{"id":141465,"date":"2025-04-03T23:15:34","date_gmt":"2025-04-04T03:15:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=141465"},"modified":"2025-04-03T23:15:34","modified_gmt":"2025-04-04T03:15:34","slug":"pennsylvania-shakespeare-festival-receives-air-products-leonard-parker-pool-impact-award","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/?p=141465","title":{"rendered":"Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Receives Air Products Leonard Parker Pool Impact Award"},"content":{"rendered":"

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival<\/strong>\u00a0(PSF) is proud to announce it has been named the recipient of the\u00a0Leonard Parker Pool Impact Award<\/strong>, presented by\u00a0Air Products\u00a0<\/strong>in partnership with\u00a0United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley<\/strong>. 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.<\/p>\n

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With a legacy of artistic excellence and community connection since its inception in 1992, Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival\u2014the region’s professional theater in residence at DeSales University\u2014is 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\u2019s dedicated guild of over 200 volunteers, whose passion and service help sustain a welcoming and vibrant arts community.<\/p>\n

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\u201cAt PSF we’re driven by the belief that through great theatre we can improve our community and each other\u2014helping people better understand ourselves and our world. Making theatre is the ultimate team sport, with a single production sometimes involving up to 100 people\u2014from professional artists at the top of their game to dedicated volunteers. We\u2019re humbled to receive this award, and we\u2019re deeply grateful to Air Products and the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley for this recognition,\u201d said\u00a0Jason King Jones<\/strong>, PSF Artistic Director.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

PSF will be formally honored at\u00a0United Way\u2019s Celebration of Caring<\/strong>\u00a0on Thursday, April 10, 2025, from 4:30\u20137:30 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.<\/p>\n

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival is the Lehigh Valley’s Professional Equity Theatre hosted on the campus of DeSales University.<\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/em>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Artistic Leadership:<\/strong><\/p>\n

JASON KING JONES<\/strong>\u00a0(Artistic Director) is excited to embark on his third year with PSF. In his first two seasons, Jason expanded the organization\u2019s footprint to include the \u201cPlay On!\u201d Community Tour, the launch of\u00a0Shakespeare 4 Kids\u00a0<\/em>to libraries, and Community Day. Prior to moving to the Lehigh Valley with his family, Jason spent ten years at Maryland\u2019s 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\u2019s Nonprofit & Business Partners Council, and\u00a0the Shakespeare Theatre Association\u2019s Executive Committee.\u00a0Jason holds a BFA in Theatre Performance from Missouri State and an MFA in Directing from Boston University.<\/p>\n

CASEY WILLIAM GALLAGHER<\/strong>\u00a0(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\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

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Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival 2025 Summer Theatre Series\u2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cPlay On!\u201d Community Tour<\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0William Shakespeare\u2019s\u00a0Much Ado About Nothing<\/em><\/p>\n

May 30 to June 15 | Directed by Jason King Jones<\/p>\n

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival\u2019s \u201cPlay On!\u201d Community Tour brings free performances of William Shakespeare\u2019s\u00a0Much Ado About Nothing<\/em>\u00a0to libraries, parks, and community centers all over the region.<\/p>\n

On the Main Stage:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Producers<\/em><\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0<\/em>June 11 to June 29\u00a0\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks. Book by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meehan.<\/em><\/p>\n

Directed by Jennifer Childs<\/em><\/p>\n

Choreographed by Tara Jeanne Vallee<\/em><\/p>\n

Adapted from Brooks\u2019 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,\u00a0The Producers<\/em>\u00a0proudly proclaims itself an \u201cequal opportunity offender,\u201d skewering Broadway traditions with enough chutzpah to fill Times Square!<\/p>\n

Hamlet<\/em><\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0July 9 to August 3,<\/p>\n

By William Shakespeare<\/em><\/p>\n

Directed by Lindsay Smiling<\/em><\/p>\n

Shakespeare\u2019s 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.\u00a0Hamlet<\/em>\u00a0will play in repertory with\u00a0Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead<\/em>.<\/p>\n

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead<\/em><\/a>\u00a0– July 17 to August 2<\/p>\n

By Tom Stoppard<\/em><\/p>\n

Directed by Jason King Jones<\/em><\/p>\n

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\u2019t figure it out), and wonder if they\u2019re actually the main characters in someone else\u2019s tragedy. Occasionally, the \u201creal\u201d play crashes their existential party, sending them into a panic of \u201cWait, which one am I again?\u201d<\/p>\n

Hamlet<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead\u00a0<\/em>will play in rotating repertory.<\/p>\n

In the Schubert Theatre:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Penelope<\/em><\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0<\/em>May 28 to June 8<\/p>\n

Music and Lyrics by Alex Bechtel.
\nBook by Alex Bechtel, Grace McClean, and Eva Steinmetz.
\n<\/em> Based on writings in\u00a0The Odyssey<\/em>\u00a0by Homer<\/p>\n

Directed by Eva Steinmetz<\/em><\/p>\n

A Co-production with Theater Horizon<\/p>\n

This witty musical flips the script on the dutiful wife history wants you to believe in\u2014Penelope\u2019s done being a footnote in her husband\u2019s epic; this time, she\u2019s 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.<\/p>\n

A Raisin in the Sun<\/em><\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0<\/em>June 25 to July 13
\nBy Lorraine Hansberry<\/em><\/p>\n

Directed by Akeem Davis<\/em><\/p>\n

The members of the Younger family dream bigger than the cramped apartment where they live on the south side of Chicago.\u00a0When 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.<\/p>\n

Timon of Athens<\/em><\/a>\u00a0–\u00a0<\/em>\u201cExtreme Shakespeare\u201d
\n<\/em> July 23 to August 3
\nBy William Shakespeare<\/em><\/p>\n

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\u2019 favorite host to its most dangerous outcast. Performed \u201cExtreme Shakespeare\u201d style\u2014actors 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\u2019s blistering commentary on wealth and loyalty<\/p>\n

Children\u2019s Theatre Productions:<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Princess and The Frog Prince<\/a>\u00a0| July 4 to August 2 | Schubert Theatre<\/p>\n

By Jason King Jones | Based on the Grimms\u2019 Fairy Tale | Directed by Jessica Bedford<\/em>
\nThis fresh spin on the classic tale follows a basketball-loving princess who\u2019d rather shoot hoops than wait for Prince Charming. But when her ball rolls into a well, she meets an unlikely hero\u2014a talking frog under a magical spell. As friendship sparks, the duo proves that sometimes your perfect match is the teammate you least expect.<\/p>\n

Shakespeare for Kids<\/em>\u00a0(S4K<\/em>)<\/a>\u00a0presents\u00a0Hamlet<\/em>\u00a0| July 23 to August 2 | Main Stage<\/p>\n

By Erin Sheffield | Directed by Matt Pfeiffer<\/em><\/p>\n

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\u2019s Hamlet, S4K provides families with the opportunity to introduce children to Shakespeare in a welcoming, super kid-friendly environment.<\/p>\n

The Festival will host its annual\u00a0<\/em>Community Day<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0event on\u00a0<\/em>Saturday, June 28, 2025<\/em><\/strong>. The event will take place on the mall and in front of the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts at DeSales University.<\/em><\/p>\n

Information provided to TVL by:
\nTina Louise Slak
\n<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival\u00a0(PSF) is proud to announce it has been named the recipient of the\u00a0Leonard Parker Pool Impact Award, presented by\u00a0Air Products\u00a0in partnership with\u00a0United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. … Continue reading Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival Receives Air Products Leonard Parker Pool Impact Award<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":141466,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[69,482],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-141465","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-in-the-valley","category-press-release-2"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/psf-25.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141465"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=141465"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/141465\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/141466"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=141465"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=141465"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thevalleyledger.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=141465"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}