Our Manifesto should tell you all you need to know, but if you insist…

FireMuse Shakespeare is the brainchild of Bill Walthall, Shakespeare nerd, moderator of the Bill/Shakespeare Project, teacher, actor, director, and dramaturg. Bill, as coordinator for the ETCetera Stage at the Elite Theatre Company in Oxnard, California, realized during the Not-So-Great Pandemic of ’20 that maybe having a building was more of a liability than a resource. His wife Lisa had been pushing him for years to start his own company, and now was the time. And FireMuse Shakespeare was born.

• The concept is to have a company of actors and directors with a repertory of plays ready to bring to an audience; the audience books the date (at least two weeks in advance) and brings their own seating, but we’ll bring the show. #HaveBardWillTravel
• We will set up anywhere there is a 10 (deep) x 15 (wide)-foot space (not counting the audience)… park, public amphitheater, even your front yard. #DrivewayTour21
• We will perform stripped-down versions of the plays–designed run no longer than 2 hours, or in some extreme cases 90 minutes (without intermission)–with minimal props and costuming. #BareBonesBard
• As we have no lights, all performances will be daytime performances. #ShakespeareByTheLightOfDay
• AND ALL OUR SHOWS ARE ABSOLUTELY FREE (though we will make impassioned pleas for donations post-performance). #ItPutsTheDucatInTheBucketOrItGetsTheHoseAgain
• [NOTE: if space and our hosts allow, we will be advertising on our social medial outlets the location and time of the show two hours before the show…]

oh, and why are we fmshakes1.com and not just fmshakes? is it because we’re ego-maniacs and want to imply we’re the best?
uh, no…because that one was taken but our “1” was not…