William Shakespeare was an English playwright and poet who lived the late 16th and early 17th century. He wrote dozens of plays; including histories about English kings, tragedies such as Macbeth and Hamlet, a long list of comedies, poems, and over 100 sonnets (a poem of fourteen lines).
Known as “The Bard” (which means poet), he is regarded by many as one of the greatest, if not the greatest English writer of all time.
Shakepeare’s works are the most performed and read plays in theaters and performance venues around the world. From Germany to Jerusalem, prison theaters and refugee camps, you can find Shakespeare’s’ plays under production.
Many portions of his plays, as well as his sonnets were composed in a traditional poetry form of the time known as iambic pentameter. A line of iambic verse contains ten syllables, with stress placed on every other syllable.
In his plays, he often (but not always) used unrhymed iambic pentameter known as “blank verse”, which placed stress on different syllables. But he also used rhyming couplets and other forms such as trochaic tetrameter.
Here are some of his more famous quotes, which demonstrate several of these syllabic rhyming styles:
- From Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2): “But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?”
- From Julius Caesar (Act 3, Scene 2): “Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears!”
- From Richard III (Act 1, Scene 1): “Now is the winter of our discontent Made glorious summer by this sun of York”
- Hamlet (Act 3, Scene 1): “To be, or not to be: that is the question”
- Romeo and Juliet (Act 2, Scene 2): “Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow, That I shall say good night till it be morrow.”
- Macbeth (Act 4, Scene 1): “Liver of blaspheming Jew,Gall of goat, and slips of yew. Silver’d in the moon’s eclipse, Nose of Turk and Tartar’s lips”
Why have these works stood the test of time above all others?
Some say it is due to the ambiguity of the play’s meaning and of the actions of the characters. This allows Shakespeare’s plays to be continually re-invented and re-imagined, whether as stage plays, or in our time, as movie themes.
In Seattle during summer, The Bard’s plays are performed in parks throughout the Puget Sound region, for you to enjoy in a relaxing and casual outdoor setting.
2022 Wooden O Shakespeare in the Park series
Wooden O Shakespeare in the Parks
Seattle Shakespeare Company is the Puget Sound region’s year-round, professional, classical theatre. The company began production at Seattle Center in 1991. Their success stems from a deep belief in the power and vibrancy of classical playwrights along with a commitment to artistic excellence on stage. Provocative performances challenge and delight audiences in Washington State, while fostering an appreciation for great stage works. Programs include indoor performances, free outdoor summer productions, regional tours, and educator and youth programs.
Wooden O’s* inaugural show was performed in August 1994 at Luther Burbank Park. Demand for the free summer Shakespeare performances grew. So, over the years park venues have been added throughout the Puget Sound region. Grab a picnic and bring your family.
*Wooden O refers to the shape of outdoor theatres in Shakespeare’s time, a ring of galleries with a space in the center open to the sky
The Summer 2022 productions are A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Cymbeline
Show schedule-
Cymbeline
- July 7th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 8th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 10th, 7pm-9pm
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle - July 13th, 6:30-8:30
Richmond Beach Community Park 2201 NW 197th St, Shoreline - July 14th, 7pm-9pm
Lynndale Park Amphitheater 18927 72nd Ave W, Lynwood - July 15th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 16th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 17th, 7pm-9pm
Edmonds City Park 3rd Avenue and Pine, Edmonds - July 21st, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 22nd, 7pm-9pm
Angle Lake Park 19408 International Blvd., SeaTac - July 23rd, 7pm-9pm
Klahanie Park 25000 SE Klahanie Blvd, Issaquah - July 24th, 2pm-4pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 28th, 7pm-9pm
Issaquah Community Center Open Space 301 Rainier Blvd S., Issaquah - July 29th, 6pm-9pm
Columbia Park 4721 Rainier Ave S, Seattle - July 30th, 2pm-4pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 31st, 2pm-4pm
Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle - August 3rd, 7pm-9pm
Steel Lake Park 2410 S 312th St, Federal Way - August 4th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - August 5th, 7pm-9pm
Wright Park 501 South I Street, Tacoma - August 7th, 3pm-5pm
Des Moines Beach Park 22030 Cliff Ave S, Des Moines
times, and venues subject to change, so double check before you go!
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
- July 7th, 7pm-9pm
Issaquah Community Center Open Space 301 Rainier Blvd S., Issaquah - July 9th, 2pm-4pm
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle - July 10th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 13th, 7pm-9pm
Lynndale Park Amphitheater 18927 72nd Ave W, Lynwood - July 14th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 16th, 7pm-9pm
Klahanie Park 25000 SE Klahanie Blvd, Issaquah - July 17th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 22nd, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 23rd, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 24th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 28th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 29th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - July 31st, 6pm-8pm
Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion 305 Harrison Street, Seattle - August 5th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - August 6th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island - August 7th, 7pm-9pm
Luther Burbank Park Amphitheatre 2040 84th Avenue SE, Mercer Island
2021 GreenStage Shakespeare in the Parks series
GreenStage presents Shakespeare in the Park and an Outdoor Theater festival in Seattle Parks. All productions are free, fun, and family-oriented, focusing on the text and story of the play.
The talent of the artists, beauty of the natural park spaces, and participation of the audience creates inspiring productions. Shakespeare’s characters and words come to life in eye-opening ways in these intimate, outdoor performances.
Green Stage Shakespeare performance
Summer 2021 at Green Stage brings Midsummer Night’s Dream, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest
Show schedule-
- Fri, July 16 @ 7:00 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
Wallingford Playfield 4219 Wallingford Ave N, Seattle - Fri, July 16 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Lincoln Park Seattle - Sat, July 17 @ 7:00 pm, Twelfth Night – Backyard Bard
Wallingford Playfield 4219 Wallingford Ave N, Seattle - Sat, July 17 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Lincoln Park Seattle - Sun, July 18 @ 3:00 pm, Twelfth Night – Backyard Bard
Salmon Bay Park 2001 NW Canoe Pl, Seattle - Sun, July 18 @ 3:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Lincoln Park Seattle - Sun, July 18 @ 4:15 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
Salmon Bay Park 2001 NW Canoe Pl, Seattle - Fri, July 23 @ 7:00 pm, Twelfth Night – Backyard Bard
Othello Park 4351 S Othello St, Seattle - Fri, July 23 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Magnuson Park Amphitheater 6344 NE 74th St, Seattle - Sat, July 24 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Magnuson Park Amphitheater 6344 NE 74th St, Seattle - Sun, July 25 @ 3:00 pm, Twelfth Night – Backyard Bard
Delridge Playfield 4458 Delridge Way SW, Seattle - Sun, July 25 @ 3:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Magnuson Park Amphitheater 6344 NE 74th St, Seattle - Sun, July 25 @ 4:15 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
Delridge Playfield 4458 Delridge Way SW, Seattle - Fri, July 30 @ 7:00 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
View Ridge Playfield 4408 NE 70th St, Seattle - Fri, July 30 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Seward Park 5900 Lake Washington Blvd. S, Seattle - Sat, July 31 @ 7:00 pm, Twelfth Night – Backyard Bard
Marvista Park 19990 4th Avenue SW, Normandy Park - Sat, July 31 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Seward Park 5900 Lake Washington Blvd. S, Seattle - Sat, July 31 @ 8:00 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
Marvista Park 19990 4th Avenue SW, Normandy Park - Sun, August 1 @ 3:00 pm, Twelfth Night – Backyard Bard
Sandel Park 9053 1st Ave NW, Seattle - Sun, August 1 @ 3:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Seward Park 5900 Lake Washington Blvd. S, Seattle - Sun, August 1 @ 4:15 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
Sandel Park 9053 1st Ave NW, Seattle - Fri, August 6 @ 7:00 pm, Twelfth Night – Backyard Bard
Cowen Park 5849 15th Ave NE, Seattle - Fri, August 6 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Fall City Park 4199 Fall City-Carnation Rd SE, Fall City - Sat, August 7 @ 7:00 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
Cowen Park 5849 15th Ave NE, Seattle - Sat, August 7 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Marvista Park 19990 4th Avenue SW, Normandy Park - Sun, August 8 @ 3:00 pm, Twelfth Night – Backyard Bard
David Rodgers Park 2800 1st Ave W, Seattle - Sun, August 8 @ 3:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Magnuson Park Amphitheater 6344 NE 74th St, Seattle - Sun, August 8 @ 4:15 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
David Rodgers Park 2800 1st Ave W, Seattle - Fri, August 13 @ 7:00 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
Pratt Park 1800 S Main St, Seattle - Fri, August 13 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle - Sat, August 14 @ 3:00 pm, Twelfth Night – Backyard Bard
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle - Sat, August 14 @ 4:15 pm, The Tempest – Backyard Bard
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle - August 14 @ 7:00 pm, Midsummer Night’s Dream
Volunteer Park 1247 15th Ave E, Seattle
2022 Island Shakespeare Festival on Whidbey
Island Shakespeare Festival (ISF) summer performances are “Pay What You Will’. They do not sell tickets. Donations are collected after performances at donation stations,” positioned near the theatre exits (cash or credit card). Seating is festival-style, and they do sometimes fill to capacity before the play begins. ISF Sustainers will have early access to limited Reserved Seating before it is released for everyone.
In summer 2022, ISF will perform Thursdays-Sundays, July 15 – September 11. See calendar below. Plays include:
- Love’s Labor’s Lost By William Shakespeare. Directed by Jecamiah Ybañez (they/them)
- Cyrano de Bergerac: A Heroic Comedy with Many Acts. Based on the play by Edmond Rostand. Adapted & Directed by Erin Murray (she/her)
- Titus Andronicus by William Shakespeare. Directed by Scott Kaiser (he/him)
This dynamic and evocative season was originally slated for the summer of 2020, and many of the artists whose work you’ll experience have been “on hold” waiting to share these stories with you for two, three, and even four years. This will be a rejuvenating return to rotating repertory at ISF, full of vim and vigor. More info: Island Shakespeare Festival Summer Season
