SHAKESPEARE OPERA THEATRE INC

Shakespeare Opera Theater is a professional 501(c)(3) non-profit performing arts company founded in 2015 by women opera professionals. We are located in McLean, VA in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Our Productions. SOT offers fully staged, high-quality, and immersive performances of the great masterworks of Western Civilization to diverse audiences in Northern Virginia and the Washington, DC Area. By combining classical music and classical theater, we create a distinctive experience that delights both our audiences and our artists. At SOT, we celebrate the timeless beauty of these art forms, bringing their power and resonance to new and diverse audiences. Presented in an intimate, cabaret-style setting, SOT seats our audiences at tables where they can enjoy food and drink inspired by the theme of the productions. This welcoming atmosphere enhances the connection between the work, the performers, and the audience.

Our Performers. Our productions feature professional opera singers, classical actors, and technical production personnel with a focus on supporting early-career and emerging artists, who are paid a modest stipend for each production. Performers are selected through an audition process open to all. SOT provides a unique experience that expands their artistic vernacular and offers specialized acting training that is often unavailable to those focusing on opera. By combining classical music and theater, we equip performers and technical personnel with skills that enhance their versatility and improve their future employment prospects.

Our Staff and Volunteers. To keep tickets affordable and accessible, SOT currently operates with no paid full- or part-time staff, relying primarily on the dedication and enthusiastic support of a team of skilled volunteers.

How We Serve Our Community. SOT primarily serves artists from the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area, while also attracting talent from across the United States and internationally. In addition to early-career professionals, we welcome established performers, those pursuing performance as a second career or vocation, veterans, seniors, and children and teens when appropriate. This inclusive approach creates a rich and diverse artistic environment that benefits both our performers and our audiences.

To provide enriching and educational experiences, SOT offers production-related
lectures and discussion sessions. These events feature performances of excerpts from the current production, providing valuable performance opportunities for cast understudies, and include interactive question-and-answer opportunities for attendees. The sessions delve into the historical, cultural, and thematic content related to the combined literary work/play and opera being performed, offering attendees valuable context and deeper meaning.

SOT supports aspiring artists and arts professionals through backstage and front-of-house student internship programs. To further nurture an understanding of the performing arts, we offer free and reduced tickets to students, ensuring greater accessibility and fostering the next generation of theater and music enthusiasts.