Independent Shakespeare Co. Will Host Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival This Summer
The annual outdoor festival at Griffith Park will offer free performances to Los Angeles audiences.
Independent Shakespeare Co. will bring this summer's Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival to the bucolic dell at the top of the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. The festival will feature William Shakespeare's Coriolanus and The Comedy of Errors.
Coriolanus
Coriolanus (June 24 - July 26), directed by David Melville, is a taut political thriller. The people are rioting. The rich are getting richer, the poor are getting poorer, and the politicians are rising to power through fame and ego. Unapologetic and arrogant, a Roman general-turned-presidential candidate is expelled from his city for his tragic contempt for his people, sending him on the warpath to revenge. Enemies become friends, and the trust between them balances on a knife's edge. Brutal and surprisingly funny, Indie Shakes' premiere of Shakespeare's most daring political thriller examines the cycles of power and the flawed people who are called to lead.
The Comedy of Errors
The Comedy of Errors (August 5 - September 6), directed by Melissa Chalsma, is a music-filled, raucous comedy. Two small-towners find themselves lost and fumbling through a bustling Mediterranean port city. Surrounded by a medley of languages, cultures, and unfamiliar rules, the duo stumbles through mishaps, mayhem, and mistaken identities, only to run into the last people they expect. Infused with hilarious wordplay, wild slapstick, and a rocking original score, Shakespeare's comedic masterpiece proves that however far you travel, you can always find your way home.
Performances will take place Wednesday-Sunday evenings at 7pm (no performance on July 4).
All performances are free and open to the public, but registration is requested to manage crowds at this smaller location. Free registration is at www.IndieShakes.org. The dell at the Old Zoo can accommodate 800 people at each performance and is spacious enough for picnic blankets and low beach chairs. Parking is free.
In addition to the performances, ISC will present a variety of pre-show events and activities for all ages, including family workshops, educational discussions, and themed nights. Highlight events include:
- Pride Night (June 27) with special guests and pre-show activities.
- Climate Civic Action Night (July 11)
- Players in the Park: Coriolanus (July 12): this popular family workshop series takes place before the performance and is for learners of all ages.
- Themed Dress Up Night: FESTIVAL OF LUCARIA (July 19)
- Salon Series discussion with Coriolanus director David Melville (July 24)
- Climate Family Activation Night (August 9)
- Salon Series discussion with Comedy of Errors director Melissa Chalsma (August 15)
- Players in the Park: Comedy of Errors (August 22): this popular family workshop series takes place before the performance and is for learners of all ages.
- Themed Dress Up Night: SWINGING SOIREE (August 29)
More events will be added.
Comments Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma, “The latest phase of construction of the permanent performing arts stage (to be completed in 2027) requires that we once again move up the hill to the dell. Both plays will be presented in-the-round, a really effective way of pulling the audience into these two very different stories. I'm excited that we are producing a play we've never done before, the high-octane political drama, Coriolanus, led by longtime ensemble member (and award-winning actor), Brent Charles, in the title role. And Comedy of Errors is one of my favorites, a raucous comedy where the silliness is balanced so beautifully by the bittersweet. In true Indie Shakes fashion, we're adding a live band to Comedy of Errors, and expect to get the audience up and dancing in the park! We've spent over twenty years building this festival alongside our partners and supporters, and we look forward to creating theater for Los Angeles all summer long.”
This season of Indie Shakes' Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival is made possible by the generous support of thousands of individuals making small and large donations, plus sponsors including the Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks; the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles; the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture; and the Theatre League of Kansas City.
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