ABOUT SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARKS

Enjoy free, entertaining, and accessible productions of the work of the greatest playwright of the English language at parks and arts centers throughout Prince George’s County! Each summer Prince George’s Shakespeare in the Parks tours a professional, family-friendly production of one of Shakespeare’s plays throughout the county, making great theatre available to everyone. Bring your lawn chair, kick back, and enjoy a free performance for all ages in your favorite park!

2023 Prince George’s Shakespeare in the Parks:  The Tempest   Tour: Sunday, June 25 - Sunday, July 16, 2023 The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission's Arts and Cultural Heritage Division is proud to announce our 10th Anniversary Celebration Tour with the show that started it all, The Tempest, directed by founding Artistic Director Christopher Dwyer. This 1980s-infused tale follows Prospero, who is stranded on a deserted island in the Mediterranean with his daughter Miranda, narrowly escaping his evil brother. He now comes to grips with a life he left behind and whether to enact revenge on his brother who has just washed up on shore. Complete with magic, faeries, and physical storytelling, this fast-paced 90-minute outdoor adventure is perfect for the entire family. Bring your lawn chair, a picnic, and enjoy the Bard under the stars.

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Summer 2023 Tour Schedule

For up to date news on the Shakespeare In the Parks Tour or cancelations, please visit our Arts PG Parks Facebook Page or Sign Up for alerts from M-NCPPC.

PAST PRODUCTIONS

Shakespeare in the Parks Audio Dramas

While we couldn't get together in large groups through 2020-2021, we did our best to bring Shakespeare to you with three audio dramas and an original production created from music written for past Prince George's Shakespeare in the Parks productions.

Shakespeare in the Parks Audio Drama: A Christmas Carol

Step back in time to Victorian London for a magical tale of ghosts, a change of heart, and the true meaning of the holidays in Charles Dicken’s – A Christmas Carol. This timeless classic has been adapted by Christopher Dwyer into an audio drama. Listen in and be charmed by a much-loved holiday story vividly brought to life. Our FREE, family-friendly presentation, filled with music, captures the joy and delight of the season. Narrated by Lilian Oben, this performance includes appearances by award-winning actors Edward Gero as Jacob Marley and Matt McGee as Scrooge. Join us on a thoughtful journey, with well-known characters, in what is sure to be a comforting and safe holiday tradition. 

• Listen to A Christmas Carol: A Radio Drama

If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On! A Celebration of Music from Shakespeare in the Parks

Enjoy a musical feast of songs, scenes, and poetry from Shakespeare’s plays, performed by the actors and musicians who bring you Prince George’s Shakespeare in the Parks every summer. Put on your headphones and be swept away on a tide of romance and nostalgia. Imagine yourself in the Forest of Arden, while relaxing at home or sitting “ON” a picnic blanket in your favorite M-NCPPC park setting. Suddenly the scene shifts to a small Italian café, where a strolling guitarist sings the classic  “Una “NOTTE” a Napoli.” 

• Listen to If Music Be the Food of Love, Play On!

Shakespeare in the Parks Audio Drama: The Tempest. 

Have you ever imagined being shipwrecked on a lonely island? What if the air was full of whispering voices? Suddenly a mysterious fairy appears, who can control the wind and the waves while flying from one palm tree to the next! Prince George’s Shakespeare in the Parks presents The Tempest, one of Shakespeare’s greatest plays. Let your imagination soar as you listen to this audio drama, with magical music and exciting sound effects, and a love story between two young people who meet on the shores of the sparkling sea.

• Listen to The Tempest: An Audio Adventure

Are you teaching The Tempest in your classroom or in-home learning? Download our Education Guide to accompany the radio drama.

• Tempest Education Guide (PDF)

Shakespeare in the Parks Audio Drama: Macbeth

Shakespeare in the Parks 2020 is an exciting virtual experience! The Tragedy of Macbeth is presented as an hour-long audio drama set among the gangs of New York of the 1860s, a turbulent time during the American Civil War, with domestic unrest in the streets of the city. The classic story stays the same: the tragic hero Macbeth stumbles upon three witches in the sewers, who fill his head with the prophecy of being the "king hereafter." Murder, mayhem, and a grab for power consume the Macbeths, as they rise and fall during their short reign. Click the link and enjoy. Appropriate for middle school ages and above.

• Listen to Macbeth: A Radio Drama

Are you teaching Macbeth in your classroom or in-home learning? Download our Education Guide to accompany the radio drama.

• Macbeth Education Guide for Teachers (PDF)
• Macbeth Education Guide for Students (PDF)