Shakespeare Theatre Co. lay off third of staff

WASHINGTON » In another sign of the financial havoc the COVID-19 crisis is wreaking on arts groups, Shakespeare Theatre Company has laid off a third of its full-time employees and cut its budget by 44 percent.

Some 38 members of the Tony-winning organization’s 116-person staff were notified of their termination over the past 10 days or so, company officials said.

The reductions across multiple departments came as STC slashed its fiscal 2020-21 budget from $18.5 million to $10.5 million, according to Managing Director Chris Jennings.