Special Collections continues our archival project Archives Gold: 50 Objects for UMBC's 50th, a special series showcasing 50 different objects that tell the story of UMBC. This week we present a poster from the production of Shakespeare on Wheels' Romeo and Juliet in the summer of 1986.
Shakespeare on Wheels Romeo and Juliet Poster, 1986. University Publications, University Archives, Special Collections, University of Maryland, Baltimore County (Baltimore, MD)
Shakespeare on Wheels was a summer outreach program created by the UMBC Theatre Department in 1985 which performed Shakespeare plays to communities throughout Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. The play setups were transported through a portable stage which was mounted on a 20 by 40 foot tractor-trailer. The program was two fold: it allowed for the UMBC Theatre Department to bring free performances of Shakespearean plays to various communities and it enabled UMBC students to learn techniques of touring theater. The program reached national success with articles and reviews written from as far away as Cambridge, England. Eventually, due to funding difficulties Shakespeare on Wheels ceased operation in 1997.
Learn More:
-Article in The Retriever (Volume 31, Number 15) "Administration Pulls Plug on Shakespeare on Wheels"
