The Black Swan served as the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's 3rd theater from 1977 to 2001. I was…read morehere sometime in the late 1980s when a friend's parents lived in Ashland and our gang would come up a weekend of revelry and theater. This Building was originally an automobile dealership, and was acquired in 1969 as a second-floor scene shop and first-floor rehearsal hall for the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Company members began using it to stage "Midnight" readings for one another, and is a practice continued to this day. They invited friends who brought other friends, and the place became an underground hit. The Artistic Director at that time recognized the opportunity to take risks with unconventional staging and subjects, and called for its development as a third OSF theater. That was a challenge as the place could hold only 138 seats, all within five rows of the stage. That required a certain amount of "tucking and squeezing." Each director also had to solve the problem of an immovable roof support in the middle of the stage, which inevitably became an integral part of many plays. For example, in one scene, with a horizontal piece added, it became a painting of a crucifixion. The Black Swan reverted to its earlier roles as working space in 2002 when it was replaced by the New/Thomas Theater. In 2011 it also became the home for the Black Swan Lab, which serves as an incubator for new writers and cutting edge dramatic works. Each year, several OSF actors are assigned to the Lab as one of their three regular repertory assignments. One graduate of the Black Swan Lab that I particularly enjoyed during the 2012 Season was "All The Way".

Wonderful small venue at the OSF. The Allen Elizabethan Theater is amazing and a gorgeous outdoor…read morevenue that I loved, but the Thomas Theater provides an intimate theatrical experience that cannot be had in the other two theaters at OSF. I saw two productions here during the 2025 season and thoroughly loved my experience. I got the lowest tier tickets and my seats were great...not a bad seat in the house here! Do make sure you get tickets early for these shows if they're a priority; the small capacity means it can sell out quickly.

Extraordinary facility! It is the best-designed, best-executed theater I've ever experienced…read more Comfortable seats, great sight-lines, and plenty of legroom.

Came to an amazing performance of "Come From Away." We haven't been back to Ashland's Shakespeare…read moreFestival in over 20 years and some things have changed, while others have not. Most things for the better...the crowds not so much. There were some great options on shows and too little time to see all the ones showing. The Angus Bowmer Theater had great seats. There was plenty of leg room between rows and enough elevation to see over the rows and to the stage. Acoustics were good as well. Only downside were the multiple stairs getting to our seats...but can't complain about the views afforded. Great venue and looking forward to seeing more shows at different theaters.

I learned about the Oregon Shakespeare festival in Ashland, OR by chance. Because my wife is a…read morehuge, huge fan of MacBeth...I moved heaven and earth to attend the last weekends presentation of MacBeth. We literally drove 1000 miles, round trip, to see the performance. It was amazing ! They added their own flourishes and inspiration to bring to life the tragedy unlike we've (my wife and I) ever seen on stage. It was complete! I only say this because some stage renditions minimize the witches...not so in this professional world class production! In addition to every word in the play...there was an amazing use of lights, sound effects, and in some instances dance. Did I mention, the acting was amazing!? World class!! As I mentioned, I learned about the festival very late in the season which starts mid-late spring every year. There were other Shakespeare plays being brought to life...in a theater that looked like the Globe...there were monologues in an outdoor area in front of the two theaters...there was a lot going on and a lot we missed because of how unprepared our visit was. Our goals was to see MacBeth which we accomplished but we missed a lot! In my opinion, it's best to plan a visit as a 4 day weekend. One of my motivations for attending this year is that MacBeth isn't produced every year, according to my friend to told me about the festival in the first place...all of Shakespeares work is explored here and on rotation...for example my favorite, Hamlet hasn't been produced in over 10yrs according to the lovely folks at the official souvenir shop of the festival...Romeo and Juliet not since 2018....they told us not to expect a MacBeth production for at least 8yrs! If you're on the west coast and you love Shakespeare and want to see works other than the tragedies on stage...I doubt you'll find a better organization/venue/location that wholeheartedly embraces Shakespeare than the town of Ashland and the the University of Southern Oregon! On last note, everyone from the ushers to those at the refreshment stand in our theater were nothing but lovely. I could say that about everyone in town as well. Just a great experience !

The most traditional of the three OSF theaters, it's the least exciting in many ways. That being…read moresaid, it's still a great venue! I had the lowest tier of seats, and they were still really good. I pay a lot more for worse seats at the Hult Center in Eugene.

Fun experience for the family…read more We went to the Angus Bowmer Theater for our second and last play during our visit to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland earlier this week. The theater is covered, and everyone was wearing masks, so we were comfortable throughout. They were selling souvenirs in the lobby, and we bought a couple of T-shirts and candy before the show started. We thoroughly enjoyed 'Once On This Island,' even though the musical was changed at the last minute to a recital as some of the performers came down with COVID. We will be back!

I have seen some brilliant new plays at the Ashland New Plays Festival. I think they consistently…read morepresent important new interesting politically charged plays. They are showcasing plays that I think have had very important stances on social justice which I really like to see in plays. I try to make my way to as many of their shows as I can. I think it is very integrated in the theatre based community of Ashland. I think the Unitarian Church is a very good venue for staged readings, but i would certainly follow ANPF to a new location if it changes. Especially because it seems that each show is at capacity in the Unitarian church and if you don't get there early enough sight lines can be a problem, especially from the balcony; there is a railing that can be a really obstruction in the balcony. SOU students, you can discount tickets for $6 make sure to mention that you are a student. If you are buying tickets at the door make sure to have cash, they don't have any way of taking cards at the door. A really fun night out with friends. Make sure to stay for the talk-back with the Playwrights. It's always interesting to have the playwright in the room. And as the plays are in the process of being revised you can give input to the playwright in person! OSF fans, make sure to check it out. There are frequently OSF actors in the plays. It's fun to see them in a different setting.

This was such a fun experience, a great night out on the town. The food was excellent the drinks…read morewere even better. Entertainment is great very interactive. Went out on a birthday date here and it definitely didn't disappoint.

In Ashland, the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) is the "Big Dog" in town. However, at least a…read morefew "Off Broadway" options are available including (but not limited to); - Ashland High School - Ashland New Plays Festival - Camelot (5 miles north of Ashland) - Oregon Center for the Arts @Oregon Southern University - Oregon Cabaret Theater - Rogue Theater Company (RTC) Gayle and I had the recent pleasure of attending a performance of "Off Peak" at the RTC. It was performed at the Grizzly Peak Winery within a relatively small indoor "warehouse" venue and stared 2 noted OSF veterans (Michael Elich and Robin Goodrin Nordli). As afternoon performances of about 90 minutes are among our favorites, we not only stayed awake, but attentively enjoyed show. It was almost a full house and and enjoying a free glass of wine at the beginning was a nice touch. The Winery was just a short drive beyond Downtown Ashland. We'll be sure to check to RTC schedule before we return to Ashland on our next trip here.

Amazing work by very talented artist. The venue is perfect. Every play I have seen at Rogue Theatre…read morehas been incredible . I encourage everyone to experience this wonderful theatre company.

Disappointed and deeply concerned about the environment at this symphony…read more What should be a place of inspiration, artistry, and community has sadly become a breeding ground for toxic behavior behind the scenes. The administration has allowed certain individuals to create a hostile workplace for both staff and musicians , and instead of addressing the issue, leadership has either turned a blind eye or enabled it. The situation has become so damaging that the orchestra is now pursuing unionization, not for better pay or scheduling, but for basic protection from abuse and manipulation. That should speak volumes. I used to support this organization, but it's heartbreaking to see talented, passionate people pushed out, silenced, or broken down while upper leadership protects those responsible. The public only sees the polished performances, not the culture of fear and intimidation happening backstage. Until there's accountability, transparency, and real change, I can't support this institution. Great music should come from a place of integrity, not toxicity. Would you like a more emotional or more detailed version? Or would you like to make this part of a larger awareness campaign on other platforms (Reddit, or https://slippedisc.com/ or TikTok?

A message to sponsors, donors, chair endowers, and loyal attendees: Please take a closer look…read more As someone who has supported and admired this symphony for years, it's painful to witness what's happening behind the scenes. While the performances remain strong on the surface, the internal culture has become increasingly toxic and damaging to the very musicians and staff that make the music possible. Multiple employees have raised concerns about harmful behavior, favoritism, and a deeply unhealthy work environment. These issues have gone unresolved for far too long, forcing the orchestra to move toward unionization -- not just for typical labor protections, but to safeguard themselves from internal dysfunction. If you're someone who gives generously -- whether through donations, endowments, sponsorships, or ticket purchases -- you have the right to know how your support is being managed. Artists deserve to work in an environment rooted in respect, professionalism, and integrity. I urge you to ask questions. Talk to musicians. Don't assume everything is fine just because the concert is beautiful. Your voice, your concern, and your influence could help bring about the change this organization desperately needs.