News Summary
The Tennessee Stage Company (TSC) marks its 35th anniversary this summer, presenting a lineup of Shakespeare performances to the Knoxville community. This year’s festival includes productions of ‘The Winter’s Tale,’ ‘Hamlet,’ and ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost.’ TSC emphasizes accessibility and local talent while continuing its tradition of bringing Shakespeare’s timeless themes to the audience. With affordable ticket options and various venues, TSC remains committed to keeping the Bard’s legacy alive in Knoxville.
Knoxville – The Tennessee Stage Company (TSC) is marking a remarkable milestone this summer, celebrating 35 years of bringing Shakespeare’s timeless works to the community of Knoxville. This year’s festival kicks off with a vibrant lineup of performances that promise to explore Shakespeare’s enduring themes of love, jealousy, suspicion, war, and leadership.
The 2025 summer season launches this Thursday and will feature a production of “The Winter’s Tale”, performed at Mabry Hazen House. The summer festivities continue with renowned plays such as “Hamlet” and “Love’s Labour’s Lost”, set to take the stage at Ijams Nature Center in July. With these performances, TSC aims to engage audiences and continue its long-standing tradition of Shakespeare performances in Knoxville.
This year’s 35th anniversary is particularly significant as it highlights the company’s longstanding commitment to keeping Shakespeare relevant and accessible to local audiences. TSC’s Artistic Director Tom Parkhill reflected on the company’s evolution since its inception, which began in 1989 following a failed audition by four aspiring actors during a North Carolina Shakespeare Festival. This group, comprised of Parkhill, Mark Creter, Jerry Keith Lyles, and Steve Patrick, secured an initial investment of $50,000 from Lyles’ father to establish the theater company.
After discussing various potential locations, Parkhill suggested Knoxville as the ideal city for their venture. The company quickly found a home at the Bijou Theatre and began producing a variety of performances. However, after receiving positive feedback, a shift in focus to exclusively showcase Shakespearean works led the company to rebrand as East Tennessee Shakespeare in the Park.
As TSC grew, it established partnerships with city officials to enhance the theater experience, introducing performances at the Amphitheatre at World’s Fair Park. One of the key achievements was the inception of “Shakespeare on the Square” in 2003, an initiative aimed at revitalizing the then-neglected Market Square and drawing in larger audiences. Over the years, TSC’s summer productions have seen attendance soar, with figures ranging between 7,000 to 8,000 attendees annually.
The late 1990s marked a transformative period for TSC when it partnered with Actors Co-op to produce smaller-scale plays, further enhancing the community’s cultural offerings as Market Square was revitalized. The COVID-19 pandemic posed challenges that required adaptability, prompting TSC to hold performances at Ijams Nature Center under strict health guidelines, including audience caps set at 50.
Despite the hurdles, TSC has successfully transitioned its performances to Ijams Nature Center and Mabry Hazen House, ensuring continuity in delivering captivating productions. The latter venue has hosted Shakespeare plays for the past four years, with a special emphasis on history plays that resonate well with local audiences.
Tickets to performances are offered at an affordable price of $15, with options such as “Pay What You Can Thursdays” and free admission for students, further facilitating community access. Ijams Nature Center, celebrated for its tranquil natural surroundings, occasionally lends itself to unexpected interruptions from the ambient sounds of nature, adding a unique flavor to the performances.
As the summer season progresses, TSC will present “Hamlet”, featuring local talent Raine Palmer, and “Love’s Labour’s Lost”, reinforcing its commitment to nurturing local actors by shifting focus from external talent. In supporting local creativity, TSC has also initiated a New Play Festival since 2022, exclusively inviting submissions from Knoxville area residents to foster the development of local playwrights.
The festival encourages local voices by allowing submitted plays to undergo a series of developmental stages, including public readings and staged rehearsals, highlighting TSC’s dedication to the regional arts community.
With summer performances of “Knoxville Shakespeare” set to take place throughout July and August, the Tennessee Stage Company is committed to providing engaging and accessible interpretations of Shakespeare’s works for future generations, ensuring that the legacy of the Bard remains a vibrant part of Knoxville’s cultural identity.
Deeper Dive: News & Info About This Topic
HERE Resources
Knoxville Festival Season Brings Culinary and Cultural Events
Additional Resources
- Inside of Knoxville: The Play’s the Thing
- Wikipedia: Shakespeare
- Livability: Get Outside in East Tennessee
- Google Search: Tennessee Stage Company
- Knox News: Weekend Knoxville Fun
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Theatre
- UT Daily Beacon: Review of Something Rotten
- Google News: Shakespeare Theater Knoxville
Author: STAFF HERE KNOXVILLE WRITER
KNOXVILLE STAFF WRITER The KNOXVILLE STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREKnoxville.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Knoxville, Knox County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as Dogwood Arts Festival, Big Ears Festival, and Knoxville Asian Festival. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Knoxville Area Chamber Partnership and United Way of Greater Knoxville, plus leading businesses in healthcare, education, and energy that power the local economy such as Covenant Health, University of Tennessee, and Tennessee Valley Authority. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREBristol.com, HEREChattanooga.com, HEREMemphis.com, and HERENashville.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Tennessee's dynamic landscape.
