The Victoria Shakespeare Society was formed in 2003 and since then has entertained Victorians each summer with outdoor productions focussed primarily on the works of William Shakespeare.
The first couple of seasons saw the VSS perform at a couple different downtown locations, but in 2005 the Shakespeare Summer Festival was relocated to the Lansdowne campus of Camosun College.
The objective of the Victoria Shakespeare Society is to “creatively explore Shakespeare in a way that is interesting and accessible to the public”.
The VSS operates as a not-for-profit society and is governed by a volunteer Board of Directors. The society is committed to being actively involved in the community, and traditionally donates the proceeds of their preview night shows to the Camosun College Foundation. These funds are paid out as an award to a deserving Camosun College English student for exceptional achievement, which dovetails nicely with the VSS’ desire to support students in their efforts to master the English language.
A priority of the VSS is to support young and developing actors and give them a chance to work with experienced professionals to cultivate their craft. To this end they hire professional directors to guide these entry level actors.
Audience numbers have steadily increased over the years and as more people living in Victoria discover the Summer Shakepeare Festival the VSS looks forward to bringing the works of Shakespeare alive to an ever expanding audience.
