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The Oxford Street Players

The Oxford Street Players is a Shakespearean theater company that puts on full-scale productions for the Lesley community and for the public. The production is always linked to our undergraduate drama courses; however, we invite all of our students, faculty, and staff, as well as actors outside of the university, to audition.

Combining Theory & Practice

Gain a foundation in classic and contemporary texts as well as how to bring those texts to life onstage. In special workshops, learn directly from guest artists, choreographers, and music directors. And through courses devoted to production work, create alongside professional designers and consultants, enriching your understanding of theater production and its professional roles.

Associated Theater Courses

Choose from two undergraduate play production courses linked to Oxford Street Players performances.

Celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the Oxford Street Players with Twelve Nights of Shakespeare

To celebrate 25 years of the Oxford Street Players at Lesley University, the Players hosted 12 back-to-back nights of Shakespearean events in April of 2021, ending with a radio play production of Twelfth Night.

Producing Shakespeare in a pandemic is no easy task. Read more about the processes the Players underwent to make it all happen.

If you missed this series of events, you can still watch all of the videos right here!

 

Watch an introductory video, an interview with the founding mothers of the Players, and interviews with some of their former teachers and designers.

Three actors on stage against the backdrop of the woods in a production of Macbeth

Welcome to the Twelve Nights of Shakespeare
two actors sword fighting on a stage

Interview with Annie Pluto and Lisa Risley
A group of actors in a circle on stage in Marran theater with dark, colorful lighting

Interview with Marwa Eid
A photograph of the Marran Theater stage during a dress rehearsal of the Oxford Street Players porduction of Macbeth with three witches in front of a screen of blue clouds

Interview with Georgia Lagadinos

Watch more videos with former teachers and designers, as well as former Players.

students in cloaks acting in a Shakespeare play

Interview with Lori Rabeler
2 actors playing MacDuff and Macbeth on stage in Marran Theater during a dress rehearsal.

Interview with Dr. Terry Chance
Three actors on stage in Marran Theater playing the witches in Macbeth

Interview with Dustin Rennells
student acting in a play holding a skull wearing a cloak in front of a stone wall

Interview with Riva Foss and Christen DiBiase

Lastly, enjoy some interviews with Oxford Street Players alumni and members from this year's cast and crew.

Cast of Cymbeline performing a scene in Marran Theater

Oxford Street Players Alumni
students acting in a Shakespeare play on a stage surrounded by planets

Behind the Scenes with the Cast
student actors in cloaks on stage in a Shakespeare play

Behind the Scenes with the Crew
student actors in dresses and professor clapping on stage at the end of a play

Tech Talk with Callahan Quinn and Victoria Marin

Join the Friends of Oxford Street Players

We need financial support from the public to produce plays that give our students a transformative educational experience. Your tax-deductible donation will be acknowledged in the playbill.

There are several levels of giving:

  • Gods and Goddesses: $1,000 and more
  • Monarchs: $500–$999
  • Princes and Princesses: $250–$499
  • Dukes and Duchesses: $100–$249
  • Lords and Ladies: $50–$99
  • Knights Errant and Ladies in Waiting: $25–$49
  • Courtiers: $10–$24
"Never having acted in a Shakespeare play, I learned more under Dr. Pluto’s direction than from any other theater group. My confidence grew enormously, not only as a performer, but also as a student and a person.”
Shealan Anderson, Oxford Street Players alum

Dr. Anne Elezabeth Pluto

Professor of Theatre and Literature

Anne has her doctorate in English Literature, and an MA in Humanities from the State University of New York at Buffalo, where she studied poetry with Robert Creeley, Irving Feldman, and John Logan. She is an alum of Shakespeare & Company in Lenox, Massachusetts, and has studied at the Linklater Studio. She’s also the co-founder of Lesley's Oxford Street Players and teaches courses in English Composition, Creative Writing, Literature, and Play Production: Shakespeare.

Read Anne's Bio

News

Interview with professor, poet, director

The Somerville Times
Multifaceted Professor Anne Pluto, a founder of the Oxford Street Players discusses her poetry, writing from grief and the theater.
Read more about Interview with professor, poet, director
News

“The play’s the thing” for the Oxford Street Players

Read more
Students on a Zoom call rehearsing for the radio play version of Twelfth Night

Producing Shakespeare in a pandemic

Lesley’s Oxford Street Players presents “Twelve Nights of Shakespeare” with help from the community.
Read more about the production
News

Something wicked comes to Marran

Lesley’s Oxford Street Players poised to take on ‘the Scottish play' directed by faculty member Anne Pluto.
Read more about Something wicked comes to Marran
Make a contribution or get involved
Contact Anne Pluto, Professor of Theatre and Literature, with any questions.
Phone and Email
Mailing Address
  • Lesley University
    Oxford Street Players
    29 Everett Street
    Cambridge, MA 02138
29 Everett St, Cambridge, MA 02138
617.868.9600