Freewill Shakespeare Festival

FWP was formed as a not-for-profit theatre company in 1989 by a group of seven recent graduates of the U of A in a truly cooperative, pass-the-hat spirit with the mandate to produce the works of William Shakespeare.

Since then, FWP has grown to an organization that employs over 50 artists, administrators, and support staff at the height of the summer season of plays and has drawn over 250,000 people to its productions.

In the spirit of the original artists’ ‘pass the hat’ philosophy FWP continues encouraging audiences with Pay-What-You-Will and special pricing for students and seniors.

[1] Due to significant damage to Freewill's traditional venue at the Heritage Amphitheatre, the festival's 2014 season took place inside the Myer Horowitz Theatre in the University of Alberta's Students' Union Building (8900 114 Street).

In 2023 the festival was required move from the venerable Hawrelak Park Heritage Amphitheatre, which has been its home since its founding due to the City of Edmonton's Rehabilitation Project.