You Pinspire Me
Way back in 1995, I was headed out for the evening with my best friend Mary and her parents (or my parents? I don’t remember) to experience my first ever play outside in a park! I was so excited – but then – tragically – a thunderstorm struck up and the rain came pouring down! The theatre company was prepared for this, though, and the performance was moved inside a local high school. The play was Shakespeare’s A Mid Summer Night’s Dream, and the Theatre company was Driftwood Theatre Company, founded by then theatre-student Jeremy Smith. {I admit: I totally had a crush on Jeremy. He was a fantastic actor, passionate, and cute – what 11 year old wouldn’t?!} I can still picture particular scenes in my head, clear as day. It was my first ever Shakespeare play, and I had an absolutely fantastic time.
After that year, most productions were hosted out in the open in West Zwick’s Island. It was a gorgeous location – the trees and the water in the background – the sun setting to the west of us – everyone on blankets or lawn chairs – the actors on their stage in the middle of us, or weaving their way through the audience… Belleville has since built a new pavilion in the park, and now the performances happen there, apparently, though I have long since moved away. At Zwick’s, I saw Romeo & Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth, 12th Night, and Othello.
Driftwood doesn’t just perform in Belleville, though – they take their performances to parks all around Ontario, to small towns and big cities. The majority of their venues have indoor locations in the event of bad weather, but I only remember 1 of the 6 plays that I saw in Belleville being forced indoors.
Driftwood Theatre Group left the world of Shakespearean comedy for the dark and bloody tale of Macbeth, presented her [sic] at the Zwicks Park’s pavilion Saturday, night. – JEROME LESSARD/THE INTELIGENCER
If you’re looking for fun things to do in your area this summer, I would highly recommend a trip to your local park to take in a performance of The Tempest by the Driftwood Theatre Company on their Bard’s Bus Tour. According to their website, Driftwood’s guiding principle is as follows:
Great theatre is only of value if an audience has access to it. That is why our most important work, the annual Bard’s Bus Tour, will always be available for Pay-What-You-Can admission. We share our productions directly with communities that would not normally have access to professional theatre and present the summer tour in outdoor venues, completely accessible to all members of the public. Everyone who wants to be entertained, provoked, inspired or moved by theatre should be afforded the opportunity to do so.
Prospero (Richard Alan Campbell) with Ariel. The Tempest. Photo by David Spowart.
The suggested donation is $20/pp, but if you only have $5 in your budget this month, don’t stay home & miss this great experience – it’s Pay What You Can – so pack up your lawn chair (and a bottle of water!!) and head down to the location nearest you.
The tour has already gotten started and they’re in London tonight, but performances are yet to come in the following cities and towns: Ingersoll, Lowville, St Catherines, Mississauga, Dundas, Toronto, Ajax, Pickering, Burlington, Bobcaygeon, Marmora, Peterborough, Belleville, Madoc, Kingston, Westport, Bloomfield, Cobourg, Whitby, Greenwood, Kitchener, Streetsville, Oshawa, & Port Perry. Head over here for locations, times and dates!
Follow them on Facebook and/or Twitter for daily updates. And really: go see them. Even if you’re not “into” Shakespeare, there’s nothing quite like seeing a live theatre performance outdoors – and Shakespeare in Highschool has nothing on Shakespeare in the park. For me, summer = The Bard’s Bus Tour Shakespeare plays in the park. Every single summer for the past 19 years, I have made it my mission to make a few new converts: this year, I’m targeting YOU, my lovely readers. Go & do likewise!
This is not a sponsored post. I have no affiliation with Driftwood Theatre Company, other than being a fangirl of theirs for the last 20 years.
Jenn vanOosten
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COOL! I would love this. Maybe my next trip to the inlaws!