Tucked into the rolling hills of Center Valley, just south of Allentown, there is a theater company that has been quietly building a national reputation for 35 years. The Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University is the official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and if you have not seen a show there, you are missing some of the best live theater in the entire mid-Atlantic region.
From Campus Stage to State Treasure
Gerard J. Schubert founded the festival in 1992 at DeSales University. What started as a summer Shakespeare program has evolved into a full professional theater company that produces everything from the Bard's greatest works to musicals, world classics, and contemporary plays. Over 200 productions later, the festival has staged 31 of Shakespeare's 38 plays.
The talent that passes through here is remarkable. The summer company of over 200 artists includes winners and nominees of Tony, Emmy, Obie, Drama Desk, and Barrymore Awards. These are actors and directors who work on Broadway and in film, and they choose to spend their summers performing in our valley.
The 2026 Season
The festival's 35th anniversary season is themed Legends and Legacy, and the lineup reflects that ambition. August Wilson's The Piano Lesson will be directed by Pulitzer Prize winner James Ijames. Million Dollar Quartet brings the legendary jam session to life. Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet returns in a fresh production. Ken Ludwig's Moriarty and an Extreme Shakespeare production of Coriolanus round out a season that spans centuries of storytelling.
Beyond the main stage, the WillPower educational tour celebrates its 25th anniversary, bringing free Shakespeare performances to libraries, parks, and community centers throughout the valley. The Play On community tour makes sure the festival is not just for ticket buyers. It belongs to everyone.
A Valley Treasure
There is something special about sitting in the Labuda Center on a summer evening, watching a Shakespeare play performed by professionals who clearly love what they do. The campus setting, the quality of the productions, the mix of classic and contemporary work. PSF punches well above its weight for a regional festival. The fact that it has thrived for 35 years in Center Valley says something about the Lehigh Valley's appetite for great art.
