CMU School of Drama


Tuesday, April 18, 2023

Shakespeare in Yosemite uses 'Romeo and Juliet' to present a hopeful environmental message

Datebook: At Shakespeare in Yosemite, which features uniformed park rangers among its cast members, the point isn’t to present Shakespeare faithfully. It’s to use his texts as launching pads to deliver hopeful environmental messages about preserving nature. If that means heavy adaptation — including wholesale ending reversals — so be it.

1 comment:

Natalie Lawton said...

I didn't know that this was a thing. And as an Oregon girlie of course I am very interested in doing theatre in a national park. There are several reasons why doing theatre in a national park can be a unique and rewarding experience outlined in this article. National parks are known for their breathtaking natural scenery, and performing theatre in such a beautiful environment can be an incredible experience. The stunning backdrop of mountains, forests, lakes, and rivers can definitely add a memorable element to a theatrical production. Performing theatre in a national park can also help raise awareness about environmental issues and the need for conservation simply by the nature of being in an outdoor space. I also think it is so important when doing experimental theatre like this that we take a moment to appreciate that it doesn’t need to be a perfect, high-end, expensive, production. This production proved that you don’t need to be completely loyal to the text to put on a good show.