Joshua Knudson

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival:: a History and an Analysis of a Growth-oriented Model for Institutional Advancement Joshua Knudson

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) has been marked by lengthy partnerships between its business and artistic management leadership. The festival was founded by Angus Bowmer, who managed both functions for the first eighteen years. In 1953, he made the choice to split the two duties, to be managed independently and equal in hierarchy. Bill Patton served as administrative head for a total of 32 years. He had partnerships with three Artistic Directors, including Bowmer, Jerry Turner, and Henry Wornicz. In 1995, Paul Nicholson, who came to the festival in 1980, assumed the role of Executive Director, and the new Artistic Director, Libby Appel, began her tenure. These 20-year partnerships created a process identified by 5 characteristics: Inspiration, perseverance, commitment to community, long-term loyalty by leadership, and strategic growth. These characteristics of OSF leadership have provided a platform for the building of three outdoor Elizabethan theatres, a Pavillion around the outside of the current Elizabethan stage, an indoor theatre named for Bowmer, two experimental theatres, and a nearly decade long satellite company in Portland.