As warmer temperatures make a return, so do many activities that fill up our calendars long before summer nights arrive. Well, make space in your summer calendar for the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival, which recently announced the lineup for its 63rd season.
The season will feature three main productions: “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (May 24 - June 11; July 12, 15, 18, and 21); “Macbeth” (June 15-25; July 11, 14, 19, and 22); and “Love’s Labor’s Lost” (June 29 - July 11; July 15, 16, 20, and 23.)
The festival will also be celebrating its tenth year of “Shakespeare in the Parks,” which is a tour around the city to different parks to share these free Shakespeare shows. This year’s touring show is “Hamlet.”
Each night of the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park will also bring food trucks, pre-show performances, and chances to check out Kids’ Globe, Will’s Gift Shop, and Will’s Tavern.
The season will also include a number of special events: the Globe Players, a professional training program, will perform “The Two Gentlemen of Verona” from July 26-30. The Louisville Ballet will also do a dance rendition based on “Macbeth” from Aug. 2-6 to end the summer season.
Louisville Improvisors will bring their “Late Night Shakes” series, which involves creating improvised Shakespeare plays from audience suggestions, back to Central Park for its eighth year on June 10, June 24, July 8, and July 22.
The Louisville Fringe Festival will bring a new show, “GLOBE Arm Wrestling,” on June 17, July 1, and July 15. The comedic late-night show will feature Shakespeare characters with professional wrestling antics.
As always, these shows are free and non-ticketed, and pets on leashes are welcome.
