Shakespeare in the Park
Encyclopedia
Shakespeare in the Park is a concept used across the world, as a form of free public presentation of William Shakespeare's
works. Such performances exist in Australia
, Canada
, New Zealand
, Singapore
, the United Kingdom
, and the United States of America.
The concept of summer Shakespearean productions is widespread, though for many the performances at the Delacorte Theater
in New York
's Central Park
constitute the definition of the "Shakespeare in the Park" phrase. These performances, known for the greater part of their existence as the New York Shakespeare Festival
, continue as an annual celebrated free event for New Yorkers. The Delacorte's productions have included works by Anton Chekhov
and Galt MacDermot
in addition to works by Shakespeare, and it is not unusual for a part-Shakespearean season to be presented under a Shakespeare in the Park banner.
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
works. Such performances exist in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and the United States of America.
The concept of summer Shakespearean productions is widespread, though for many the performances at the Delacorte Theater
Delacorte Theater
The Delacorte Theater, established in 1962, is an open-air theater located in Manhattan's Central Park and has a seating capacity of 1,800. The Delacorte is owned by the City of New York and operated by The Public Theater. It is an open-air amphitheater, with the Turtle Pond and Belvedere Castle...
in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
's Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
constitute the definition of the "Shakespeare in the Park" phrase. These performances, known for the greater part of their existence as the New York Shakespeare Festival
New York Shakespeare Festival
New York Shakespeare Festival is the previous name of the New York City theatrical producing organization now known as the Public Theater. The Festival produced shows at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park, as part of its free Shakespeare in the Park series, at the Public Theatre near Astor Place...
, continue as an annual celebrated free event for New Yorkers. The Delacorte's productions have included works by Anton Chekhov
Anton Chekhov
Anton Pavlovich Chekhov was a Russian physician, dramatist and author who is considered to be among the greatest writers of short stories in history. His career as a dramatist produced four classics and his best short stories are held in high esteem by writers and critics...
and Galt MacDermot
Galt MacDermot
Galt MacDermot is a Canadian composer, pianist and writer of musical theatre. He won a Grammy Award for the song African Waltz in 1960. His most successful musicals have been Hair and Two Gentlemen of Verona...
in addition to works by Shakespeare, and it is not unusual for a part-Shakespearean season to be presented under a Shakespeare in the Park banner.
See also
- Bard on the BeachBard on the BeachBard on the Beach is Western Canada's largest professional Shakespeare festival, which is held every year in open-ended tents on the waterfront in Vanier Park in Kitsilano, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada...
- Kentucky Shakespeare FestivalKentucky Shakespeare Festival'Kentucky Shakespeare', commonly called Shakespeare in the Park, is a cultural event which features free Shakespeare performances every summer in Central Park in Old Louisville . Begun as the Carriage House Players in 1949, it is the oldest free professional and independently-operating Shakespeare...
- Shakespeare on the SaskatchewanShakespeare on the SaskatchewanShakespeare on the Saskatchewan is an annual summer Shakespeare in the park theatre festival founded in 1985, which takes place in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada...
- Oklahoma Shakespeare in the ParkOklahoma Shakespeare in the ParkOklahoma Shakespeare in the Park was founded in 1985 in Edmond, Oklahoma, USA by current Executive Director and Artistic Director Kathryn McGill and Jack J. O'Meara. It produces live classical theater. Sue Ellen Reiman serves as Managing Director and Norman H. Hammon serves as Development...
- Free Will Shakespeare Festival
- Shakespeare in Delaware ParkShakespeare in Delaware ParkShakespeare in Delaware Park is a free outdoor Shakespeare festival that takes place during summer months in Delaware Park located in the city of Buffalo, New York. It is the second largest free outdoor Shakespeare festival in the United States, topped only by New York City's New York Shakespeare...
- Hudson WarehouseHudson WarehouseThe Hudson Warehouse is a not-for-profit theatre company in New York City whose mission is "to present the classics in exciting productions inspired by our past and relevant to our present day." Known as "The Other Shakespeare in the Park," the company was founded in 2004 with the intention of...
External links
- List of Shakespeare in the Parks across the world (Broken Link, 208-06-23)
- List of outdoor Shakespeare festivals in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...