Shakespeare in the Park presents 'Twelfth Night'
Fans of The Bard can enjoy one of his comedies performed outdoors by local and professional talent next month when Wheaton Park District and Wheaton College's Arena Theater combine to present "Twelfth Night" during the fourth annual Shakespeare in the Park.
Performances begin at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 26 and 27, at Memorial Park, 208 W. Union Ave., Wheaton. The performances are free.
"'Twelfth Night' is one of Shakespeare's comedies," said Kristina Nemetz, superintendent of marketing and special events at the Wheaton Park District. "It focuses on Viola and Sebastian, two twins from Illyria who get separated in a shipwreck."
When the park district and Arena Theater first planned Shakespeare in the Park in 2013, organizers' attendance goal stood at 300 each night. Then about 2,000 patrons of the arts flocked to the park.
"We had been working on this partnership for a long time, but we weren't sure how many people were going to show up the first year of a new event," said Nicole Kapala, Wheaton Park District marketing and events coordinator. "And then we were floored by how many people came out. It was the best kind of problem to have."
Shakespeare in the Park employs a mix of student and professional actors, many of them college alumni, who often come from all over the country to participate.
"For our students, it is a unique opportunity to work with Arena Theater alumni, many of whom have gone on as professional actors," said Andy Mangin, director and producer at Wheaton College Arena Theater. "Our students get to act with and learn from people who went through the same program."
"It's not just your average community theater in the park," Nemetz said. "This is a professional production with a high caliber of acting, staging, lighting and polish."
This level of professionalism requires significant funding. The two institutions split the cost of training and transporting the actors and fabricating staging, lighting, costumes and sound.
"There is an enormous amount of planning and building that goes into it," Mangin said. "Bringing in actors, housing them, rehearsing, and building a play like 'Twelfth Night' is an investment. But when we see families gathering in Memorial Park in late August to see these wonderful plays, we know it's worth it. Bringing Shakespeare's characters to life for our community to enjoy is a real gift to us."
Wheaton College funds the Arena Theater's portion of the production, but "the (park) district's portion has become too much to take on alone," Nemetz said.
Along with securing corporate sponsorships, organizers are seeking help from the community through a GoFundMe campaign called "Back the Bard 2016: Twelfth Night" at gofundme.com/wpdshakespeare2016, where individuals can make donations.
Those who give $25 or more will receive a limited-edition Shakespeare in the Park T-shirt. Organizers hope to raise $2,500 or more before the spotlight hits the stage.
"We're committed to keeping the event free because we believe in providing access to the arts to as many people as we can," Nemetz said. "But it does come with a steep price tag. Community support is really going to be crucial in determining the future of this event."
Seating at the Memorial Park band shell opens at 6 p.m. and the performance starts at 7 p.m. each night. Guests are encouraged to bring snacks, lawn chairs and blankets; bench seating is limited and first-come, first-served.
Concessions will be available, with proceeds benefiting the DuPage County Historical Museum.
In the event of inclement weather, a rain date is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 28.
To learn more, visit wheatonparkdistrict.com/shakespeare. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Nemetz at (630) 510-5064 or knemetz@wheatonparks.org.
If you go
What: Fourth annual Shakespeare in the Park features "Twelfth Night"
When: 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Aug. 26 and 27
Where: Memorial Park, 208 W. Union Ave., Wheaton
Cost: Free
Info: wheatonparkdistrict.com/shakespeare