On Friday, Shakespeare & Company held its seventh annual public reading of the Declaration of Independence. Over 700 people assembled on our Rose Meadow, down the hill from Founders’ Theatre (in our biggest tent yet!) to hear our nation’s founding document read by over 70 Shakespeare & Company actors, directors, staff, members of state and local government, and friends in the community.
If you missed the event, or would like to relive the power of the reading, a recording of the event is posted below as an audio podcast. The reading of the Declaration itself begins about ten minutes in, right after an introduction by Tina Packer (participating for the second year as an American citizen) and a beautiful song sung by Company members Bill Barclay, Kaitlin Henderson, and Victoria Vining.
The reading of The Declaration of Independence has become incorporated into family traditions of local residents and Company friends over the last several years and attendance for the event has grown over 100% since its humble beginnings on an uncovered stage on a hot Independence Day in 2001. The annual event came out of a desire by the Company to celebrate our democracy and the power of language to change the world. It’s never to early to mark your calendars, and plan to join us for next year’s July 4th celebrations!
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Continue reading below for the full text of the Declaration of Independence.
Continue reading ‘Stand and Deliver: July 4th at Shakespeare & Company’
Shakespeare & Company celebrates its 31st Season with a very special Cornets & Summer Stars Gala, on Saturday, June 28th to benefit the Company’s thriving 
