Shakespeare at the Lake to make debut in Clearlake
- Lake County News reports
- Posted On
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – If you heard about Shakespeare at the Lake and maybe even thought about going, but just didn’t make it to Lakeport to see it, there is some great news for you.
The event has been expanded this year to include a second weekend at Austin Park in Clearlake.
This free event was presented for the first three years in Lakeport.
Lisa Wilson, a member of the marketing committee for the city of Clearlake, had attended two of the performances and found the outdoor event to be “wonderful” and “well attended,” and she heard lots of positive feedback.
She asked the city and the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce to consider inviting the Lake County Theatre Co. to expand to Austin Park.
She spoke to Director John Tomlinson, who was very interested in the idea of more than doubling the number of performances. In fact, it has long been a hope of his to expand the performances to not two, but four separate locations around the lake.
Wilson is excited to be the first to set the wheels in motion. “It makes so much sense to expand an offering, so much easier than creating new events.The Clear Lake Chamber and the city of Clearlake are thrilled to support LCTC and offer quality performances to the citizens of Clearlake,” she said. “We hope that this is the beginning of a new tradition at Austin Park. Guests will look forward to Shakespeare at the Lake every summer. Next year will bring a major renovation of Austin Park and the performance space will be stellar and something that will bring a sense of pride to everyone.”
This collaboration is about more than just bringing Shakespeare to the other side of the lake.
“The Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to economic vitality and believes that family activities are an important part of the equation,” Wilson said. “When families spend an evening together at a wonderful event they feel a sense of pride and they want to take care of and invest in their community. Shakespeare at the Lake will become a flagship event at Austin Park, which is an important downtown location at the intersection of Lakeshore and Olympic.”
This year the Mendocino College Lake Center and the Lake County Theatre Co., in cooperation with the city of Lakeport, the city of Clearlake, the Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce and the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College present the “Taming of the Shrew,” a dark comedy about about a power struggle and a battle of the sexes in which an ambitious man tames his female bride to be.
But, this production flips the dialogue. Women wield the power and the men are expected to conform. All of the roles have been gender swapped and the concept is sure to spark conversation.
Come watch the events unfold as they bring a twist to this old tale about love, romance and raucous wit.
This is a free show on the shores of beautiful Clear Lake. Outdoor seating is on a first come, first-served basis.
Performances run Friday, Aug. 2, Saturday, Aug. 3, and Sunday, Aug. 4 in Clearlake at Austin Park. All shows start at 6:30 p.m. and it is recommended that you bring a beach chair or a blanket. The performance is free and food, beverages, and wine will be for sale.
For more information visit www.LCTC.us.