Southern Oregon Normal School teacher Angus L. Bowmer founded the festival in 1935 after raising money for its first season from the city and the state. Bowmer worked with students from the normal school, a teacher-training college, and community members to make an Elizabethan-style theater out of the remnants of a building once used for Chautauqua — summer educational events popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that featured music, drama, and lectures.
In 1935, the company performed two plays written by 16th-century playwright William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice. Since then, the festival has grown to include the works of a variety of playwrights shown in several different venues in Ashland. The festival incorporated in 1937 and was temporarily closed during World War II. Over the years, the outdoor Elizabethan stage and seating have been remodeled several times, and during the 1970s the company added several indoor theaters. Bowmer retired in 1970, and died in 1979.
Today, people travel to Ashland from around the nation, and world, to attend performances by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
WWII Enlistment Date: 20 Jul 1942
Spouse: GERTRUDE BUTLER
Father's Name: Chas Bowmer
Mother's Name: Flora Prest
Our Legacy in Brief Angus Bowmer
April 14, 2013
The father of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival said the idea came to him while looking at the old Chautauqua building ruins in Ashland's Lithia Park.
The Chautauqua had been an annual series of programs traveling in a circuit around the United States, bringing entertainment and culture to the masses. By 1933, interest in Chautauqua was gone and the Chautauqua building, built in 1917, had been torn down. Only its curving lower walls remained.
"It gave me the impression of a 16th-century sketch of the Globe Theater," Bowmer said. "I began to do some research and got excited about the possibility of producing a Shakespearean work there."
Bowmer, an English professor at Southern Oregon Normal School (now Southern Oregon University), received a grant of less than $400 from the city of Ashland, and some assistance from the State Emergency Relief Administration, enough to build a stage within the old Chautauqua shell. The festival began July 2, 1935, with a production of "Twelfth Night."
Bowmer continued teaching as he built OSF, and in 1958 he finally could say the festival had produced all 37 of Shakespeare's plays.
Bowmer died on May 26, 1979, leaving a legacy that continues to grow.
In 1935, the company performed two plays written by 16th-century playwright William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice. Since then, the festival has grown to include the works of a variety of playwrights shown in several different venues in Ashland. The festival incorporated in 1937 and was temporarily closed during World War II. Over the years, the outdoor Elizabethan stage and seating have been remodeled several times, and during the 1970s the company added several indoor theaters. Bowmer retired in 1970, and died in 1979.
Today, people travel to Ashland from around the nation, and world, to attend performances by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
WWII Enlistment Date: 20 Jul 1942
Spouse: GERTRUDE BUTLER
Father's Name: Chas Bowmer
Mother's Name: Flora Prest
Our Legacy in Brief Angus Bowmer
April 14, 2013
The father of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival said the idea came to him while looking at the old Chautauqua building ruins in Ashland's Lithia Park.
The Chautauqua had been an annual series of programs traveling in a circuit around the United States, bringing entertainment and culture to the masses. By 1933, interest in Chautauqua was gone and the Chautauqua building, built in 1917, had been torn down. Only its curving lower walls remained.
"It gave me the impression of a 16th-century sketch of the Globe Theater," Bowmer said. "I began to do some research and got excited about the possibility of producing a Shakespearean work there."
Bowmer, an English professor at Southern Oregon Normal School (now Southern Oregon University), received a grant of less than $400 from the city of Ashland, and some assistance from the State Emergency Relief Administration, enough to build a stage within the old Chautauqua shell. The festival began July 2, 1935, with a production of "Twelfth Night."
Bowmer continued teaching as he built OSF, and in 1958 he finally could say the festival had produced all 37 of Shakespeare's plays.
Bowmer died on May 26, 1979, leaving a legacy that continues to grow.
Southern Oregon Normal School teacher Angus L. Bowmer founded the festival in 1935 after raising money for its first season from the city and the state. Bowmer worked with students from the normal school, a teacher-training college, and community members to make an Elizabethan-style theater out of the remnants of a building once used for Chautauqua — summer educational events popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that featured music, drama, and lectures.
In 1935, the company performed two plays written by 16th-century playwright William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice. Since then, the festival has grown to include the works of a variety of playwrights shown in several different venues in Ashland. The festival incorporated in 1937 and was temporarily closed during World War II. Over the years, the outdoor Elizabethan stage and seating have been remodeled several times, and during the 1970s the company added several indoor theaters. Bowmer retired in 1970, and died in 1979.
Today, people travel to Ashland from around the nation, and world, to attend performances by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
WWII Enlistment Date: 20 Jul 1942
Spouse: GERTRUDE BUTLER
Father's Name: Chas Bowmer
Mother's Name: Flora Prest
Our Legacy in Brief Angus Bowmer
April 14, 2013
The father of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival said the idea came to him while looking at the old Chautauqua building ruins in Ashland's Lithia Park.
The Chautauqua had been an annual series of programs traveling in a circuit around the United States, bringing entertainment and culture to the masses. By 1933, interest in Chautauqua was gone and the Chautauqua building, built in 1917, had been torn down. Only its curving lower walls remained.
"It gave me the impression of a 16th-century sketch of the Globe Theater," Bowmer said. "I began to do some research and got excited about the possibility of producing a Shakespearean work there."
Bowmer, an English professor at Southern Oregon Normal School (now Southern Oregon University), received a grant of less than $400 from the city of Ashland, and some assistance from the State Emergency Relief Administration, enough to build a stage within the old Chautauqua shell. The festival began July 2, 1935, with a production of "Twelfth Night."
Bowmer continued teaching as he built OSF, and in 1958 he finally could say the festival had produced all 37 of Shakespeare's plays.
Bowmer died on May 26, 1979, leaving a legacy that continues to grow.
In 1935, the company performed two plays written by 16th-century playwright William Shakespeare, Twelfth Night and The Merchant of Venice. Since then, the festival has grown to include the works of a variety of playwrights shown in several different venues in Ashland. The festival incorporated in 1937 and was temporarily closed during World War II. Over the years, the outdoor Elizabethan stage and seating have been remodeled several times, and during the 1970s the company added several indoor theaters. Bowmer retired in 1970, and died in 1979.
Today, people travel to Ashland from around the nation, and world, to attend performances by the Oregon Shakespeare Festival.
WWII Enlistment Date: 20 Jul 1942
Spouse: GERTRUDE BUTLER
Father's Name: Chas Bowmer
Mother's Name: Flora Prest
Our Legacy in Brief Angus Bowmer
April 14, 2013
The father of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival said the idea came to him while looking at the old Chautauqua building ruins in Ashland's Lithia Park.
The Chautauqua had been an annual series of programs traveling in a circuit around the United States, bringing entertainment and culture to the masses. By 1933, interest in Chautauqua was gone and the Chautauqua building, built in 1917, had been torn down. Only its curving lower walls remained.
"It gave me the impression of a 16th-century sketch of the Globe Theater," Bowmer said. "I began to do some research and got excited about the possibility of producing a Shakespearean work there."
Bowmer, an English professor at Southern Oregon Normal School (now Southern Oregon University), received a grant of less than $400 from the city of Ashland, and some assistance from the State Emergency Relief Administration, enough to build a stage within the old Chautauqua shell. The festival began July 2, 1935, with a production of "Twelfth Night."
Bowmer continued teaching as he built OSF, and in 1958 he finally could say the festival had produced all 37 of Shakespeare's plays.
Bowmer died on May 26, 1979, leaving a legacy that continues to grow.
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