Shakespeare in the Park festivals

The Delacorte Theater in New York City's Central Park

Shakespeare in the Park is a term for outdoor festivals featuring productions of William Shakespeare's plays. The term originated with the New York Shakespeare Festival in New York City's Central Park, originally created by Joseph Papp. This concept has been adapted by many theatre companies, and over time, this name has expanded to encompass outdoor theatre productions of the playwright's works performed all over the world.

Shakespeare in the Park started as an idea to make theatre available to people of all walks of life, so that it would be as readily available as library books.[1] The performances are more often than not free admission to the general public, usually presented outdoors as a summer event. These types of performances can be seen by audiences around the world, with most festivals adapting the name for their productions, such as Vancouver's Bard on the Beach. Many festivals incorporate workshops, food, and other additions to the performances making this type of theatre experience an interactive community event.

United States

Asheville

The Montford Park Players, a community theater company, has been staging free Shakespeare productions in Asheville, North Carolina since 1973. The productions were first staged at a municipal park on Montford Avenue and, in 1993, moved to its current location, the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre.[2]

Baltimore

The Baltimore Shakespeare Festival present productions outdoors each summer in the Meadow at the Evergreen Museum & Library.[3]

Boston

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company presents professional productions of Shakespeare in Boston Common. The first production was in 1996 at Copley Square; a year later the program was moved to the Commons, first at the Parkman Bandstand and more recently at the Parade Ground.[4]

Buffalo

Shakespeare in Delaware Park describes itself as the United States' 2nd largest Shakespeare festival (following New York Shakespeare Festival). It is held in Buffalo, New York's Delaware Park.[5]

Dallas

Inspired by the New York Shakespeare Festival, Robert "Bob" Glenn started The Shakespeare Festival of Dallas in 1971 as a free summer Shakespeare Festival. Renamed Shakespeare Dallas in 2005, the company produces three free Shakespeare productions each summer at the Samuel-Grand Amphitheatre in Lakewood.[6]

Jersey City

The Hudson Shakespeare Company, founded by L. Robert Johnson in 1992, features a summer season where the company stages productions for each month of the summer. Besides Shakespeare standards such as Hamlet and A Midsummer Night's Dream, they often produce one to two lesser done productions a season such as The Two Noble Kinsmen, Cardenio and Henry VIII. Based in Jersey City, NJ, they also tour as part of their summer season to other New Jersey locations such as Fort Lee, Hackensack, Kenilworth, Hoboken, West Milford and also to Stratford, CT. [7]

Kansas City

The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival was founded by Tony winning Broadway producer Marilyn Strauss in 1993 at the urging of Joe Papp[8] with a production of The Tempest in Southmoreland Park. In 1998, they began to produce two productions per year, with a total of 23 production at the start of the 2011 season.[9]

Louisville

Kentucky Shakespeare Festival is a non-profit, professional theatre company in Louisville, Kentucky that produces and performs the works of William Shakespeare. The main productions offered are the annual summer series of plays presented free to the public at Central Park. This series, commonly called "Shakespeare in Central Park", sprung from an initial production in the park by The Carriage House Players in the summer of 1960. They also perform shows in other venues, as well as conduct educational programs related to acting and other theater-related skills.

New York City

The original Shakespeare in the Park was founded in 1954 by Joseph Papp as the New York Shakespeare Festival, which eventually led to free public performances in Central Park.[3] Since 1961 an outdoor amphitheatre, the Delacorte Theatre, has accommodated these productions. Many celebrity actors have worked the Delacorte.[10] People often line up in the morning to assure tickets for the evening performance.[11] Many seasons have featured works by other playwrights, including Bertolt Brecht and Samuel Beckett.[12]

Others

Philadelphia

Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet production in Clark Park

This Philadelphia theater company offers the largest, free outdoor production of Shakespeare's plays in the greater Philadelphia area. Shakespeare in Clark Park was formed in the fall of 2005 by Marla Burkholder, Maria Möller, Tom Reing and Whitney Estrin. In their inaugural season, Shakespeare in Clark Park presented four performances of Twelfth Night, drawing an audience of over 2,000 people. Those audiences have grown to over 5,000 and the annual show has become a staple of summer in Philly.[15]

Pittsburgh

Jennifer Tober founded Pittsburgh Shakespeare in the Parks in 2005. Their performances are free and utilize various public parks in the Pittsburgh area.[16][17]

Rochester

The Rochester Community Players have staged free Shakespeare productions at the Highland Bowl in Highland Park each July since 1997.

San Francisco

Free Shakespeare in the Park began in San Francisco in 1983, with its debut production of The Tempest in Golden Gate Park. Produced every year in San Francisco, Pleasanton, Cupertino, and Redwood City from July through September, this program stages professional theater free of charge throughout the San Francisco Bay Area.[18]

San Pedro

Shakespeare by the Sea was launched in 1998 by Producing Artistic Director Lisa Coffi. It presents free Shakespeare productions in San Pedro, Los Angeles and throughout Los Angeles, Orange and Ventura Counties.[19]

Seattle

Since 1989, GreenStage has been producing free Shakespeare in major parks in and around Seattle. In 2014, they completed the entire Shakespeare canon.[20]

In 1994, a theater company called the Wooden O started annual summer Shakespeare performances at the Luther Burbank Amphitheater on Mercer Island, Washington. In later years park venues including Lynnwood, Washington and Auburn, Washington were added. In the spring of 2008 the Seattle Shakespeare Company merged with Wooden O and continues to present free Shakespeare productions throughout the Puget Sound region.[21]

South Dakota

The South Dakota Shakespeare Festival (SDSF) was formed in 2011 and launched its inaugural season in Vermillion, South Dakota, in June 2012. Since the summer of 2012 the SDSF has been offering fully produced professional Shakespeare performances in Vermillion’s Prentis Park and daytime arts educational offerings for youth and adults.

Tallahassee

The Southern Shakespeare Festival occurs annually in Tallahassee, Florida. The festival's first incarnation existed from 1995–2000. In 2012 a group of scholars saw an opportunity to revive the free outdoor festival at the award winning Cascades Park.

Joe Penczak in Act 5 of the Troupe of Friends 2011 production of Richard II

Australia

The Australian Shakespeare Company (Melbourne)

The Australian Shakespeare Company was founded in 1987 by Glenn Elston, the man responsible for pioneering outdoor theatre performances of William Shakespeare's plays in Australia. The company has performed for more than a million people across all the different regions of Australia. They make it a mission to draw audiences of all age groups to their shows.[22]

Shakespeare in the Park Festival at Toowoomba (Toowoomba)

The Shakespeare in the Park Festival at Toowoomba is another location for al fresco Shakespeare performances in Australia. Originally presented in Toowoomba's Queen's Park (2004-2011), this festival recently moved (2012) to the University of Southern Queensland's Toowoomba campus. Presentations on the open-air mainstage since the festival's inception in 2004 include The Tempest, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, Comedy of Errors, Taming of the Shrew, Hamlet, Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night's Dream. Cast includes Creative Arts students from the University of Southern Queensland and also includes a variety of other events to compliment the mainstage offering each year.[23][24]

Shakespeare WA (Perth)

Western Australia also holds a large Shakespeare in the Park festival in Perth at King's Park Botanical Gardens. The plays for this festival are set to be performed by the same company (Shakespeare WA) through 2014. This festival is usually held from mid January to mid February, and is the largest single theatre event in Western Australia.[25]

New Zealand

Wellington

Summer Shakespeare has been an annual outdoor theatre event in the capital city, Wellington, since 1983. The large-scale, large-cast productions have taken place in a variety of settings including the Dell in the Wellington Botanic Gardens, Civic Square, Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, onsite at Victoria University and at Gladstone Vineyard in the Wairarapa. Productions have ranged from some of the most popular to some of the most obscure plays in the Shakespeare canon.

Auckland

Shakespeare in the Park has been performed in the outdoor amphitheatre at The PumpHouse Theatre, Lake Pupuke since 1996.[26] incorporating traditional costumes and settings.

Canada

The Dream in High Park (Toronto)

The Dream in High Park is the oldest annual outdoor theatre event in Canada, currently entering its 33rd season in 2016. Since its inception in 1983, an estimated 1.3 million people have enjoyed the tradition of theatre under the stars. The Canadian Stage Company, who performs the Dream, is nationally and internationally acclaimed, and is Canada's leading not-for-profit contemporary theatre company. It was founded in 1987 with the merger of CentreStage and Toronto Free Theatre, and is dedicated to programming international contemporary theatre, and to developing and producing landmark Canadian works.[27]

Shakespeare In The Ruff (Toronto)

Shakespeare In The Ruff was born from the ashes from the previous company Shakespeare In The Rough which performed in Toronto's East End neighbourhood of Riverdale between 1994 and 2006. The new company launched in 2012 focuses on creating unique contemporary adaptations of Shakespeare's work and providing opportunities for emerging artists. As part of the company's community work, they run a youth apprenticeship program called the Young Ruffians which pairs up high school students with a member of the professional company for the duration of rehearsals and performances.[28]

Shakespeare by the Sea Festival (St. John's)

Shakespeare by the Sea Festival Inc., a community-based organization, produces and promotes artistic works with a focus on William Shakespeare. It unites seasoned and developing talent and aspires to excel in all aspects. The festival is the longest running outdoor summer theatre event in the St. John's area. Since 1993, the Shakespeare by the Sea Festival has been performing the works of the famous Bard all around the St. John's area – from the cliff-top meadows of Logy Bay to the historic World War II bunkers at Cape Spear – from the cobblestoned courtyard of the Murray Premises to the lush landscapes of Bowring Park. Since that time, the Festival has grown into a much-anticipated annual event.[29]

Repercussion Theatre (Montreal)

Repercussion Theatre has been touring parks throughout Montreal for over 25 years, bringing the classics to people where they live, for free (with donations graciously accepted). They are experienced in providing Shakespeare in the Park across the city, entertaining people who may otherwise not be exposed to live theatre. Repercussion Theatre was founded in 1988, when they played four shows in front of 800 people in Beaconsfield, Qc. Now, they perform to over 10,000 people each summer across the island of Montreal and beyond - with a commitment to cultural diversity, gender equity, and infusing Shakespeare's plays with a decidedly Montreal flair. They are the only company in Montreal to consistently produce a Shakespeare production each year. The company's first Artistic Director was Cas Anvar (followed by Kevin Orr and then Paul Hopkins) and the current Artistic Director is Amanda Kellock.[30]

A Company of Fools (Ottawa)

In 1990, Margo MacDonald and Heather Jopling, rooted in the belief that Shakespeare should be seen and not read, recruited almost a dozen young performers and took to the streets. They derived inspiration from the rogue Elizabethan players that once entertained audiences outdoors at the Globe theatre, named themselves A Company of Fools, and began performing for crowds on the streets of Ottawa. In 1998 the Fools began performing in Ottawa City Parks with college shows, and in 2002 the Fools launched the Torchlight Shakespeare series. Besides mounting an average of two productions a year, the Fools hold three annual events (Twelfth Night Celebration, Valentine's Day Sonnet Delivery, and the Ottawa Theatre Challenge) and are active in the Ottawa community.[31]

Shakespeare in the Ruins (Winnipeg)

Shakespeare in the Ruins (SIR) is Manitoba's only professional Shakespeare company.[32][33] The company was founded in 1993 and is noted for its productions at Trappist Monastery Provincial Park.[34]

Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan (Saskatoon)

Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan festival tents south of the Mendel Art Gallery on the banks of the South Saskatchewan River

Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan was founded in 1985 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. The plays are staged in tents with a seating capacity of approximately 275 on the banks of the Saskatchewan River, and take place from early July to mid-August. The festival traditionally offers two main stage performances and occasionally produces a third offering. The festival sees over 12,000 patrons each year. [35]

Freewill Shakespeare Festival (Edmonton)

The Freewill Shakespeare Festival, formerly known as the River City Shakespeare Festival was founded in 1989. It is produced by the Edmonton, Alberta-based "Free Will Players" every summer from late June to mid July. The Festival includes full-scale professional productions of two plays by William Shakespeare, as well as Camp Shakespeare - a summer drama camp for youth ages 8–16. All Festival activities take place in the 1,000-seat Heritage Amphitheater in Edmonton's beautiful Hawrelak Park. In 2008, the festival was renamed the Freewill Shakespeare Festival.[36]

The Bard on the Beach (Vancouver)

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival was established in 1990. The plays are staged in Vanier Park on Vancouver's waterfront, in open-ended tents, from the end of May through September. Over the years Bard on the Beach attendance has grown significantly from 6,000 patrons in 1990 to more than 90,000 patrons in 2009. The programming has of course expanded from one play to four, and from 34 performances to 215 two decades later.[37]

The Bard's Bus Tour (Ontario)

Driftwood Theatre is Ontario's leading outdoor summer touring theatre company, on the road with The Bard's Bus Tour visiting Ontario communities since 1995. Driftwood Theatre breaks down barriers to experiencing and participating in theatre art by bringing theatre and engagement opportunities to audiences in Ontario who may not have access to professional performance. [38]

Europe

One of the Globe Theatres located in London, Great Britain

Shakespeare in the Park currently takes place throughout many European countries. In Europe, ever since the Elizabethan period, theatre has been a crucial part of their cultural heritage and history.[39] The Shakespearean performances take place mostly all over Europe from the East to Central Europe. One of the three Globe Theatres is located in Germany and is called "The Globe Neuss". It was founded in 1991 and is famous for its annual International Shakespeare Festival, where companies from all over the world come to perform.[39]

The German city of Bremen hosts The Bremer Shakespeare Company, which features the largest Shakespearean repertoire on a German stage. Performances at Bremen's Bürgerpark are a huge cultural attraction each year, and the festival also lets guests participate in The Dramatikerwerkstatt - a playwright workshop – where they explore the theatrical process from within.[40]

The Footsbarn Theatre Company based in France is a travelling troupe who perform outdoor theatre all over the world.[41]

In Italy, The Globe Theatre is located within the museum park in Villa Borghese. The stage is a classical "wooden o" structure, reminiscent of the original Globe stage, and is perfect for staging Elizabethan style productions.[42]

Brussels Shakespeare Society based in Belgium has been performing "al fresco" productions of Shakespeare's plays since the summer of 1976.[43]

Theatrum Gedanense Foundation annually organizes the International Shakespeare Festival in Gdansk, Poland. A week-long festival of outdoor plays and events, the company strives to include not only Polish adaptations of Shakespeare plays, but foreign ones as well.[44]

The British Shakespeare Company; this Leeds-based festival attracts 15 000 people each summer.[45] The British Shakespeare Company is also responsible for helping to initiate a government policy to send "Shakespeare Packs" to school children of all ages and backgrounds, in an effort to introduce Shakespeare at a young age.[45] London's Regent Park is a very special place for an outdoor Shakespeare experience, as the original productions of these great works took place in this very city. The Open Air Theatre Festival has become a famous tourist location, where many locals and tourists alike gather to see the performances. Open Air Theatre was first established in 1932, and is considered one of the largest auditoria in London. The oldest outdoor theatre in all of Britain hosts over 130,000 people annually in its sixteen-week season.[46]

Regent Park is the host of one of London's summer attractions. Since the very first production of Twelfth Night in 1932, the Open Air Theatre has been the home of many seasons of Shakespeare; but also has staged other classical plays, operas, musicals and family shows.[47]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Smith, Olivia (15 August 2009). "Success of free Shakespeare in the Park comes with a price for audiences - but it's worth the wait". Daily News. New York. Archived from the original on 19 September 2009.
  2. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  3. 1 2 Free Shakespeare in the park. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.shakespeareinthepark.org Archived 2013-05-30 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  5. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  6. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  7. ↑ Hudson Shakespeare Company
  8. ↑ "How it All Started". Heart of America Shakespeare Festival. Archived from the original on 27 January 2011. Retrieved 23 April 2011.
  9. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2006-06-15. Retrieved 2006-06-20.
  10. ↑ Shakespeare in the Park. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.publictheater.org/content/view/126/219/ Archived 2008-05-09 at the Wayback Machine.
  11. ↑ Cross, H. (2010). Shakespeare in the park guide. Retrieved from http://gonyc.about.com/od/summer/a/shakespearepark.htm Archived 2010-12-06 at the Wayback Machine.
  12. ↑ The Baltimore Shakespeare festival. (2010). Retrieved from http://www.baltimoreshakespeare.org/joomla/ Archived 2010-07-18 at the Wayback Machine.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  14. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-07-09. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  15. ↑ Shakespeare in Clark Park. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://shakespeareinclarkpark.org/ Archived 2010-07-30 at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ↑ http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ae/theater/s_755726.html
  17. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-11-05. Retrieved 2011-09-11.
  18. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  19. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  20. ↑ http://greenstage.org Archived 2015-01-03 at the Wayback Machine.
  21. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-03. Retrieved 2015-01-03.
  22. ↑ "The Australian Shakespeare Company - Australia's Biggest Outdoor Theatre Company". AustralianShakespeareCompany. Retrieved 2018-04-17.
  23. ↑ isntmedia Australia. (2010). Shakespeare in the park festival - toowoomba. Retrieved from http://www.about-australia.com/events/queensland/toowoomba-golden-west/events/festival/shakespeare-in-the-park-festival-toowoomba/ Archived 2009-12-09 at the Wayback Machine.
  24. ↑ Look at WA Perth online portal-King's Park. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.about-australia.com/events/queensland/toowoomba-golden-west/events/festival/shakespeare-in-the-park-festival-toowoomba/ Archived 2010-08-07 at the Wayback Machine.
  25. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-08-07. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  26. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-11-10. Retrieved 2014-11-10.
  27. ↑ BWW News Desk. (2010, February 9). Canadian stage TD dream in high park presents romeo and juliet. Retrieved from http://toronto.broadwayworld.com/article/Canadian_Stage_TD_Dream_in_High_Park_Presents_ROMEO_AND_JULIET_20100209 Archived 2011-07-08 at the Wayback Machine.
  28. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2017-09-11. Globe and Mail (2012, August 18). In an east-end Toronto park, the Bard rides again. Retrieved from "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2016-04-09. Retrieved 2017-09-11.
  29. ↑ Shakespeare By The Sea Festival. St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. (2009). Shakespeare by the sea festival St. John's, Newfoundland & Labrador, Canada. Retrieved from http://sbts.info/aboutus.aspx Archived 2010-01-04 at the Wayback Machine.
  30. ↑ Kellock, Amanda. "About Repercussion Theatre". Archived from the original on 2017-08-15.
  31. ↑ The Olde history, as we know it. (2010). Retrieved from http://fools.ca/history Archived 2009-12-08 at the Wayback Machine.
  32. ↑ Shakespeare in the ruins. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.winnipegculturalmap.ca/node/1204 Archived 2011-08-28 at the Wayback Machine.
  33. ↑ Coalition partners in the national effort. (2010). Retrieved from http://coalitionformusiced.ca/html/sec1-about/national_effort.php Archived 2010-08-27 at the Wayback Machine.
  34. ↑ Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia Archived 2018-04-12 at the Wayback Machine.
  35. ↑ "Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan". www.shakespearesask.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-08. Retrieved 2017-03-08.
  36. ↑ Shakespeare festival announces lineup, new name Archived 2012-11-04 at the Wayback Machine.
  37. ↑ Bard on the Beach. (2010). History. Retrieved from http://www.bardonthebeach.org/history Archived 2010-07-23 at the Wayback Machine.
  38. ↑ Driftwood Theatre Group. (2016). About. Retrieved from http://www.driftwoodtheatre.com/about/ Archived 2016-11-29 at the Wayback Machine.
  39. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-08-27. Retrieved 2010-06-30.
  40. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-07-31. Retrieved 2017-07-30.
  41. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-09-08. Retrieved 2008-09-03.
  42. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-07-29. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
  43. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-07-25. Retrieved 2010-07-26.
  44. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2008-12-19. Retrieved 2008-12-12.
  45. 1 2 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2009-02-05. Retrieved 2009-07-07.
  46. ↑ Regent's Park Theatre Ltd. (2010). Open air theatre- history. Retrieved from http://openairtheatre.org/p14.html Archived 2010-07-17 at the Wayback Machine.
  47. ↑ london-footprints.co.uk, Initials. (2008). Additional information. Retrieved from http://www.london-footprints.co.uk/wkregentsparkadd.htm Archived 2008-10-09 at the Wayback Machine.
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