(MURRAY, Ky.) — Murray State University will welcome two professional Shakespeare companies to its newly renovated Lovett Auditorium this spring for the 26th annual Murray Shakespeare Festival, with free performances scheduled March 4–7, 2026.
The Tennessee Shakespeare Company will open the festival with two performances of Romeo and Juliet on March 4 and 5, followed by Kentucky Shakespeare Company’s production of The Tempest on March 6 and 7. All tickets are free of charge.
The festival, which launched in 2001, has brought Shakespearean theater to thousands of K-12 students across the Jackson Purchase region. Both productions are suited for middle and high school audiences, as well as adults.
Tennessee Shakespeare Company’s production of Romeo and Juliet — featuring sword fights, dancing and some of the Bard’s most celebrated poetry — runs 90 minutes without intermission. Performances are scheduled for 10 a.m. on both Wednesday, March 4, and Thursday, March 5.
Kentucky Shakespeare will stage The Tempest, a tale of exile, magic and reconciliation in which the sorcerer Prospero engineers a shipwreck to confront those who wronged him. Performances are set for 7 p.m. on Friday, March 6, and 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 7.
Individual tickets will be available at the door, but large groups — particularly school groups — are encouraged to reserve seats in advance. Reservations can be made by contacting Festival Chair Dr. Rusty Jones at wjones1@murraystate.edu or 270-809-2397.
For more information, visit https://bit.ly/4seYH0T or search “Murray Shakespeare Festival.”
