Shakespeare & Company Plans to Open 500-seat Amphitheater This Summer

LENOX — Shakespeare & Company hopes to open a 500-seat amphitheater on its grounds this summer. Founded in 1978, the theater company attracts more than 40,000 patrons to Lenox annually.

“We’ve been considering this particular location on the property for a long time as part of our strategic plan,” Artistic Director Allyn Burrows said. “We can imagine Shakespeare’s words resonating amongst these spruce trees as they have with the pines at the Mount and the lilacs of the Roman Garden Theatre. Paying homage to Greek amphitheaters and this company’s history, we’re thrilled that this venue can serve present times and future generations of theater lovers. In addition, our hope is for this new space to further enable our goal of prioritizing inclusion, diversity, equity, and accessibility — giving us a new stage on which to support that effort.”

Demolition has already begun on the buildings occupying the space where the new performance space, currently known as New Spruce Theatre, will sit. The theater company hopes it will be completed in time for the opening of King Lear this summer.

The open-air theater comes after a year in which the COVID-19 pandemic forced the company to suspend all of its in-person activities.