For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic interrupted live school programming, professional theater has come to Madras. Members of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival (OSF) are visiting Madras High School today, October 20, and tomorrow, October 21, as part of the festival’s School Visit program — the first such visit to Jefferson County since before the pandemic.
The two-day visit is a significant moment for the Jefferson County School District’s performing arts program. Shannan Ahern, director of performing arts for the Madras Performing Arts Center and the Jefferson County School District, has been looking forward to the visit for months. Ahern noted that bringing a professional company of this caliber directly into the school is an experience most students wouldn’t otherwise have access to without traveling hundreds of miles.
The Oregon Shakespeare Festival, based in Ashland, is one of the largest and most prestigious regional theater companies in the United States. Its 2026 season — running through October 25 — features ten productions spanning Shakespeare, American classics, and bold new works across three unique venues.
Connecting Students to the Stage
The OSF School Visit program sends company members to schools and communities across Oregon to deliver interactive workshops, performances, and discussions designed to deepen students’ understanding of theater, literature, and performance craft. The program has long served as a bridge between OSF’s professional company and Oregon’s rural schools — a mission that carries particular weight in communities far from major cultural centers.
For Madras High School theater students, the two-day visit represents a direct connection to Oregon’s premier professional theater community. Sessions typically include scene work, voice and movement exercises, and open conversations about pursuing careers in the performing arts.
Jefferson County School District has been growing its performing arts offerings in recent years, with the Madras Performing Arts Center anchoring student productions and community events. The return of OSF’s School Visit program signals renewed energy for arts education across the district.
Arts Access in Rural Oregon
The Jefferson County School District serves approximately 3,600 students across Madras, Culver, Metolius, and the surrounding area. Programs that bring professional artists directly into classrooms help close the gap between rural communities and broader cultural institutions — and remind students that the arts are a world they can belong to, not just observe from a distance.
For more information about upcoming performing arts events at Madras High School, contact the Jefferson County School District or the Madras Performing Arts Center.