upstart crow collective was founded in 2006 by Rosa Joshi, Betsy Schwartz, and Kate Wisniewski. Our mission is to produce classical plays with diverse female and gender non-binary casts, re-imagining the relevance of these works for contemporary audiences. We’re an ensemble-based company that focuses on clarity of story-telling through precise text work and a muscular, high-octane physical performance style. We create opportunities for diverse cis-gendered women, trans women, and non-binary people as part of our commitment to include artists who have been traditionally marginalized by the very male dominated Shakespearean canon.

Shakespeare is going through a cultural transformation. Artists and audiences alike are asking who the work is for and who gets to tell these stories: upstart crow collective has been asking these questions and developing answers for over 16 years. Representation matters and upstart crow collective was founded with the goal of empowering marginalized communities to tell these stories and see themselves in these stories. We believe that the people on stage should reflect the community and that audiences should see themselves on stage and know that classical work can speak to them and belong to them.

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Julius Caesar

Opening March 14th, 2025. Directed by Rosa Joshi. In partnership with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Tickets

*Photos by Joe Sofranko.

Coriolanus

Directed by Rosa Joshi. Presented by Portland Center Stage and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival [2024].
Produced in partnership with Play On Shakespeare.

*OSF Photos by Jenny Graham

King John

Directed by Rosa Joshi. Presented in partnership with Oregon Shakespeare Festival [2022] Actor's Theatre of Louisville [2023].

Video Excerpt - Interviews

bring down the house

Directed by Rosa Joshi. a two part adaptation of Shakespeare's HENRY VI trilogy. Presented in partnership with Seattle Shakespeare Company [2017]. Oregon Shakespeare Festival [2020].

*OSF Photos by Jenny Graham