Columbia Center for the Arts Brings Shakespeare’s Unsung Heroes to Life in The Book of Will
Hood River, Ore., Aug. 29, 2025 — What if half of Shakespeare’s plays had been lost forever? Columbia Center for the Arts invites audiences to find out in The Book of Will, a witty and heartwarming historical drama by Lauren Gunderson, opening September 12 in Hood River.
Directed by Kathleen Morrow, The Book of Will tells the remarkable (and mostly true) story of Henry Condell and John Heminges, two of Shakespeare’s longtime friends and fellow actors who, after the Bard’s death, took it upon themselves to collect and preserve his plays in what became the famous First Folio. Without their determination, classics like Twelfth Night and Macbeth might never have survived.
Featuring an ensemble cast including David Dye, Erik Lundby, Emily Joyce, Emily Vawter, William Thayer-Daugherty, Benjamin Sheppard, Bob Fox, Dawn Rankin, Davis Mackintosh, and Sam Hannigan, the production promises both humor and heart, offering a fresh perspective on the legacy of one of the world’s greatest playwrights.
Performance Dates:
Friday, September 12 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, September 13 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, September 14 at 2:00 PM
Friday, September 19 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, September 20 at 7:30 PM
Sunday, September 21 at 2:00 PM
Friday, September 26 at 7:30 PM
Saturday, September 27 at 7:30 PM
Location: Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave, Hood River, OR 97031
Tickets are on sale now at https://www.columbiaarts.org.
About Columbia Center for the Arts
Columbia Center for the Arts (CCA) is a nonprofit in Hood River, Oregon, dedicated to promoting an equitable, accessible, and arts-rich environment in the Columbia Gorge. Guided by a vision of a thriving creative community, CCA connects artists, performers, and audiences through diverse opportunities in visual, performing, and educational arts.
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