Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival (PSF) is proud to announce it has been named the recipient of the Leonard Parker Pool Impact Award, presented by Air Products in partnership with United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. This prestigious honor recognizes nonprofit organizations that exemplify exceptional community leadership, outstanding stewardship of resources, meaningful volunteer engagement, and a positive impact throughout the Lehigh Valley.
With a legacy of artistic excellence and community connection since its inception in 1992, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival—the region’s professional theater in residence at DeSales University—is being honored for its unwavering dedication to the arts and its commitment to making theater accessible to all. The award specifically highlights PSF’s annual Community Day, which fosters meaningful connections between audiences, nonprofits, and businesses, enriching the region both culturally and economically. It also recognizes the Festival’s dedicated guild of over 200 volunteers, whose passion and service help sustain a welcoming and vibrant arts community.
“At PSF we’re driven by the belief that through great theatre we can improve our community and each other—helping people better understand ourselves and our world. Making theatre is the ultimate team sport, with a single production sometimes involving up to 100 people—from professional artists at the top of their game to dedicated volunteers. We’re humbled to receive this award, and we’re deeply grateful to Air Products and the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley for this recognition,” said Jason King Jones, PSF Artistic Director.
PSF will be formally honored at United Way’s Celebration of Caring on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 4:30–7:30 p.m. at ArtsQuest in Bethlehem. The event, presented by Crayola, will bring together donors, volunteers, and partners who share a vision for a stronger, healthier Lehigh Valley.
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is the Lehigh Valley’s Professional Equity Theatre hosted on the campus of DeSales University.
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, the official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, features acclaimed actors from Broadway, television, and film, and is the summer home to over 200 artists from around the country, including winners and nominees of the Tony, Obie, Emmy, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Jefferson, and Barrymore Awards.
Artistic Leadership:
JASON KING JONES (Artistic Director) is excited to embark on his third year with PSF. In his first two seasons, Jason expanded the organization’s footprint to include the “Play On!” Community Tour, the launch of Shakespeare 4 Kids to libraries, and Community Day. Prior to moving to the Lehigh Valley with his family, Jason spent ten years at Maryland’s Olney Theatre Center, where he served as Senior Associate Artistic Director and Artistic Director of National Players. In the past twenty-six years Jason directed over seventy-five productions, mentored hundreds of early-career theatre makers, and established various in-school and summer educational programs. He is an Acting Company alumnus, a proud member of the PSF Board, the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce’s Nonprofit & Business Partners Council, and the Shakespeare Theatre Association’s Executive Committee. Jason holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Missouri State and an MFA in Directing from Boston University.
CASEY WILLIAM GALLAGHER (Managing Director) has worked at PSF for 26 seasons. Over the years he was a box office intern, a stage management intern, the assistant house manager, box office manager, company manager, assistant producer, director of development and worked directly with PSF Founder Jerry Schubert in the early years of the organization. Since 2004, in his role as general manager and later managing director, he served as the administrative leader of the Festival, working very closely with former Producing Artistic Director Patrick Mulcahy and the box office, business, development, marketing and production departments. Since 2023, Casey is co-leader of the Festival with Artistic Director Jason King Jones. Beyond PSF, Casey was treasurer for the Shakespeare Theatre Association, director of audience services for The People’s Light & Theatre Company, a board member for Civic Theatre of Allentown, a peer panelist for the New Jersey Council on the Arts and a judge for the Greater Philadelphia Barrymore Awards for excellence in theatre.
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival 2025 Summer Theatre Series—
“Play On!” Community Tour – William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing
May 30 to June 15 | Directed by Jason King Jones
Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival’s “Play On!” Community Tour brings free performances of William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing to libraries, parks, and community centers all over the region.
On the Main Stage:
The Producers – June 11 to June 29
Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks. Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan.
Directed by Jennifer Childs
Choreographed by Tara Jeanne Vallee
Adapted from Brooks’ 1967 film, this laugh-a-minute romp features larger-than-life characters, wickedly funny double entendres, and splashy show-stopping musical numbers. With a truly hysterical book co-written by Brooks and Thomas Meehan, The Producers proudly proclaims itself an “equal opportunity offender,” skewering Broadway traditions with enough chutzpah to fill Times Square!
Hamlet – July 9 to August 3,
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Lindsay Smiling
Shakespeare’s masterpiece delves into the depths of human thought, revealing the darkness that lies beneath loyalty, love, and justice. Experience the pulse-pounding tension and psychological intrigue that have made this play endure for centuries. Hamlet will play in repertory with Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead.
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead – July 17 to August 2
By Tom Stoppard
Directed by Jason King Jones
Lost in a Shakespearean drama they barely understand, two glorified extras from Hamlet stumble into the spotlight. Watch as our hapless heroes flip coins (which mysteriously keep landing heads), ponder the meaning of life (spoiler: they don’t figure it out), and wonder if they’re actually the main characters in someone else’s tragedy. Occasionally, the “real” play crashes their existential party, sending them into a panic of “Wait, which one am I again?”
Hamlet and Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead will play in rotating repertory.
In the Schubert Theatre:
Penelope – May 28 to June 8
Music and Lyrics by Alex Bechtel.
Book by Alex Bechtel, Grace McClean, and Eva Steinmetz.
Based on writings in The Odyssey by Homer
Directed by Eva Steinmetz
A Co-production with Theater Horizon
This witty musical flips the script on the dutiful wife history wants you to believe in—Penelope’s done being a footnote in her husband’s epic; this time, she’s writing her own odyssey. With soulful songs, razor-sharp storytelling, and an onstage band doubling as her modern-day Greek chorus, Penelope transforms the tale you thought you knew into a solo cabaret act like no other.
A Raisin in the Sun – June 25 to July 13
By Lorraine Hansberry
Directed by Akeem Davis
The members of the Younger family dream bigger than the cramped apartment where they live on the south side of Chicago. When a life-changing insurance check arrives, three generations are suddenly given the chance to turn their hopes into reality. As they navigate the complex landscape of 1950s America, the Younger family discovers that unity, resilience, and love can overcome even the toughest challenges in their pursuit of a better life.
Timon of Athens – “Extreme Shakespeare”
July 23 to August 3
By William Shakespeare
Timon of Athens, once the life of every party and generous benefactor, finds himself abandoned when his fortune runs dry. Betrayed by those he trusted most, his legendary generosity turns to seething rage, transforming him from Athens’ favorite host to its most dangerous outcast. Performed “Extreme Shakespeare” style—actors arrive with lines learned, rehearse on their own, and open within days. No directors. No designers. Just pure adrenaline and raw talent unleashed on Shakespeare’s blistering commentary on wealth and loyalty
Children’s Theatre Productions:
The Princess and The Frog Prince | July 4 to August 2 | Schubert Theatre
By Jason King Jones | Based on the Grimms’ Fairy Tale | Directed by Jessica Bedford
This fresh spin on the classic tale follows a basketball-loving princess who’d rather shoot hoops than wait for Prince Charming. But when her ball rolls into a well, she meets an unlikely hero—a talking frog under a magical spell. As friendship sparks, the duo proves that sometimes your perfect match is the teammate you least expect.
Shakespeare for Kids (S4K) presents Hamlet | July 23 to August 2 | Main Stage
By Erin Sheffield | Directed by Matt Pfeiffer
A high energy one-hour production, S4K activates imaginations and generates laughs for the entire family. Using a combination of songs, puppets, and scenes from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, S4K provides families with the opportunity to introduce children to Shakespeare in a welcoming, super kid-friendly environment.
The Festival will host its annual Community Day event on Saturday, June 28, 2025. The event will take place on the mall and in front of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts at DeSales University.
Information provided to TVL by:
Tina Louise Slak
