PHOTO GALLERY: Rustic Mechanicals Apprentices Take the Stage in Downtown Clarksburg
CLARKSBURG, W.Va. — More than three months of rehearsal and preparation culminated this weekend in downtown Clarksburg as a group of talented young performers brought William Shakespeare’s “The Winter’s Tale” to the stage.
The Rustic Mechanicals Apprentice Company presented five performances of the production as the conclusion of its 2026 Summer Shakespeare Intensive.
The Apprentice Company serves as the educational and pre-professional training arm of The Rustic Mechanicals, West Virginia’s Shakespeare troupe. The program brings together a selective group of high school performers from across the state for advanced theatrical instruction and the experience of preparing a full Shakespeare production.
Throughout the intensive, the young actors worked to develop their skills in classical text, movement, voice and stage performance. That preparation came together before local audiences during the five-show engagement in Clarksburg.
“The Winter’s Tale” blends drama, comedy and romance in a story centered on jealousy, loss, forgiveness and reconciliation. The production gave members of the Apprentice Company an opportunity to tackle one of Shakespeare’s later works while gaining experience in a professional theatrical environment.
Troupe leadership has described the Apprentice Company as the heartbeat of its educational mission, providing promising young performers with an opportunity to learn from experienced theater professionals and further develop their craft.
Photos from the Rustic Mechanicals Apprentice Company’s production of “The Winter’s Tale” are included in the gallery below.
