Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival

We'll be back at the Old Zoo June 27, 2013 for another season of great performances:

In rotating repertory throughout the summer:
(no performance July 4, special Wednesday performance August 28)

She Stoops to Conquer (by Oliver Goldsmith) opens June 27
Mr. Marlowe is a catch. Handsome. Rich. Witty. There’s only one problem: among the ladies in his circle he stammers, stumbles and can’t look them in the eye. In the company of a barmaid or a serving-woman, however, he’s a smooth operator. What’s a guy like that to do when he’s called upon to woo the lovely, fashionable, and most decidedly upper-class Kate Hardcastle? And how will the clever Kate respond?

This 18th-century comedy has it all. Romance, mistaken identity, a thrilling chase scene, and a love song to liquor. It’s a big-hearted, exhuberant romp and the perfect way to spend a summer evening in the park.

Macbeth opens July 5
Macbeth, a great warrior, lives in an era of violence. He is beloved by his King and respected by his friends. But when he has an otherworldly encounter, he is seduced by a vision of power. As he and his wife give in to their deepest yearnings, they make a chilling discovery: once opened, the gates of hell are very hard to close.

Quite a bit of blood completes Shakespeare’s tale of inappropriate desire and dire consequences. It may not be appropriate for young children.

As You Like It opens August 1
What would you do if you could break all the rules?

One of Shakespeare’s most popular comedies tells the story of a kingdom in disorder. Its rightful leader is banished, a young man is denied his due by his malevolent elder brother, and a woman is exiled from the place that has always been her home. All of their paths lead away from the “painted pomp” of the court into the heart of the forest of Arden. It’s a place where natural laws outweigh the laws of man and the force of love reigns supreme. As bitter winter passes into the bloom of spring, the residents of Arden discover that transformation is always possible, and sometimes the disguises we wear are the best way to discover who we are.