Shakespeare Society of America (SSA)

ShakespeareAmerica is the newly branded department created to expand distribution of public benefit programs provided by the Shakespeare Society of America (SSA), a California Public Benefit Corporation since 1968, IRS 501(c)3 since 1969.

In 1972 SSA rented a warehouse in West Los Angeles where R. Thad Taylor, Founding President designed, built and operated the Globe Playhouse with a replica of the interior of Shakespeare ’s 1599 Globe Theatre originally located in London, England.

The SSA Globe Theatre was first to stage all 38 Shakespeare Plays (aka Canon) in succession 1976 –1979, in 48 months, repeating the Canon 1981-1984 in 38 months.  In October 2006 R. Thad Taylor passed away. By January 2007, SSA had to relocate.

SSA administrators preserved a wide variety of assets consisting of a rare book and reference collection (3,000 + items), museum and memorabilia collection (1,000 + items), visual art collection (1,000 + items), and theatre arts archive (10,000 + items) consisting of playbills, posters, reviews, photographs, slides and props. Assets are known as the "SSA Collection".

By September 2008 the Shakespeare Society of America relocated to Moss Landing in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.   The facility is called New Shakespeare Sanctuary.

Over 6000 visitors (nearly 50 countries) from all over the world have explored the New Shakespeare Sanctuary in the past 48 months. Nearly 30% of these Guests are/were education, cultural and performing arts advocates and encourage expanded distribution of public benefit programs.

Thank You for exploring ShakespeareAmerica and our efforts to make public benefit programs available to all cultural and performing arts stakeholders … Terry Taylor, President/CEO

Shakespeare’s 450th Birthday