Live Oakes Educational Theater is dedicated to combining rigorous research
with acting expertise to bring history to life. Our mission is to inspire our
audiences with stories from the past that can make a difference for the
future.
Since 1994
we have
toured our award-winning, living-history shows, complete with evocative sets
and period costumes, to schools, libraries, National and State Historic
Parks, museums, and theaters across the country.
We are seasoned professional actor/scholars, with a life-long commitment to
educational theater. Most touring troupes send you amateur actors who merely
memorize lines. We research, write, produce and perform our own shows, and can answer questions in character! We bring
history alive by engaging audiences in dialogue,
discussion and debate with historical characters. We really know our
subjects!
Our goal as teachers is to train students
to be self-confident, powerful communicators and responsible ensemble players.
Artistic Director Michael Oakes has been acting, directing,
and writing for over thirty years. Trained at A.C.T., he performs, teaches
and directs youth programs with professional companies in the Bay Area, and
recently wrote the screenplay “Da Vinci’s Dreams”. Mr. Oakes earned his B.S.
and M.S. and honed his research skills as a biologist at the University of
Wisconsin, Madison.
*member Actor’s Equity
Assoc.
Managing Producer Renee Oakes is a leading North Bay actress, Musical Director, and professional soprano. She
recently sang on a project for Disney and is recording original works by Dave Brubeck with the Grammy-nominated Pacific Mozart Ensemble. Ms. Oakes enhances our shows with women’s history, period music, and administrative excellence.
