Shakespeare in the park has never been as much fun as it will be this summer. The People’s Shakespeare Project (TPSP) is presenting The Merry Wives of Windsor the third week of June at LancasterHistory.
Set in the mid 1950’s, the play’s characters gather at a resort near Windsor, Connecticut for an hilarious take-down of Sir John Falstaff, whose bad behavior demands a course correction.
“The strict moral code and rigid gender norms (of the play) are very reflective of 1950s America, which is why I chose this setting for our production,” says Director Rachel Luann Strayer. Strayer is no stranger to Shakespeare-in-the-park, having directed numerous outdoor plays for Ghostlight Productions in Clarks Summit, PA. Primarily a playwright, her work has been produced around the country and in Canada.
In spite of the rigid 1950’s norms, Merry Wives is a “surprisingly feminist comedy,” Strayer says. A pair of housewives deliver Falstaff’s uproarious comeuppance, including a dunk in the river and dressing up in a pair of horns. “It’s lovely to see the women of Windsor take charge and upset the expectations of others,” adds Strayer.
This is TPSP’s third Shakespeare-in-the Park production at LancasterHistory. Last year’s lighthearted Much Ado About Nothing, was hugely popular among audiences who brought picnics and enjoyed the beautiful setting.
Shakespeare-in-the-park at LancasterHistory is free, although a $20 donation per person is requested. The play runs from June 20 to June 25.
Congratulations to the cast & crew of The Winter’s Tale, and thank you to our wonderful hosts at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church!
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