The Montford Park Players in Asheville is North Carolina's Longest Running Shakespeare Festival, presenting its 40th anniversary season in 2012! FREE summer productions are outdoors at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 92 Gay Street, near downtown Asheville. Yes, you can attend at no cost. They do pass a hat at intermission for funds to keep the theatre running, with a suggested $5 donation per person. Other winter/spring productions are held in the historic Masonic Temple in downtown Asheville at 80 Broadway Street.
The 2012 season includes:
April 12-29, 2012: As You Like It
This comedy follows its heroine Rosalind as she flees persecution in her uncle’s court, accompanied by her cousin Celia and Touchstone the court jester, to find safety and eventually love in the Forest of Arden. There’s plenty of Shakespearean poetry, frivolity, and cross-dressing, along with the famous “All the world’s a stage” soliloquy. Come join the merry displaced band in the forest at historic Masonic Temple, 80 Broadway St. Performances are Thursday through Sundays 7:30 PM, with 2:30 PM matinees on Saturdays and Sundays, $12/adult. First and second Thursdays, April 12 & 19, are “Pay What We’re Worth Nights” with no reservations; see the show and THEN pay what you think they're worth!
May 10-26: The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) – Apocalypse Now!
Can three guys really cover thirty-seven Shakespeare plays in less than two hours? Fresh and updated every year, this fast-firing comedy does just that as it parodies all of the Shakespeare plays (plus the sonnets!) with only three performers in two acts. This play is full of energy as the characters run across the stage and keep you guessing how they will pull off the next play. Clever use of some interesting costumes also adds to the fun. Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 1 Gay St, Asheville. 7:30 PM Thursday-Sunday.
June 1-23, 2012: Much Ado About Nothing
This classic comedy is about two pairs of lovers, Benedick and Beatrice, and Claudio and Hero. Benedick and Beatrice are engaged in a “merry war”. They both talk a mile a minute and proclaim their scorn for love, marriage, and each other. In contrast, Claudio and Hero are sweet young people who are rendered practically speechless by their love for one another. Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 1 Gay St, Asheville. 7:30 PM Friday-Sunday.
June 29-July 23, 2012:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A constant favorite, Shakespeare’s beloved comedy portrays the adventures of four young Athenian lovers and a group of amateur actors, who are manipulated by the fairies that inhabit the forest in which most of the play is set. Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 1 Gay St, Asheville. 7:30 PM Friday-Sunday.
July 27-August 18, 2012: The Merry Wives of Windsor
This uproarious social comedy features the hilarious courtships of fat knight, Sir John Falstaff, and is Shakespeare’s only play to deal exclusively with contemporary Elizabethan era English middle class life. Falstaff’s attempts to woo 3 different married women result in a turning of the tables and a hilarious comeuppance. Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 1 Gay St, Asheville. 7:30 PM Friday-Sunday.
August 24-September 15, 2012: Richard II
Based on the life of King Richard II of England (ruled 1377–1399), this Shakespeare history is the first play of a tetralogy. Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 1 Gay St, Asheville. 7:30 PM Friday-Sunday.
Outdoor Performance Tips for Guests
For outdoor productions, bring an umbrella/raincoat. MPP only cancels if there is a major downpour. Often, it may be raining everywhere except the amphitheatre. People bring fast food, picnic baskets, and candlelight dinners. The concession stand sells drinks and snacks. There is no charge for the productions or parking. For 40 years, they've passed the hat at intermission, and donations are appreciated.
The Montford Park Players performs at the Hazel Robinson Amphitheatre, 1 Gay St, Asheville NC 28801. For more information call 828-254-5146 or visit www.montfordparkplayers.org.
