By Doug Draper
It begins with the sun setting in the west erly skies behind you and ends with reflections of the moon and stars on the waters a nearby pond in Buffalo, New York’s beautiful Delaware Park.
Shakespeare in Delaware Park. File photo by Doug Draper
It is ‘Shakespeare in Delaware Park’ and its 35th season begins this June 17 with William Shakepeare’s ‘Much Ado About Nothing, running Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m. through July 11, followed by ‘Macbeth’, running from July 22 through August 15 on the same days and times.
This outdoor Shakespearian festival of plays is free of charge and has received continental acclaim as one of the best showcases for the great one’s plays for viewing in any community in North America. The author of this post, along with family and friends, have had the pleasure of enjoying Shakespeare in Delaware Park for the better part of a decade now, and highly recommends it for anyone who appreciates these great works of art.
There are a couple of catches. You will be sitting on the ground, so bring a comfortable blanket and/or cushions to sit on. Some bring lawn chairs, if you don’t mind sitting higher on the hill (and further away from the stage) where you aren’t blocking those on the ground.
You might also want to know that during intermission, the fine actors (and they are all professionals who often do commercial theatre at other times of the year) move up through the audience asking for a donation of at least a few dollars to help support this annual event. Unfortunately, and due to budget cuts from the state over the years, the arts have taken a hit and more of a request is being made to those who attend events like this to make a voluntary contribution.
Below, Niagara At Large, which you can visit for more news by clicking on www.niagaraatlarge.com, is posting a little more information from Shakespeare in Delaware Park’s website at www.shakespeareindelawarepark.org .
About Us
Shakespeare in Delaware Park has been a Buffalo summer tradition since 1976. It is the country’s second most successful outdoor Shakespeare festival in terms of audience, attracting an average of 50,000 patrons each summer. Only New York City draws more attendance for a FREE Shakespeare festival.
Our festival takes place in a historic park designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, father of landscape architecture, and the nation’s foremost parkmaker. Behind the Park’s rose garden stands our grand Tudor-Style stage on a sweeping hill of green. In this beautiful setting under the stars, Shakepeare’s stories live on to explore the truths of the human heart; tragedy, jealousy, foolishness, passion, laughter, and love.
Our Mission
Shakespeare in Delaware Park, Inc. is a non-for-profit, professional theatre company dedicated to providing free, high-quality public theatre to the widest possible audience by performing Shakespearean plays outdoors. Our goal is to promote and support the cultural and economic well-being of the Buffalo/ Niagara Region through dramatic arts performances and educational programming.
I have been trying to get something like this going in Crystal Beach for years, `Shakespeare in the Sand with help from theatre students. It will never happen in Fort Erie. Racetracks are more important.