Last year, Elings Park brought back the Bard to reboot a beloved tradition that had fallen by the wayside for two decades: Summer Shakespeare in the Park. In the Godric Grove outdoor amphitheater, Elings hosted a sold-out performance of A Midsummer Night’s Dream (presented by the Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum). This year marks Elings’ 40th anniversary, and park Executive Director Dean Noble is bringing Botanicum’s production back to Godric Grove for two performances over the Memorial Day weekend.
Original programming for Elings Park was designed to feature 6-8 theatrical performances each summer, and Noble is making sure that the lovely Godric Grove, nestled in the trees at the top of the park, is a ready venue for artists and performers. Other featured entertainers include Opera Santa Barbara, a variety of baroque and dance performances, and UCSB’s annual Naked Shakes production in late summer (this year, you can look forward to The Tempest). In expectation of consistent audiences, Elings is currently raising funds to update bathrooms, ADA access, and a green room for the Grove space.
The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, a theater company out of Topanga Canyon, presents the charm of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for the whole family to enjoy. Spirited and magical, Noble calls Midsummer one of Shakespeare’s more accessible works, and a delight to revisit again and again. Godric Grove is the perfect playground for the play’s fairies and enchanted forest creatures to slyly interfere with the romantic interests of the human protagonists.
Come revel with the forest sprites! See Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Godric Grove amphitheater Saturday, May 24 and Sunday, May 25 (shows at 3 p.m.). See elingspark.ticketsauce.com for tickets.
