PHOTO CAPTION: (LtoR) Shelli McCormick, Michael Kelly and Ella J. Thorp: The Merry Wives of Windsor play tricks on Sir John Falstaff. (photo credit: Kay Kelly)
For ten years, Flint’s “Shakespeare in the Park” in Kearsley Park has drawn rave reviews and enthusiastic crowds for productions of classic Shakespeare plays in the heart of Flint. Again this year, the production is going beyond Kearsley Park to parks across the city and county.
This year’s production – Merry Wives of Windsor – features key human themes including love and marriage, jealousy and revenge, social class and wealth. Explored with irony, sexual innuendo, sarcasm and stereotypical views of classes and nationalities, these themes help to give the play something closer to a modern-day view than is often found in Shakespeare's plays.
It opens at Kearsley Park with performances on Friday, June 13, and Saturday, June 14 at 8:00 pm, with the only afternoon matinee on Sunday, June 15 at 2:00 pm.
The show then moves on to For-Mar Nature Preserve with a performance on Thursday, June 19, at 7:00 pm. The company moves on to Linden County Park on Friday, June 20 at 7:00 pm and finally to Flushing County Park for the closing performance on Saturday, June 21 at 7:00 pm.
Admission to all performances (except the opening night fund raising gala at Kearsley Park) is FREE. Please bring your own lawn chairs everywhere except Kearsley Park. The Opening Gala at Kearsley Park features strawberries and cream before the show and champagne by candlelight afterwards with the actors, all compliments of Fandangles'. Gala tickets are $25.00 and up.
The play is directed by Kay Kelly.
This performance is part of “2013 Theatre in OUR Parks”, a collaboration between the City of Flint Parks and Recreation Department and Genesee County Parks and Recreation Commission.
The full list of performances is as follows:
Fri. June 13, 8:00 pm – Kearsley Park Opening Night Gala
Sat. June 14, 8:00 pm – Kearsley Park
Sun. June 15, 2:00 pm – Kearsley Park [only MATINEE]
Thur. June 19, 7:00 pm – For-Mar Nature Preserve
Fri. June 20, 7:00 pm – Linden, Clover Beach
Sat. June 21, 7:00 pm – Flushing County Park
Join your friends and neighbors all over Genesee County as we celebrate summer in our parks. More information atkearsleyparkplayers.com.
