Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival (HVSF), a 25-year old summer Shakespeare festival, that began as an amateur organization has been financially successful and won critical acclaim for its accessible ensemble based approach to Shakespeare. In recent years, the company has expanded by adding non-Shakespeare plays to the summer season and holiday offerings. It has also professionalized the organization by hiring full-time experienced management, finance, and development staff. With the recent rapid professionalization, HVSF must decide whether or not it can function with its part-time founding artistic director.

This case provides the opportunity to examine the role of strategy in guiding an organization from amateur to professional. This case also looks at the effects of organizational growth on the leadership of an organization.

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