William Elsman News

Shake out your picnic blankets and start planning your picnics! We are back for our 16th season of Free Shakespeare in the Park, a summer-long event for all of Los Angeles to play with theater, family workshops, opening acts and special events.

TITUS ANDRONICUS is one of Shakespeare's bloodiest tragedies. Characters are stabbed, beheaded, mutilated, raped, baked in a pie, and one is even buried up to his neck and left to die. At first glance it may not sound like an obvious choice for families who attend the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, and it definitely isn't one for 'the youngest audience members' as the website says. But the play's extreme violence does present a unique opportunity for parents to talk to their teens about revenge and the futility of starting down its destructive path.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents the dark spectacle, TITUS ANDRONICUS as the second show of its GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, featuring David Melville as Titus and directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma. Celebrating the 15th anniversary season of free Shakespeare in Los Angeles City Parks, TITUS ANDRONICUS will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 28 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, August 4 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, September 1 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public!  TITUS ANDRONICUS is the second of two productions being presented at this year's GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is currently playing and will run in repertory through September 2. 

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 15th anniversary 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

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. 

Director Casey McClellan, fresh off of a Broadway World Best Director win for The Diary of Anne Frank, brings the Scottish play to Sacramento Theatre Company with a creative spin on the dark and supernatural elements of the show. For those who are not familiar with MacBeth, it is arguably one of Shakespeare's darkest works and cleverly explores the depravity of the human mind and the lengths that one will go to for personal gain.

The Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival continues with INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO.'s riotous rock & roll production of THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. Directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Managing Director, David Melville, THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 29 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, August 5 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, September 3 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.

The Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival continues with INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO.'s riotous rock & roll production of THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA. Directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Managing Director, David Melville, THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 29 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, August 5 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, September 3 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park. 

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.

This autumn marks the 45th anniversary tour of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival's School Visit Program (SVP), which sends OSF actors directly to schools throughout the Western United States. Over 100 schools will host actors this fall.

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 keys to providing great entertainment is understanding your audience. For a theatre company that means knowing what your audience wants and then being able to provide it so they keep coming back for more. Independent Shakespeare Co. has done a brilliant job of both. Not only do they play to crowds that number in the thousands each night during their Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, but they always find a way to connect with the audience and make them feel included. 

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.