Remainder of OSF's "Green Shows" canceled due to smoke

Green Show, 09-10-17, Versa Style Dance Company, Photos by: Kim Budd

JACKSONVILLE, Ore. – The remainder of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s signature “Green Shows” have been canceled due to wildfire smoke.

The free series of performances usually run into mid-October. However this year, they’ll end on Sunday, August 26.

While the shows were free, smoke has also impacted other revenue-generating performances. Over 20 of OSF’s three outdoor plays were either canceled or moved to a smaller venue at Ashland High School’s Mountain
Avenue Theatre. OSF estimates they’ve lost about $2 million in revenue this year due to impacts from wildfire smoke.

Artistic Director Bill Rauch said canceling the Green Shows was a painful but necessary decision. “Given the extra resources, time and energy required to repeatedly move outdoor performances to indoor venues, and the financial impacts of smoke-related performance cancelations, we must keep our company’s focus on our 10 spectacular mainstage productions, seven of which are in our two indoor theatres,” he explained. “Our primary priorities are the health of our patrons and staff, the stewardship of this nonprofit company’s resources, and continuing to deliver world-class art to our audiences.”

The final Green Show will be a concert by La Victoria—an all-female band playing music from Mexico, Latin America and the U.S.—on August 26.