2014 production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Photo-Holly Stone

 

By Keith Waits

Entire contents are copyright © 2014 Keith Waits. All rights reserved.

As a featured part of the Saturday in the Park event on September 20, Kentucky Shakespeare announced the line-up for the 2015 season for Shakespeare in Central Park. Following a record-breaking attendance for the past summer season, the new schedule will accommodate the demand by offering a longer, 8-week run for the three professional productions, which are The Tempest, The Taming of the Shrew, and Macbeth, while still including three Community Partners productions in August. Unlike last season, the Partner’s productions will not be Shakespeare, but instead contemporary material that references the Bard of Avon. Before it’s all said and done, the 2015 season will run 10 weeks and include 59 scheduled performances of 7 different productions.

As prelude, there will again be a touring production directed by Artistic Director Matt Wallace. This year it will be Macbeth, scheduled to make appearances at Metro Parks locations and schools during the spring.

When asked if he was at all worried about any “sophomore jinx” after such a wildly successful first year as Artistic Director, Wallace laughs. “What is most important is that we not get complacent, and we won’t, because there is so much more that I want to do. 2014 was just a start!”

Audiences are likely to find the same strength of ensemble and direct, unfussy interpretations in the three main stage productions, with Theatre [502]’s Amy Attaway again joining Wallace as part of the directing team. She will helm Shrew while Wallace handles Tempest and the Scottish Play. The Community Partners productions will be very different however, offering a range of contemporary work. Theatre [502] plans on staging a new play, title and author TBA, and The Bard’s Town will revive an original play by Doug Schutte, Chasing Ophelia. “Doug wrote that play while he was in England at the Globe Theatre, so it’s filled with the spirit of Shakespeare,” says Wallace.

And the addition of late night shows featuring The Louisville Improvisors that begin at 10:30pm is meant to provide a slightly more adult element to the otherwise family-friendly programming. “I did not want to limit the Improvisors from being able to indulge the more “mature” aspects of their improvisation. I mean, imagine trying to limit (Improvisors co-founder) Chris Anger!” says Wallace, again, laughing. Will’s Tavern and food trucks are expected to remain open during these shows as well.

2015 Shakespeare In Central Park

Kentucky Shakespeare Productions

The Tempest

June 3 – July 25

The Taming of the Shrew

June 18 – July 25

Macbeth

July 2 – July 26

Rotating Repertory Weeks (of all 3 professional productions)

July 14 – July 26

Bard-a-Thon  (all 3 professional productions in one day)

July 25

The Comedy of Errors

Globe Players (student production)

July 29 – August 2

Community Partners Week

August 4 – 9

Recent and Relevant Shakespeare

New commissioned work form Theatre [502]

Chasing Ophelia by Doug Schutte

Presented by The Bard’s Town Theatre

Post-Show Entertainment

Late Night Shakes

The Louisville Improvisors: Improvised Shakespeare Show

10:30PM

6/27, 7/11, 7/18

kyshakespeare.com