Chesapeake Shakespeare Company Will Present THE TALE OF CYMBELINE Outdoors This Summer

Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (CSC) closes its 2025–2026 season In-The-Ruins with The Tale of Cymbeline, one of Shakespeare's most rarely staged and wildly imaginative plays.

Performed outdoors at the Patapsco Female Institute (PFI) in Historic Ellicott City, this fairytale continues one of Maryland's most beloved outdoor Shakespeare traditions, where CSC has welcomed audiences to its summer stage since 2002. The show opens Friday, June 12 and closes Sunday, July 19.

The Tale of Cymbeline follows Princess Imogen after her father and stepmother banish the man she loves, setting her on a path shaped by betrayal, separation, and disguise. Director Ben Lambert returns to the PFI to helm this production, following his 2024 direction of The Merry Wives of Windsor.

Lambert notes: “It's really a fairytale: an evil stepmother, a call to adventure, a death, a rebirth, and a return home—exploring that thin line between what we know, what we remember, and what we might only imagine. Cymbeline is a roller coaster; it's messy, it's funny, it's romantic, it's full of music and fights and magic.”

Drawing on a rich historical context, Cymbeline traces back to early British legend, in conversation with the narrative traditions of King Arthur and Merlin. Dramaturg Abe Stoll reflects on Shakespeare's ability to transform complex source material into a layered theatrical experience, writing, “It's [his] most elaborately and miraculously plotted play. Storytelling at its wildest.”

Each summer, CSC's In-The-Ruins series transforms the PFI's historic stone ruins and surrounding landscape into Maryland's longest-running outdoor Shakespeare event and one of the region's most distinctive summer gatherings. For The Tale of Cymbeline, the open-air setting echoes the play's ancient world and sense of exile, offering an immersive night of Shakespeare.

This summer's ensemble is compact, led by Fabiolla da Silva as Imogen. da Silva also returns to the PFI following her 2024 performance in The Merry Wives of Windsor. She is joined by a mix of new and returning CSC artists, including Company Members Sam Richie, Elana Michelle, Lizzi Albert, and Lloyd Marcus.

While most In-The-Ruins logistics remain the same, Sunday performances will now begin at 6:30 PM to accommodate natural light and the evolving landscape. Sundays are still Family Fun Days, with gates now opening at 5 PM for the Company's signature summer experience for young audiences. Families can arrive early for live music, pre-show storytelling, arts and crafts, costume try-ons, and a festive maypole dance.

Guests are welcome to bring a picnic, wine, and their favorite people for an evening of theatre under the stars. As always, kids under 18 get in FREE with a paying adult.* Performances begin close to sunset, with showtimes at 7:30 PM on Thursdays, 8 PM on Fridays and Saturdays, and 6:30 PM on Sundays.

*Limit of two per paid adult ticket, max of four free kids.

The Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park is located at 3655 Church Road, Ellicott City, MD 21043. Parking for the Patapsco Female Institute Historic Park is located at 3691 Sarah's Lane, Ellicott City, MD, 21043. Gates and ticket tent will open 90 minutes prior to curtain.

TICKETS

Adult tickets start at $55, tickets for youth 18-25 start at $29, and preview tickets are $25. Kids under 18 get in free (limit of 2 per paid adult ticket, max of 4 free kids).

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