RICHARD II and More Set for Shakespeare In The Woods 2025 Summer Anniversary Season

Shakespeare in the Woods will celebrate its fifth anniversary season of experimental classical theatre in Southern Vermont! The young, unconventional company, hailed by audiences as "Transformative", "Mind blowing and dynamic", and "Electrifying and intimate", will present gripping and modern reimagined productions of Richard II and Love's Labour's Lost, for its 2025 Season. Shows will be performed in repertory during August 13 - 31 with evening performances occurring on Wednesdays - Sundays, and Student & Seniors matinee opportunities to be announced. SitW is thrilled to also announce its continued venue partnership with The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa in Manchester! Performances will once again occur under the trees on the Equinox's idyllic Taconic Lawn, rain or shine.

The 2025 Season will be one of Power and Influence - examining themes of loyalty, language, masculinity, divine right, and love. SitW newcomer Michael Alvarez (he/him) will direct Love's Labour's Lost, and returning for a third summer is Roberto Di Donato (he/they/el/elle), to direct Richard II. As has been SitW's way since inception, in addition to directing, Alvarez and Di Donato are also helming the adaptations of their productions.

About his upcoming production, director Michael Alvarez teased: "This reimagining of Love's Labour's Lost playfully portrays the transformative power of overcoming toxic masculinity and societal norms to achieve genuine connection and self-awareness. We're going into the world of social elitism in Ivy League academia, where the "King of Navarre" and his friends have taken a vow of celibacy to focus on their studies. However, their resolve is tested when the Princess of France and her entourage arrive. As the men confront their vulnerabilities, repressions, and the undeniable power of true emotion, their oath begins to crumble."

Alvarez is spending his first summer in Vermont with SitW! He is an interdisciplinary and international theatre director, creator, and visual artist. He has been a Directing Fellow at New York Theatre Workshop, a Drama League Directing Fellow, and a Director with The Civilians R&D Group, amongst others. He has directed and created work in New York, London, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and Eastern Europe, and at such institutions as Her Majesty's Theatre in the West End, Arcola Theatre, London's Institute of Contemporary Arts, National Theatre of Slovenia, New York Theatre Workshop, Serenbe Playhouse and made performance art pieces at the British Museum. He is the founding Artistic Director of The Muse Collective and is Assistant Professor of Directing and Interdisciplinary Performance at UNCSA. Most recently, he directed Julius Caesar at Catskill Mountain Shakespeare, and is about to premiere California Story by Roger Q. Mason at Outside in Theatre in Los Angeles. Michael is a member of the Lincoln Center Directors Lab. Education: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama and California Institute of the Arts. www.Michael-Alvarez.com

Providing insight into their approach to Richard II, director Roberto Di Donato shared: "As a play that has been used in actual history to insight insurrection, Richard II is as immortal as the king himself. Richard thinks he is a god. Crowned at nine-years-old and constantly observed by his court, Richard is on display for all to see as he fights for everything that he loves: his kingdom, his beliefs, and most importantly himself. Set in an analog present day/slight future world, my look is at history, attempting to incite a debate that examines absolute power today."

Di Donato is returning to Shakespeare in the Woods this summer! He is a Venezuelan-Italian artist from the territories that were originally known as home for the Tawakoni and Wichitah nations near Dallas, TX. They serve on the Board of Directors for Salvage Vanguard Theater, which has been pushing the boundary of experimental performance since 1994. Most recently he has been the Producing Director of Tantrum Theater. Roberto has a translation of Nobel Laureate, Luigi Pirandello, in contract with Perry Street Theatricals, NYC. Beginning this fall, he will be an MFA Theater Management Candidate at David Geffen School of Drama at Yale. robertodidonato.net

Maness shared, "During our five years of production, SitW has developed a bold and singular approach to reimagining Shakespeare for the here and now. While these two titles may be lesser known, we see the great opportunity to be someone's first experience with them, and as audiences have become familiar with our work, they know you don't need to be a Shakespeare expert to have a good time at the shows- they're ready to be surprised and discover the story with us. Richard II and Love's Labour's Lost have so much to offer that speaks to the world we live in today. There is a great deal of relevance and familiarity to be examined in the text that our productions are going to dive headfirst into this summer and offer plenty of moments of intensity, hilarity, and more."

Tickets for Richard II and Love's Labour's Lost will be available for advance online purchase starting June 1st, with same day purchase available at the box office day of performances. SitW uses a sliding scale ticket model with multiple price points, including a zero cost option. Season performances take place outdoors on the Taconic Lawn at The Equinox Golf Resort & Spa (3567 Main St, Manchester, VT 05254), and are rain or shine. In the event of severe weather conditions, SitW will provide time sensitive updates.