Spirit of Shakespeare

Spirit of Shakespeare (SOS) is a UT student organization dedicated to supporting the Actors from the London Stage residency. Formed in 2001 in reaction to the looming reality that UT's AFTLS residency did not have enough funding to return after 2002, SOS is the student arm of the AFTLS endowment-raising effort. An endowment of $600,000 would enable AFTLS to return to UT on a permanent, self-sustaining basis. SOS wants to be a part of making that endowment a reality.

Almost immediately after its formation, SOS-and the endowment effort-achieved financial and moral support from the Austin public. The University Co-op donated $1500 to SOS in support of the AFTLS endowment, while all three performances of 2001's residency were sold out. Both performance sell-outs and support from the Co-op (as well as from the English Department) have been the rule ever since.

In addition to fundraising, SOS is currently focusing on increasing student awareness of, and interest in, the residency. The actors, on stage and in the classroom, have received universal approval from students; yet many potentially supportive students don't know enough about the residency or its dire financial straits.

SOS organizes activities that combine publicity with entertainment. Activities include selling chocolate roses with sonnets attached on Valentine's Day; a "Sonnets and Suds" night at the Dog & Duck pub close to campus; volunteering as guides during the residency to show the actors around campus and 6th Street; and a field trip to Austin Shakespeare Festival's annual celebration of Shakespeare's birthday, "Billy Bash."

The SOS players perform scenes of the fall play at Explore UT and regularly visit Austin area schools to perform and workshop Shakespeare with primary and secondary school students. SOS demonstrates student appreciation for what AFTLS does; namely, to make Shakespeare accessible to, and enjoyable for, all students.

SOS Officers and Contacts 2007-2008

President: Brandon Stackhouse; winder17@hotmail.com
Heir Apparent: David Bradley; smotheredcoveredandchunked@yahoo.com
Faculty Advisor & AFTLS Coordinator: Alan Friedman; friedman@mail.utexas.edu
AFTLS Associate Director: Matt Radford; daviesmat@gmail.com
AFTLS Associate Coordinator: Matt Harvey; mnh@mail.utexas.edu