Joseph Culliton

Summer would not be complete without seeing at least one Shakespeare play outdoors somewhere in Los Angeles. This year I decided to spend a bewitching night in Griffith Park, selecting to see my favorite Bard comedy, A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, presented by the Independent Shakespeare Company (ISC) celebrating the 15th anniversary season of free Shakespeare in Los Angeles City Parks. In 2010, ISC moved free Shakespeare in Barnsdall Park to Griffith Park, the second largest city park in California. The growth in attendance has been extraordinary, certainly due in part to the quality of the productions. So grab a blanket or a lawn chair, pack a picnic, and take a short hike into Griffith Park to a land of wonder and imagination thanks to the Independent Shakespeare Company's A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM - and bring the kids!

This summer spend a bewitching night with A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM at the GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. Independent Shakespeare Co. celebrates the 15thanniversary season of free Shakespeare in Los Angeles City Parks. The Old Zoo will be transformed into an enchanted forest with an all-new production that envelops the audience with the action of the play. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma,will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, June 30 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, July 7 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, September 2 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public!  A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is the first of two productions being presented at this year's GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. TITUS ANDRONICUS will open July 28 and then the plays will run in repertory through September 2. 

This summer take a trip to a decadent Vienna as INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. opens the season with the wild and wonderful MEASURE FOR MEASURE. The plot twists come fast and furious in this production that is equal parts screwball romantic comedy and deliciously dark social satire.

This summer take a trip to a decadent Vienna as INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. opens the season with the wild and wonderful MEASURE FOR MEASURE. The plot twists come fast and furious in this production that is equal parts screwball romantic comedy and deliciously dark social satire.  MEASURE FOR MEASURE, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma, will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, June 24 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, July 1 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, July 22 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public!  MEASURE FOR MEASURE is the first of two productions being presented at this year's GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA will play July 29 - September 3.

The Open Circle Theatre Company has announced a special performance of its currently running production of Waiting for Godot on Thursday, March 30 at 8pm. A post-play discussion will follow and the evening will benefit My Friend's Place, a non-profit homeless youth resource center in Hollywood.

The Open Circle Theatre Company has announced a new production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, directed by Daniel J. Wilner. There will be two preview performances on March 23 and March 24 at 8pm, and opening is set for Saturday, March 25 at 8pm.

The Open Circle Theatre Company has announced a new production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, directed by Daniel J. Wilner. There will be two preview performances on March 23 and March 24 at 8pm, and opening is set for Saturday, March 25 at 8pm. Waiting for Godot will play a limited engagement through April 16 at The Other Space @ The Actors Company in West Hollywood.

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), presenters of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival announce a month long series of unique events and workshops to celebrate the art of theater making. ISC's iambic lab begins on Saturday, January 28, with a reading of a new version by Charles Edward Pogue of Henrik Ibsen's THE PRETENDERS, and will end on Saturday, February 25 with a preview of ISC's upcoming West Coast premiere production of Sharr White's THE SNOW GEESE. All events are at Independent Studio in the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, 3191 Casitas Ave., #168 in Atwater Village.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents an imaginative production of Shakespeare's final play, THE TEMPEST, featuring Thom Rivera as Prospero and directed by Matthew Earnest.  THE TEMPEST will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 30 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, August 6 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, September 4 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public!  THE TEMPEST is the second of two productions being presented at this year's GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. RICHARD III played June 25 - July 24.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents an imaginative production of Shakespeare's final play, THE TEMPEST, featuring Thom Rivera as Prospero and directed by Matthew Earnest.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents an imaginative production of Shakespeare's final play, THE TEMPEST, featuring Thom Rivera as Prospero and directed by Matthew Earnest.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents an electrified interpretation of Shakespeare's indelible anti-hero, RICHARD III, featuring David Melville as Richard and directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma. RICHARD III opened last night, June 30, at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL and will perform through Sunday, July 24 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents an electrified interpretation of Shakespeare's indelible anti-hero, RICHARD III, featuring David Melville as Richard and directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma. RICHARD III will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, June 25 at 7pm and will open on Thursday, June 30 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, July 24 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public!  RICHARD III is the first of two productions being presented at this year's GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. THE TEMPEST will play July 30 - September 4.

One of the things Independent Shakespeare Co. does exceedingly well is communicate Shakespeare's text to audiences who may have little or no background with Shakespeare in a way that they can understand it. And since an audience member rarely comes back to see another production when they haven't had a good time (or been moved or changed in some way) the method of putting on a show becomes just as important as the desire to create something significant. This is where ISC excels. They know inherently how to make Shakespeare fun and relevant and engaging. Consequently, they have built a huge following that keeps coming back for more.  

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), presenters of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival and recipients of the 2015 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater, announce a new work, STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Joseph Culliton. STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY will begin previews on Thursday, October 22, will open on Saturday, October 24 at 7:30pm and will perform through Sunday, November 22 at Independent Studio in the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, 3191 Casitas Ave., #168 in Atwater Village.

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), presenters of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival and recipients of the 2015 Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater, announce a new work, STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Joseph Culliton.  STRANGE EVENTFUL HISTORY will begin previews on Thursday, October 22, will open on Saturday, October 24 at 7:30pm and will perform through Sunday, November 22 at Independent Studio in the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, 3191 Casitas Ave., #168 in Atwater Village.

This summer, visit the idyllic Mediterranean countryside as INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. brings you to the end of WWII as it presents its take one of Shakespeare's most loved comedies, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, directed by Jeffrey Wienckowski. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING began previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Thursday, July 30 and will open tonight, August 8 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, August 30 at Old Zoo in Griffith Park.

This summer, visit the idyllic Mediterranean countryside as INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. brings you to the end of WWII as it presents its take one of Shakespeare's most loved comedies, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, directed by Jeffrey Wienckowski. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Thursday, July 30 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, August 8 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, August 30 at Old Zoo in Griffith Park. All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public! MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING will follow ROMEO & JULIET, currently playing through July 26. ISC is the 2015 recipient of the LA Drama Critics Circle's highest honor, the Margaret Harford Award for sustained excellence in theater, and a 2015 recipient of a grant award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents its imaginative and soul-stirring take on the most famous love story of all time, Shakespeare's ROMEO & JULIET, directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director Melissa Chalsma. ROMEO & JULIET at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL opens tonight, July 3, performing through Sunday, July 26 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!