Shakespeare in the Park is back this January

Shakespeare Miami has been providing free Shakespeare in the Park shows in Miami for 10 years. The 2016 production will be Shakespeare's sparkling comedy, "Much Ado About Nothing." You may remember this was the production put on by Shakespeare Miami in Peacock Park in 2008.

Shakespeare Miami is working with a new sound and lighting company that specializes in outdoor theater, in order to avoid the many problems they had with the sound last year. The shows in Coconut Grove are costly for them to produce, as they must bring in specialized sound and lighting equipment. If anyone wants to donate to the sound and lights for the Barnacle shows, they can email Colleen Stovall the artistic director, at miamishakes@gmail.com. 

This year's production (January 2016) is set in the year directly after the Civil War in Michigan. Soldiers returned from the war with a sense of hope and a desire to put the horrors of war behind them - looking to return to their families and resume the lives they left behind four years earlier.

Shakespeare's plot dovetails nicely with events in the American Civil War, where brother fought against brother and old grudges die hard.  Don John, the villain in Much Ado, is cast as a defeated Southern General,  who is brother to Don Pedro, the victorious Union General. 

The production features period costumes as well as authentic music and dance of the late 1870's.  Music was taught to the cast by Master Sergeant Greg Lowery of the US Army Choir, an elite group that sings at the White House and across the US. Master Sergeant Lowery flew in from Washington DC and spent two days working with the cast on Civil war music.

Starring Alex Weiss as Benedick and Kayla Bussell as Beatrice, Shakespeare's famous battle of the sexes is in good hands.  

As always, the shows are open and free to the public. Pack a picnic and come enjoy Shakespeare under the stars.

Visit www.shakespearemiami.com for more information.

Week 1

Pinecrest Gardens

11100 Red Road

Shows are at 8:00 pm

Friday January 15

Saturday  January 16

Sunday  January 17

Week 2

The Barnacle State Historic Park

3485 Main Highway

Coconut Grove

Shows are at 8:00 pm

Friday January 22

Saturday  January 23

Week 3

The ArtsPark in Young Circle

Hollywood

Shows are at 7:30 pm

Friday January 29

Saturday  January 30