Timon of Athens and the Cleveland (Outdoor) Shakespeare Festival

Have you ever been to The Cleveland (Outdoor) Shakespeare Festival? I've been going to it for a few years, and I think you should as well. Their mission is to produce easily accessible Shakespeare Theater for the people in Northeast Ohio, and free of charge.

I don't know if I completely agree with them that producing high quality Shakespeare plays, and then performing them outdoors thought out Cuyahoga County allows them to reach people who wouldn't go downtown. I've usually driven 45 minutes to see a production, as that was the one that fit into my schedule.

But they are good performances, and you should go see them.

Recently I went to see The Life of Timon of Athens, which is certainly one of Shakespeare's minor works so a somewhat daring choice. It doesn't have the conflict of some of his other pieces but is a pretty interesting character study.

Luke Brett played Timon, a somewhat softhearted wealthy gentleman who spend lavishly on his friends without comprehending that most of them only are his friends because of that. When he runs into a rough spot financially and these friends all refuse to help him he basically goes into the wilds, and because of his inability to live in that world, commits a long drawn out suicide.

Miranda Coble as Flavia I though was particularly good as the employee who kept trying to explain Timon's finances to him, and then was a decent enough person to still stay in his orbit when he could no longer pay her.

Carol Laursen as the Governor stood out as well, it's difficult to play somewhat who it's understandable why they act in the somewhat not charitable way they do.

Timon of Athens ended last week but the Merchant of Venice Starts July 17 and runs through August 2^nd.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE
Adapted and Directed by Dr. Scott Miller



Friday, July 17 – PEACE Park, Coventry Neighborhood, Cleveland Heights
Saturday, July 18 – Tri-C West Campus, Parma Heights
Sunday, July 19 – Penitentiary Glen Nature Center, Kirtland



Friday, July 24 – Community Colonnade, Shaker Heights
Saturday, July 25 – Lakewood Park, Lakewood
Sunday, July 26 – The Grove Amphitheater, Mayfield Village



Friday, July 31 – Notre Dame College, South Euclid
Saturday, August 1 – Lincoln Park, Cleveland
Sunday, August 2 – Lincoln Park, Cleveland