TAMIU Shakespeare Fest Set for Nov. 6-12

If music be the food of love, play on and let the festivities begin!

Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) will celebrate Laredo’s longstanding connection to the works of William Shakespeare during Shakespeare Fest 2026, highlighting Laredo’s unique engagement with the Bard through theatrical performances, literary exploration and the fine arts.

The weeklong celebration runs Friday, Nov. 6, through Thursday, Nov. 12, at TAMIU’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts and the Laredo Center for the Arts.

Events are free and open to the public. Scheduled events include:

All Week (Nov. 6 – 12)

• History of Shakespeare in Laredo exhibit: On display from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts lobby.

Friday, Nov. 6

• Shakespeare’s Greatest Hits – a theatrical performance by the Texas Shakespeare Roadshow, at 2 p.m., Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Theatre
• “Día de los Muertos & Borderlands Shakespeare” – a lecture by Dr. Adrianna Santos, associate professor at Texas A&M University-San Antonio, at 5:30 p.m., Laredo Center for the Arts

Saturday, Nov. 7

• Twelfth Night – a theatrical performance by the Texas Shakespeare Roadshow, at 7:30 p.m., Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Theatre

Thursday, Nov. 12

• Silent Shakespeare film adaptation – featuring an accompaniment performance by Dr. Colin Campbell, university organist and associate professor of music at 7:30 in the recital hall

Organized by the University’s College of Arts and Sciences Department of Humanities, the event pays tribute to Shakespeare through film, theater and a borderland-themed lecture, explained Dr. Kaitlyn Chacon, associate professor of English.

“Shakespeare Fest is an opportunity to bring the works of William Shakespeare to life while celebrating the arts, humanities and the power of storytelling. Through performances, film, lectures and exhibits, we invite the TAMIU community and the public to explore Shakespeare’s enduring influence and discover how his work continues to resonate with audiences today,” Chacon said.

The theatrical performances feature the traveling cast of the Kilgore College-based Texas Shakespeare Festival’s Roadshow and have been praised by the Texas Commission on the Arts as one of the state’s top cultural events. This is the fourth year TSF has presented Shakespeare performances at TAMIU.

Also offered this year is a first-of-its-kind lecture, “Día de los Muertos & Borderlands Shakespeare,” by Dr. Adrianna Santos, associate professor at Texas A&M University. The lecture explores how Día de los Muertos traditions and Indigenous Mexican and Latinx perspectives reshape Shakespeare’s themes of life, death and the afterlife. This lecture will be hosted at the Laredo Center for the Arts, bringing the experience to historic downtown Laredo, Chacon affirmed.

“By bringing the Shakespeare lecture to downtown Laredo, we are expanding the festival beyond our campus and creating new opportunities for our entire community to engage with the arts, literature and the incredibly unique connection between Shakespeare’s work and the borderlands,” said Chacon.

While all events are free and open to the public, individuals are encouraged to register for the events at https://go.tamiu.edu/shakespeare. For more information, contact Chacon at kaitlyn.culliton@tamiu.edu.

A member of the Texas A&M University System, TAMIU provides a world-class educational experience to students from South Texas, northern Mexico and beyond.

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