Gentles, All, Together, We Tripled Our Original Goal in just 30 days!!!

ANOTHER UPDATE:

You Precious Winners All,

Thank you! We are deeply moved by your speed and generosity. This is our first time to do an online campaign to raise money for Camp Shakespeare, and we wanted to set a goal that felt achievable. You have helped us achieve that goal twice over in just 2 days. So, we're going to stretch again, because we believe there are more members of our community that want to join in this auspicious effort. The truth is, in a normal year, when students are in residence at camp, the expenses are much higher than they are this year. Camp tuition addresses some but not all of these costs. Lodging alone costs $25,000 per summer. With this in mind, our new stretch goal is $45,000. This amount would ensure that the program is on a sustainable track for next summer.

If you have not given yet, please know that we still very much welcome your gifts and will put them to good use.

Please donate to support young people’s exploration of Shakespeare -- and themselves -- through performance!

We, the Ambassadors of Camp Shakespeare, believe that many who visit this page already know the meaningful, important, and inspiring work done by Camp Shakespeare. For those who don’t, Camp Shakespeare is a University of Texas summer camp for young people, ages 11-16, dedicated to exploring Shakespeare through performance. Founded by James B. “Doc” Ayres and entering its 21st year in 2021, Camp Shakespeare is an arm of the renowned Shakespeare at Winedale program also founded by Doc Ayres in the Department of English at UT Austin in the Fall of 1970.  

Under the loving, rigorous, and empowering guidance of Doc Ayres and Camp Director Robin Grace Soto, Camp Shakespeare offers its young participants much the same experience that Shakespeare at Winedale offers its older, college students:  the revelation of Shakespeare’s language by embodying it on stage; the discovery of inner strength through study, play, and hard work; and the gift of rich and rewarding friendships destined to last a lifetime. Campers are asked to dig deeply inside themselves, and they transcend their sense of self through their exploration of and encounter with Shakespearean characters and Shakespeare’s language. Audiences constantly remark on the quality of plays performed by these teens and pre-teens. Each Camper understands every Elizabethan turn-of-phrase, and they work together as an ensemble to convey the meaning and complexity of the plays.

While Camp Shakespeare is normally a residential camp, this year the two Camp sessions of June 6-June 20 and June 27-July 11 will be online, as will the Campers’ performances of Much Ado About Nothing and Twelfth Night. Like Doc and Robin, the Campers would far prefer in-person camp, especially after a long year of remote learning. But they have already found ways to forge connections in spite of the pandemic, meeting with Doc, Robin and each other weekly, for months, to read and discuss plays, memorize lines and rehearse scenes.  They understand the importance of the moment, and of not letting it slip past them. And they relish the chance to play.

Your donations will help fund special Covid-related production expenses and stipends for guest artists this summer!

The Camp Shakespeare Ambassadors are asking for your financial support. Our HornRaiser goal is $15,000, or $7500 per session of Camp Shakespeare, and this undertaking will happen fast! We have until July 9 to meet (or surpass!) our goal! Funds raised will be used to enrich the experience of virtual camp and enhance the production values of the filmed performances. Guest Artists will be brought in to work with the Campers, and audio-visual equipment will be secured for recording the performances and music, and for editing the final cut. For these and other production-related expenses, Camp Shakespeare needs funding beyond what it takes in through tuition. 

We hope you will give and we are grateful for any amount. We are looking for the broadest possible support from all branches of the Winedale Circle: former Campers, Camper's families, Shakespeare at Winedale alums, loyal audience members, any and all touched by Winedale’s magic. And then we hope that you will take advantage of the opportunity to experience the radiant, astonishing performances we know this summer’s Campers will give, and that when you see those performances, you will feel fulfilled to have played a part in bringing the plays to life!

Please, take a look at our Donation Levels on the right and give as generously as you can. Thank you!