Oregon Shakespeare Festival cancels fall season due to virus

ASHLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, a major tourist draw in southern Oregon, is canceling its fall season due to the coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement, the festival noted Oregon Gov . Kate Brown recently said that large gatherings wouldn’t happen in the state until at least late September. The company’s season was to begin Sept. 8.

“The health and safety of our entire Ashland community, including artists, staff, volunteers, patrons, and Festival partners, is our highest priority,” Nataki Garrett, OSF artistic director, said.

The festival urged 2020 ticketholders to donate tickets or consider a voucher for use in 2021.

The Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival is among the oldest and largest professional nonprofit theaters in the nation. It prides itself on offering outdoor showings of Shakespeare’s plays, performed in a venue similar to what his contemporary audiences would have experienced, but it also offers other types of theater in indoor performance halls.