Spring 2026
Shakespeare Reading Club
Always wanted to read Shakespeare but didn’t have a way? Shakespeare Reading Club is a unique opportunity to read plays in a group. Shakespeare Reading Club requires no homework! You show up, we hand out parts, it’s casual (yes you can ask questions!), and enjoy reading Shakespeare. Typically it takes two sessions to read an entire play – but we’ll fill you in on what’s happened (And we read our original adaptations a few times a year!)
Second and Fourth Fridays (and some Mondays) September to May
6:30 p.m. Tea Time
7:15 p.m. Start Reading
Email Pilar McKay, Managing Director (pmckay@shakeonthelake.org) to get on the Shakespeare Reading Club Mailing List.
First Friday
From September to May, Shake hosts First Friday Programs in Theatre@37. Here’s what we have planned for the Spring!
March 6
Act iii: Short Performance Program
Doors 6:45 p.m.
Performance 7:00 p.m.
Pay-what-you-can at the door
April 3
Rural and Traditional Arts Fellowship Spring Event
Doors 6:30 p.m.
Email Executive Director Linda Franke lfranke@shakeonthelake.org for more information
May 1
A Comedy of Errors May Day Party! Shakespeare Reading Club with even more snacks!
Doors 6:30 p.m.
Reading 7:15 p.m.
Free
Theatre@37
37 South Main Street
Perry, NY 14530
The Nameless Club
April 25
7:00 p.m.
Theatre@37
37 South Main Street
Perry, NY 14530
Theme: Guilty Pleasures
Enjoy podcasts like The Moth or Storycorps? Join us for “The Nameless Club” First Person Storytelling event.
The format is a combination between The Moth and Open-Mic Night. What to expect:
Put yourself as the main character – you are the “first person” perspective
It can be a personal story or a first-person piece of literature
You can read “off the top of your head” extemporaneously, or…
You can read your notes of something you’ve written for the evening, or…
You can read something you’ve written in the past
Please keep between 3 to 5 minutes
No audition required
YES! You can come to listen to stories and not tell one, or
YES! You can sign up at the event even if you didn’t think you’d tell a story!
Please make sure you sign up when you arrive! We’ll do our best to accommodate as many storytellers as we can.
Our goal is to fill the theatre – so come on down if you want to listen to amazing storytellers or share your own!
Why is this event called “The Nameless Club”? William Pryor Letchworth, the name-sake of our local treasure, Letchworth State Park, spent as much time as he could at his beloved Glen Iris (currently the site of the Glen Iris Inn in Letchworth State Park) on weekends and other extended periods. He was joined by a wide range of family and friends, among them were the members of “The Nameless Club”, a group of WNY friends who delighted in sharing art and literature.
Learn more about our events
Shake on the Lake started as a summer outdoor production and has grown into a regional touring company with programming all year long.
Summer Tour
Shake on the Lake performances start in the summer with our Shakespeare Summer Tour. Each year we focus on one of Shakespeare’s classic plays to devise our own Shake on the Lake production. In 90 minutes or less, we present the Bard in accessible, but not watered-down form. These shows can travel and have traveled many miles – communities simply pay our rental fee, and we show up with the set, sound, crew, and actors to perform in your community. The show is designed for outdoor venues.
Learn more about past performances or our most current summer tour.
Please contact Linda Franke, Executive Director (lfranke@shakeonthelake.org) if you would like to bring the Summer Tour in your community.
New York State Puppet Festival
In 2018, Shake started to bring New York State Puppet Festival to live and every even year we present contemporary puppetry arts in a ten day festival. Programmed by Producing Artistic Director and Puppet Artist Josh Rice, be prepared for something awesome when you attend a NYSPF event. Learn more about New York State Puppet Festival at the festival website.
Theatre@37
Shake’s home is a storefront theatre at 37 South Main Street in Perry, NY. During the year, the company hosts educational programming and performances including First Friday Programming. Through programs like Shakespeare Reading Club, The Nameless Club, Act III Short performances, and artist residencies – you can enjoy performing, literary, and visual, arts all year round. Learn more about our current events.
If you are interested in renting Theatre@37 for performing arts rehearsals or devising, please email Linda Franke, Executive Director (lfranke@shakeonthelake.org).
In-School Educational Programming – Groundlings Program
Shake has educational programming opportunities for K-12 schools throughout Western New York. Through our Groundlings Program – our experienced teaching artists teach puppetry, improvisation, playwriting, and theatre arts. Often educational programming includes a final performances by students. Workshops can be hourly or a short residency. Please contact Linda Franke, Executive Director (lfranke@shakeonthelake.org) if you would like Educational Programming in your community.
Customized Educational Programming – All Ages, Seniors, and Special Audiences
Shake is happy to host programs in your community about puppetry, improvisation, Shakespeare, playwriting, and theatre arts. Workshops can be hourly or a short residency. and can be after working hours. Shake has partnered with libraries, day treatment facilities, and senior living communities. Please contact Linda Franke, Executive Director
(lfranke@shakeonthelake.org) if you would like Educational Programming
in your community.
Voices UnCaged
We have also hosted Voices UnCaged, a program developed by Chad Bradford to bring theatre arts to correctional facilities. With a curriculum focused on students developing their own creative voice, students go from script to show in less than a week and perform for an audience of their peers.
Shake + Agriculture
Shake is developing an exciting Theatre on Farms, an art and agritourism project, to follow our summer tour. Follow along as we develop our first immersive theatre pieces from classic Shakespeare plays like Macbeth and King Lear.
In partnership with playwright Vinny Mraz, Shake is producing The Dairy Farmer Project. This original piece focuses on the Dairy Farmers in the greater Perry area.
Winter Season
We end our season with a holiday classic at our home theatre, Theatre@37. Some years our holiday production is also tours, depending on the show.
Customized Programming
Shake on the Lake is also happy discuss customized programming for your community. If you are thinking of commissioning your own Shakespeare tour, please reach out to us and we’d be happy to talk about our devising and creative process to see if it works with your community. Email Linda Franke, Executive Director (lfranke@shakeonthelake.org) for more information