Henderson's Shakespeare in the Park

"Romeo & Juliet," courtesy of Las Vegas Shakespeare Company

The City of Henderson will celebrate a huge milestone this October, commemorating the 25th anniversary of its most treasured event, Shakespeare in the Park, by featuring the play that started it all – "A Midsummer Night’s Dream," performed by the Las Vegas Shakespeare Company. This will be the third presentation of the popular romantic comedy in the history of Shakespeare in the Park.

Searching for unique ideas to cultivate and nurture the performing, as well as the cultural arts locally, the Green Valley Arts Council partnered with the City of Henderson in the late '80s to create the Elizabethan-inspired outdoor performance series. Over the course of 25 years, Shakespeare in the Park has evolved tremendously. What once began as a vision to strengthen arts programming in the community has transformed into one of the most successful, longest-running annual events offered in Henderson.

"Romeo & Juliet," Masquerade

To date, the theatrical festival has been enjoyed by over 265,000 devoted fans. It also has featured over 15 of the Bard’s legendary works, from "Romeo & Juliet" to "Macbeth" and "The Taming of the Shrew," and has appeared at a variety of venues including the Henderson Pavilion, Henderson Events Plaza, Wildhorse Golf Club and Foxridge Park.

The fall tradition will feature a modern twist. Introduced in 2010, this year’s Shakespeare in the Park will, once again, include a traveling tour, a fairly recent departure from the series’ original format, which included one weekend of multiple shows. Residents will have four opportunities to see the Las Vegas Shakespeare Company perform "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" in a park close to their neighborhood.

Shakespeare in the Park kicks off Saturday, October 1 at Sonata Park, 1550 Seven Hills Drive, with the remaining shows scheduled for Saturday, October 8 at Discovery Park, 2011 Paseo Verde Parkway; Saturday, October 15 at Lake Las Vegas, 15 Costa di Lago; and concluding at River Mountain Park, 1941 Appaloosa Drive, on Saturday, October 22. All performances will be at 7 p.m. with a green show occurring one hour prior to each presentation. Admission is complimentary.

For more information, visit HendersonLive.com or call the Cultural Arts & Tourism Department at 702-267-2171.