Barbara Gaines, OBE

Barbara Gaines, OBE, the Olivier-award winning director, visited the Shakespeare Institute on July 8th before receiving her honorary doctorate in Edgbaston on July 9th

Since founding the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre in 1986, Ms Gaines has directed over 30 of Shakespeare’s plays: while in Stratford she watched the RSC’s current production of Titus Andronicus in the company of the Institute’s Dr Abigail Rokison, and made copious notes. The Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s current ‘Shakespeare in the Parks’ project, by which the company are giving free outdoor performances of Shakespeare in some of the city’s most deprived neighbourhoods, is being studied as part of the Institute’s investigation of civic Shakespeare worldwide.

  • Barbara Gaines honorary Graduand speech on Youtube
  • Chicago Shakespeare Theatre: Atistic director Barbara Gaines receives Honorary Doctorate of Letters from United Kingdom's University of Birmingham