the annual Shakespeare in the Park at Piedmont Park.
You can make a donation at gashakespeare.org. Patrons who have previously purchased tickets to Henry V should check Georgia Shakespeare’s website for further information.
