Go Outside & Play: The Outdoor Stage Season Awaits
As the weather heats up, so does the action on the area’s many outdoor stages (formal and not-so-formal). Most performances are free and open to all, or take a pay-what-you-can approach. Here’s where to find them. This post will be updated as events are added throughout the season.
Festival in the Park
Seattle Outdoor Theater Festival
July 13-14
In one weekend on three stages in Capitol Hill’s Volunteer Park, 10 theatre companies put on a combined 18 shows, consisting of Shakespeare, kids’ shows, and aerial arts.
View full schedule here.
Outdoor Shows All Summer
Primrose Players
June 22-July 27
Shakespeare’s Measure for Measure
The Primrose Players are organized specifically to perform Shakespeare. On Friday and Saturday nights, they perform in different parks throughout Seattle, plus one show each in Bothell and La Conner.
A few shows are performed at indoor locations; see info and schedule here.
Wooden O
July 11-August 11
Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet and Twelfth Night
Wooden O is the free summer parks shows arm of Seattle Shakespeare Company. At various parks throughout the tri-county region, Wooden O will present an all-female-cast Romeo & Juliet and an all-male-cast Twelfth Night.
See full schedule here.
GreenStage
July 12-August 17
Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew, Henry IV part 2, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Measure for Measure
The company’s 31st annual Shakespeare in the Park presents Taming of the Shrew and Henry IV part 2 at parks throughout King and Snohomish counties. Their Backyard Bard series presents shortened (one-hour), stripped-down productions of The Merry Wives of Windsor and Measure for Measure in smaller park spaces.
See schedule and info here.
Theater Schmeater
July 13-August 15
The Fabulous Fable Factory
Theater Schmeater presents its summertime family-friendly park show, this one comprised of Aesop’s best-known fables, in a play by Joseph Robinette.
Schedule not yet posted; see info here.
Burien Actors Theatre
July 14-August
The Importance of Being Earnest
Burien Actors Theatre will present Oscar Wilde’s classic in parks around south King County.
Some dates posted; see info here.
Hello Earth Productions
August 3-25
The Empire Strikes Back in the Park
The Wars Outdoors series continues with a full run in the Central District.
Schedule and info here.
Bigfoot Players
August 17-18
Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream
A new company debuts its outdoor performances with two shows in Lynnwood.
Schedule and info here.
14/48 Projects
Dates TBD
The Totally True & Almost Accurate Adventures of Pinocchio
The 14/48 Projects will present this kids’ play from local theatre-makers Brendan Healy (playwright) and Rachel Delmar (director), in various parks throughout Seattle.
Schedule not yet posted; see info here.
Further Out – Ticketed Shows
The above are free and PWYC shows in the tri-county area (King, Pierce, Snohomish). Below are shows further out, which also happen to have paid admission/ticketing.
Leavenworth Summer Theater (Leavenworth)
July 5-September 1
Sound of Music, Hello, Dolly!, and Pirates of Penzance
The theatre in the Cascades presents three summer shows in its amphitheatres.
Info and tickets here.
Kitsap Forest Theatre (Bremerton)
July 27-August 18
Mamma Mia!
The Mountaineers Players present the ABBA-filled musical in the outdoor amphitheatre in the woods.
Info and tickets here.
Have dates to add? Email info to nwtheatre.org@gmail.com. Due to space limitations on NWT’s Calendar page, most outdoor theatre and summer Shakespeare shows don’t appear there. This is a great place to find them instead.