The Gary Shakespeare Company is welcoming the arrival of cooler weekend weather for the performance troupe’s 11th season of free outdoor staging of the Bard’s greatest written works.
After two weeks of touring shows braving heat, extreme humidity and rain, this weekend is the final opportunity for the 2024 Shakespeare selection “The Comedy of Errors.”
On Friday, Aug. 9, there’s a performance at Ogden Gardens Park in Valparaiso. Next, on Saturday, Aug. 10, the show moves to the Bulldog Park Amphitheatre in Crown Point. The final performance is on Sunday, Aug. 11, at Centennial Park Amphitheatre in Munster.
All curtain times are 7 p.m., and audiences are reminded limited seating is provided; guests are encouraged to bring chairs and blankets. The performance is free, though donations are always welcome, and the show run time is two hours.
Directed by Stephanie Naumoff, “The Comedy of Errors” ranks as one of William Shakespeare’s earliest and shortest works. The plot swirls around twins separated at birth and suddenly reunited, creating a farce of mishaps and mistaken identities.
Last year marked the 10th anniversary season of Gary Shakespeare Company, with an outdoor summer run of “The Tempest” directed by Morgan McCabe.
And even when uncooperative weather becomes a real-life plot twist at curtain time, this company has learned to adapt during the past decade.
The free 10-performance run of “The Comedy of Errors” began July 26 at Lake Hills Amphitheatre in St. John. When rain drowned out Act 2 of the team’s Aug. 1 performance at Nelson Algren Stage in Miller, the audience went home and the cast dried off down the street with a late supper at Miller Pizza.
The cast features Carol Wolf, Alexander Bonner, Auriel Lark Felsecker, Matt Zipko, Breanne Knopf, Ian Horn and Keith Loeffler. The costume designer is Kim Duha, with lighting by Keith Loeffler. The scenery and properties team is Jim Severa, Kim Duha, Tony Thomas and Alexander Bonner.
Sponsorship and underwriting for the production are courtesy of Legacy Foundation, Indiana Arts Commission, Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre Foundation and South Shore Arts.
For more information visit www.garyshakesco.org/
On the ball
It’s time for the 2nd Annual Beatles, Bowling, Browse & Buy Pop-up Market from 4-9 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24, at Stardust Bowl, 1330 Sheffield Blvd. in Dyer.
Beatles music will be performed from 6-9 p.m. by Chad Clifford of the Mega Beatles & Crawpuppies. The pop-up market includes Beatles memorabilia, rock & roll collectibles, vintage vinyl and clothing and other fun finds. Vendors include It’s Just Serendipity, The Never Ending Treasure Hunt, Stassen Salvage, Charlotte George/Custom Hippie Wear and others.
There are raffle prizes and adults and children are invited to create a Beatles watercolor painting sponsored by South Shore Arts. There will also be a costume contest inviting guests to come dressed as a favorite of the Fab Four or Beatles-inspired costume to win prizes. Kids can enjoy a Beatles coloring sheet contest.
Contact Karen Maravilla at 219-512-4298 for details and questions.
Philip Potempa is a journalist, published author and the director of marketing at Theatre at the Center. He can be reached at pmpotempa@comhs.org.
