Midsommer Flight to Stage Shakespeare's ROMEO AND JULIET, Begin. 7/27

Midsommer Flight will bring free Shakespeare in the Park back to the north side this summer with the beloved tragedy Romeo and Juliet, opening at the end of July. Dedicated to presenting outdoor performances of Shakespeare's plays, Midsommer Flight is proud to produce the play as an arts partner with the Chicago Park District.

The play is directed by Midsommer Flight founder and Producing Artistic Director Beth Wolf. "We've been having so much fun rehearsing out in the parks again this year," says Wolf. "We can't wait to share Shakespeare's beautiful and passionate story of young love with audiences later this summer."

All performances will be presented free of charge (donations gratefully accepted). In addition, live music will be presented a half-hour prior to each performance. Musical guests include guitarist and singer David Fink, folk duo Duck and Goose, guitarist and singer Morgan Foster (of Common Shiner), and musician Andrew Sa, among others. Audiences are encouraged to come early and bring a picnic to enjoy this free programming.

The cast features Brian Scannell and Ashlee Edgemon as the star-crossed lovers, along with David Cady Jr., Nick Ferrin, John Ham, Brendan Hutt, Kanome' Jones, Nyle Kenning, Molly Lyons, Mason Pain, J. Preddie Predmore, Rachael Proulx, Chris Smith, Julian Stroop, Adam Welsh, and Sheila Willis. The production staff includes Beth Laske-Miller (Costume Designer), Ross Lemmon (Props Designer), Dylan Roberts (Assistant Director), and David Yondorf (Violence Designer).

Performances run from July 27 through August 18, 2013, on Saturdays at 6:00 PM and Sundays at 2:00 PM. Performances on July 27-28 and August 3-4will be at Schreiber Park, 1552 W. Schreiber Avenue, in the large field at the southeast corner of Bosworth Avenue and Schreiber Avenue. Performances on August 10-11 and 17-18 will be at Touhy Park, 7348 N. Paulina Street, in the southeast grove along Paulina Street.

Midsommer Flight is a Chicago theatre company dedicated to producing outdoor performances of Shakespeare's plays. After the company's well-received inaugural production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in 2012, the Chicago City Council honored Midsommer Flight with a resolution praising "the Midsommer Flight theater troupe on their dedication to bringing the arts to underserved communities." The company incorporated as a not-for-profit in the state of Illinois in February 2013.

For more information, visit www.midsommerflight.com.