Kentucky Shakespeare Announces 66th Season of Free Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park
Shows include As You Like It, Antony and Cleopatra, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Romeo and Juliet.
By: Gillian Blum Feb. 08, 2026
Kentucky Shakespeare, the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth, announced the 66th annual free Kentucky Shakespeare Festival May 27-August 9, 2026, at the C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater in Old Louisville’s Central Park.
"We are delighted to share another exciting season of free performances in Central Park, the 66th anniversary season of your Kentucky Shakespeare Festival," said Matt Wallace, Producing Artistic Director. "The 2026 eleven-week season features 55 performances, five productions, all presented absolutely free to the community throughout the summer. We’ll kick off the main stage season the beloved, pastoral romantic comedy As You Like It, followed by the epic tragedy Antony and Cleopatra — last performed on our stage 55 years ago, and Shakespeare’s hilarious comedy The Two Gentlemen of Verona. The season again features two weeks of rotating repertory in July in which all three productions will rotate nightly."
In addition to the three main stage productions, Kentucky Shakespeare will present the classic tragedy Romeo and Juliet from their Globe Players professional training program for high school students, plus Shakespeare in Dance from Louisville Ballet. The Kids’ Globe tent will open an hour before every performance during the summer with free interactive arts-based activities tied to the production, and various community groups will perform pre-shows at 7:15PM nightly throughout the summer.
All performances are presented free of charge at Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, the longest-running non-ticketed Shakespeare festival in the United States.
A variety of 50+ food trucks from the Louisville Food Truck Association will rotate nightly throughout the summer with 2-3 per night, plus Will’s Tavern (a Brown-Forman Bar) and Will’s Gift Shop.
Nightly Schedule:
6:00pm Food Trucks Open
7:00pm Will’s Tavern, Will’s Gift Shop, and Kids’ Globe open
7:15pm Community Pre-Show Performance
8:00pm Production Begins
Visit kyshakespeare.com for more information and schedules.
The 2026 Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park Lineup:
As You Like It by William Shakespeare
Directed by Matt Wallace
May 27-31; June 3-7; June 10-14; July 15, 18, 21, 24
The 66th season kicks off with this irresistible and beloved pastoral romantic comedy. "All the world's a stage" in the hilarious tale of love, mistaken identity, and banishment in the transformative Forest of Arden.
Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
Directed by Amy Attaway
June 18-21; June 24-28; July 14, 17, 22, 25
Shakespeare’s legendary romance comes to vivid life in this love story of two powerful leaders: Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, and Mark Antony, General of the Roman Empire. Passion leads to tragedy in this epic tale of desire, scandal, and power.
The Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare
Directed by Matt Wallace
July 2-3, 5; 7-12; 16, 19, 23, 26
What happens in Milan, stays in Milan! Shakespeare’s gleefully silly comedy is set in 1940’s Last Vegas, where love and friendship are put to the test. A charming adventure navigating a love triangle, betrayal, disguises, an escape into the forest, and a dog.
Kentucky Shakespeare’s Globe Players
Romeo and Juliet
Directed by Kyle Ware
July 29-August 2
Kentucky Shakespeare’s Globe Players professional training program takes the stage, presenting Shakespeare’s beloved tragedy, directed by Director of Education Kyle Ware. The cast is comprised of students from multiple area high schools and the production is the culmination of a five-week training program.
Louisville Ballet
Shakespeare in Dance
August 5-9
The final week of the summer season, Louisville Ballet returns for a tenth season to present an original dance piece from choreographer Roger Creel, inspired by Shakespeare.
ASL interpretation will be provided for the following performances: Thursday, June 4 for As You Like It, Thursday, June 25 for Antony and Cleopatra, Thursday, July 9 for The Two Gentlemen of Verona, and Thursday, July 30 for the Globe Players Romeo and Juliet. (If show canceled due to inclement weather, the makeup rain date will be the following evening – Friday.)
The creative team includes Eric Allgeier (scenic designer), Laura Ellis (sound designer), Lindsay Krupski (lighting designer), Donna Lawrence-Downs (Costume Designer), Sam Powers (properties), Eric Frantz (fight choreographer, Antony and Cleopatra), Justin Jackson (fight choreographer, As You Like It), Mollie Murk (dance choreographer, The Two Gentlemen of Verona), Hannah Pruitt (intimacy director), Gregory Maupin (dramaturg/editor).
The Acting Company includes Mary Baunjoko, Zachary Burrell, Sasha Cifuentes, Razaria-Denae Copeland, Kate Drury, Marquise Hillman, Jon Huffman, Justin Jackson, Tom Luce, Abigail Bailey Maupin, Gregory Maupin, Mollie Murk, Neill Robertson, Shaquille Towns, Kyle Ware, Nick Wills and Crystian Wiltshire.
Season sponsors include Fund for the Arts, Brown-Forman, Republic Bank, the Kentucky Arts Council, and Louisville Metro.
Kentucky Shakespeare will again partner with The Audience Group, your connection to the arts and entertainment scene in Louisville, providing their free Audience program guide for audience members throughout the summer.
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