If it weren’t for the Fourth of July and our glorious independence, perhaps every theater in the DC area would look a little more like Shakespeare Theatre Company, a not for profit organization that brings a taste of the Mother Country to modern day Washington. Housed at what used to be known as the Lansburgh Theathre since 1992, the Shakespeare Theatre Company is one half of the Harman Center for the Arts, joining the recently constructed (2007) Sidney Harman Hall.As its name might imply, the Shakespeare Theater company primarily focuses on the works of William Shakespeare, but has been known to take on works of other classic playwrites of a bygone era, including Oscar Wilde and Henrik Ipsen. The company features a regular troupe of performing actors, though they do not exclusively occupy the stage space, rather joined by guest performers and guest directors on occasion. What comes to fruition on stage has been nationally recognized as one of the premiere final products in its genre, recognized by the Wall Street Journal as “the nation’s foremost Shakespeare company.”Located in the Penn Quarter of the city, the Shakespeare Theater Company seats 451 individuals per performance, though has been known to extend outside its walls during the summer months. The “Free For All” initiative centers around a free show for the general public, put on at Rock Creek Park, usually one of the more prominent names in the previous season’s lineup. In recent years, Free For All has featured The Taming of the Shrew (2009), Hamlet (2008), Love’s Labour’s Lost (2007), Pericles (2006), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2005) and Much Ado About Nothing (2004).In addition to accolades for on-stage authenticity and excellence, the Shakespeare Theater Company also boasts a renowned education program, offering the Academy for Classical Acting for aspiring thespians, along with a Masters of Fine Arts graduate program, not to mention less formal classes/programs for local schools.