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For a fun and free theatrical event this summer, look no further than Bixby Park on July 31 for an outdoor production of “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” — a rapid-fire rendition of nearly all of Shakespeare’s plays performed in less than two hours.
Four performers from the Long Beach Shakespeare Company race through the Bard’s comedies, tragedies and histories in an “irreverent whirlwind of physical comedy, rapid character changes, theatrical surprises and playful audience interaction,” the company says.
Written by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield, the performance has familiar stories colliding, famous speeches taking unexpected turns and centuries of theatrical tradition condensed before the audience’s eyes.
“From star-crossed lovers and ambitious kings to mistaken identities, bloody battles, supernatural encounters and one particularly complicated Danish prince,” the company says, “the production offers an energetic introduction for Shakespeare newcomers and an affectionate comic celebration for longtime admirers.”
Recommended for ages 10 and up, the show is directed by Heather McLane with Jen Gerould, and features Eduardo Mora, Kennedi Rose, Marie Santogrossi and Long Beach Shakespeare Company artistic director Holly Leveque.
The performance is a partnership with the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Marine’s LB Performing Arts Collective, launched in February to help expand arts and culture programming in city parks.
The show also allows Long Beach Shakespeare Company to return to its roots: performing Shakespeare in parks in the 1990s as “The Bard In The Yard.” They went on to establish themselves in what is now the Helen Borgers Theatre in Bixby Knolls in the early 2000s.
Leveque told the Long Beach Post that the second show she ever did with the theater was a “Shakespeare in the Park” show performed in parks around Long Beach. She’s been wanting to take the company back outdoors since she became the theater’s artistic director in 2022.
She said she’s grateful to realize her goal in collaborating with Melanie Curtis Andrews and Sherlyn Beatty of the LB Performing Arts Collective.
“We have made the impossible possible, giving the opportunity to bring quality theater to the public free of charge,” she said. “My dream became a reality only with their help.”
The park setting allows audiences to experience Shakespeare’s work in an informal, live environment, the company says. It encourages audiences to bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnics for an evening of outdoor theater comedy.
“When I was 11, I saw this show and it blew me away,” Leveque said. “I was completely hooked. I hope that our show in Bixby Park can catch the attention of some other kids out there and make them Shakespeare buffs.”
“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” will perform for free on Friday, July 31 at 6:30 p.m. in Bixby Park, 130 Cherry Ave. Recommended for ages 10 and up.