Shakespeare in the Park
This week, we went to a production of Much Ado About Nothing, presented in the amphitheater of our local botanical garden.
When we were younger, we regularly attended summer performances of Shakespeare’s plays. The theater department of the university selected two each year, and they were performed on alternating weekends in the evening. They were held at a large outdoor theater, with a few seats near the stage but most of the audience sat on blankets up on the hill.
It was always very warm, with many mosquitoes, but we would bring a blanket, a picnic and some bug spray and sit back and enjoy the show.
Our grandchild is very interested in theater, so we brought them along. Apparently, this is the ninth season the local company has put on Shakespeare during the summer. They bring together faculty, students, alumni, and local artists to create the production. I am sad that this is the first I had heard of it, but very happy we got to go.
The audience was quite diverse, and everyone was interested and seemed to enjoy themselves. It always takes a bit of time to get used to the language, but after a few moments facial expressions and gestures got the points across.
How wonderful to have a nice evening out, and at the same time, support the local arts scene.