Cupertino Library Foundation to sponsor Free Shakespeare in the Park

The Cupertino Library Foundation, whose mission is to provide financial and creative support for diverse educational and cultural programs, is a new major sponsor of Free Shakespeare in the Park at the City of Cupertino’s newly revitalized Memorial Park. The Foundation’s sponsorship helps support this summer’s production of Cymbeline, provided to the community at no charge.

Board President Kiran Varshneya said “The Foundation looks to support programs that enhance literacy, support quality of life, and bridge diverse communities and cultures. Free Shaksepeare does all of this.” Although this is the first year of the Foundation’s support for Free Shakespeare in the Park it was a natural progression having provided support for the Film Series at the Cupertino Senior Center, the 'Opera San Jose' event at the Cupertino Library earlier this year and 'Courtyard Concert - Grateful Brass' at the Cupertino Library to be held on 30th July 2023.

Due to contracting budget concerns the City of Cupertino has asked SF Shakespeare Festival to fundraise for the Free Shakespeare program. To that end, SF Shakes has launched a fundraising campaign to strengthen the sustainability of this beloved program in Cupertino. The Cupertino Library Foundation is the first organization to pledge their financial support and additional contributions are being sought.

Free Shakespeare in the Park is only possible through careful collaboration and coordination. Financially, the largest costs of putting on a play are associated with mounting the production, of designing and building and rehearsing the play. By sharing the annual summer production with multiple cities - with Cupertino being the marque city in the south bay - each city contributes only a small but critically important portion of the costs of the program. The scale of the program also allows San Francisco Shakespeare Festival - a nonprofit organization - to attract philanthropic funding from regional funders such as the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and national funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. (In addition to Cupertino, Cymbeline plays in Redwood City, San Francisco, and Orinda - see dates and times below.)

Cupertino’s Memorial Park is the longest consecutively running venue that the Festival’s Free Shakespeare program has performed in. Although the program first started in SanFrancisco in 1983, shows have taken place in various parks throughout the city (currently it performs in San Francisco’s McLaren Park). The first season in Memorial Park was in 1995 and Free Shakespeare in the Park has become a highly anticipated annual tradition there ever since.

Cymbeline plays at Cupertino’s newly revitalized Memorial Park Amphitheater through August 6 on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 6:00 pm. The performance runs approximately 90 minutes without intermission. (Click for more info.) All are welcome to attend these professional performances at no charge

This epic romantic adventure, is believed to be one Shakespeare's final plays and is widely considered one of his greatest achievements. It's written from the perspective of an accomplished and experienced playwright and features a dazzling mix of comedy, tragedy, and fairy tale. Teh play concludes with inventive scenes of revelation and joyous reconciliation. It was selected by the Festival’s Resident Artists, who felt that the play’s sweeping story would help remind us of the power of live theater and the joy of coming together to share an epic experience.
In this tale King Cymbeline has banished Posthumus, a man of low stature, who has secretly married his daughter, Princess Imogen. A series of unimaginable misadventures ensue that test the strength of their commitment to each other. This will be the company’s second production of Cymbeline, having previously staged it in 2011. Director Maryssa Wanlass is interested in the fairy tale quality of this story, and wants to lean into the archetypal characters and set the play in an alternate universe fantasy realm. Expect big performances, music, delicious villains and ultimately a family-friendly coming of age story.

2023 is San Francisco Shakespeare Festival’s 41st season of Free Shakespeare in the Park. Since its beginning, the Festival has been bringing the words and themes of William Shakespeare to audiences throughout the Bay Area and beyond, regardless of their age, ethnicity, financial status, or level of education. The SanFrancisco Shakespeare Festival believes that Shakespeare experienced in a communal setting -‐ whether outdoors, in a classroom, in a theater, or live online -‐ elates the soul, inspires the mind, and unifies those who sit beside each other

41st Season Free Shakespeare in the Park production of Cymbeline

Cupertino, Memorial Park Amphitheater, Stevens Creek Blvd and Mary Ave

• Friday, July 28 at 6:00 pm (Preview)
• Saturday, July 29 at 6:00 pm (Opening)
• Sunday, July 30 at 6:00 pm
• Friday, August 4 at 6:00 pm
• Saturday, August 5 at 6:00 pm
• Sunday, August 6 at 6:00 pm

Redwood City, Red Morton Park, Vera Ave and Valdota Rd

• Saturday, August 12 at 6:00 pm (Preview)
• Sunday, August 13 at 6:00 pm (Opening)
• Saturday, August 19 at 6:00 pm
• Sunday, August 20 at 6:00 pm
• Saturday, August 26 at 6:00 pm
• Sunday, August 27 at 6:00 pm

San Francisco, McLaren Park, Jerry Garcia Amphitheater

• Saturday, September 2 at 2:00 pm (Preview)
• Sunday, September 3 at 2:00 pm (Preview)
• Monday (Labor Day), September 4 at 2:00 pm (Opening)
• Saturday, September 9 at 2:00 pm
• Sunday, September 10 at 2:00 pm

Orinda, The Bruns Amphitheater

• Saturday, September 16 at 4:00 pm (Preview)
• Sunday, September 17 at 4:00 pm (Opening)
• Saturday, September 23 at 4:00 pm
• Sunday, September 24 at 4:00 pm