Shakespeare in Yosemite - Half Dome

“One touch of nature makes all the world kin."
John Muir, echoing William Shakespeare’s "Troilus and Cressida"

"A Midsummer Night’s Dream" with a Yosemite twist!

April 18-22, 2018

Follow #yosemiteshakes for updates.

 

UC Merced Campus
Wednesday, April 18
6 p.m. – Wallace-Dutra Amphitheater
Yosemite National Park
Friday, April 20
2.p.m. – Lower River Amphitheater
5:30 p.m. – Half Dome Village Amphitheater
Yosemite National Park
Saturday, April 21
2 p.m. – Lower River Amphitheater
5:30 p.m. – Half Dome Village Amphitheater
Yosemite National Park
Sunday, April 22: Earth Day
2 p.m. – Lower River Amphitheater

What it is:

Join us for a magical theatrical experience as we celebrate Earth Day Weekend with this year’s Shakespeare in Yosemite, a fully-staged, free, 90-minute production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" in Yosemite National Park.
 
In this "Dream," Hippolyta and Theseus head to Yosemite National Park to get married. When disagreements and passions lead the lovers and their friends to escape into the backwoods, they encounter a world of “fairies” bearing the names of Yosemite’s animals and plants, and a band of Yosemite employees like Snout the Wilderness Ranger who are rehearsing a play. With whimsical costumes, lots of live music, many laughs, and an environmental message, this year’s production has something for park-goers of all ages. It’s a perfect introduction to the world of Shakespeare, and a great way to enhance a trip to the park.
 
The show is headlined by Lisa Wolpe, founder of Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company, and also stars Connie Stetson, known to Park visitors for her performances as Sarah Hawkins in the Yosemite theatre; Devon Glover, AKA the Sonnet Man, an internationally-known hip hop Shakespeare artist; and Yosemite Ranger Jessica Rivas. Student and community actors from University of California, Merced, and across the Central Valley round out the cast.
 
The play has been adapted especially for its unique location by Shakespeare scholars Professor Katherine Steele Brokaw from UC Merced and Professor Paul Prescott from the University of Warwick.
 
 
Yosemite Shakes
 

The Dream Team

Puck – Lisa Wolpe (Los Angeles Women’s Shakespeare Company)

Hippolyta/Titania – Rachel Rodrigues (Merced College alumna, Merced Shakespearefest, Playhouse Merced)

Theseus/Oberon – GB Blackmon III (Merced College, Playhouse Merced)

Egea – Carin Heidelbach (Merced College faculty, Center Stage Conservatory, Merced Shakespearefest)

Hermia – Amber Rain Fowler (Merced College)

Helena – Elizabeth Harmelin (UCSB alumna, Playhouse Merced)

Lysander – Tonatiuh Newbold (UC Merced student)

Demetrius – James McIntyre (UC Merced alumnus and UC Merced lab technician, Playhouse Merced, Merced Shakespearefest)

Bottom the Facilities Operations Specialist – Connie Stetson (John Muir Live, Mariposa Theatre Alliance, Playhouse Merced)

Quince the Cultural Archeologist – Taryn Hakala (UC Merced faculty, Merced Shakespearefest)

Flute the Mountaineering School Instructor/MuleDeer – Devon “The Sonnet Man” Glover

Snug the Wildland Firefighter/SugarPine – Traci Sprague (Center Stage Conservatory artistic director, Merced Shakespearefest)

Snout the Wilderness Ranger/OrangePoppy – Ranger Jessica Rivas (UC Merced alumna and employee, NPS employee)

Starveling the Majestic Server/Lacewing – Juniper Sprague

Designer: Kristine Doiel (Fresno State faculty)

Assistant Designers: Rachel Rodrigues, Katt Szyndler (Merced College, Playhouse Merced)

Stage manager: Elle Lammouchi (UC Merced student)

Directors: Katherine Steele Brokaw (UC Merced faculty, Merced Shakespearefest)

and Paul Prescott (University of Warwick faculty)

Performance Locations

Yosemite National Park - Lower River Amphitheater Yosemite National Park - Lower River Amphitheater

Download the map.

All three 2 pm shows (April 20-22) will take place in the Lower River Amphitheater, which is located near the Merced River on the other side of Housekeeping Camp.

The rainy day location for the 2 pm shows is the Yosemite Village theatre, directly behind the Valley Visitor Center in Yosemite Village.

From Yosemite Village you can walk 20 minutes across Majestic Meadow to get to the venue—there will be volunteers and signage and music to help you find your way; shuttle stop 1 near the central Valley parking lot gets you even closer to the venue. It’s less than a 10-minute walk from that parking lot to the venue.

You can also get off the Yosemite Valley shuttle at stop 12 (Housekeeping Camp) and walk along the river near Housekeeping Camp until you get to a bridge. After crossing the bridge, turn left and follow a short trail to the Lower River Amphitheater, a five- to seven-minute walk.

Yosemite National Park - Half Dome Theatre Yosemite National Park - Half Dome Theatre

Both 5:30 shows (April 20-21) take place in the Half Dome Village (formerly Curry Village) Amphitheater, shuttle stop 13.

The rainy day location for the 5:30 pm shows is the Yosemite Auditorium, directly behind the Valley Visitors enter in Yosemite Village.

Getting There

General public:

UC Merced students, faculty and staff members:

Information to come.

Accommodations

Please visit the Travel Yosemite website for accommodation information.

Sponsors

UC Merced Foundation Board of Trustees

University of Warwick (UK)

Aramark

Rotary | Merced • Merced Sunrise • North Merced

 

Center for the Humanities

 

School of Social Sciences, Humanities and Arts

National Parks Institute

Misfit Press

Shakespeare in Yosemite 2017

 

For more information, please contact Katie Brokaw.

Shakespeare in Yosemite 2017