Wheaton Park District and Wheaton College to Present Shakespeare in the Park August 28 and 29

When the Wheaton Park District and Wheaton College’s Arena Theater began a summer Shakespeare in the Park production, they modeled it after the great Shakespeare in the Park events around the country, such as those in New York and Washington, D.C.

That partnership, now in its third year, will bring a free presentation of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” to life in Wheaton’s Memorial Park on August 28 and 29, with a rain date of August 30. Each show will begin at 7 p.m.

The production will feature professional actors from New York and Los Angeles, as well as current Wheaton students, all of whom share common roots in Wheaton College’s Arena Theater.

“For three years now, our partnership with the Wheaton Park District has been great for the College, for the community, and for theater,” says Arena Theater Production Manager and Technical Director Andy Mangin. “We’re especially proud of the way it enables Wheaton College theater graduates to work with our undergrads, and to present that work to our neighbors in a free event.”

Victoria Holmen, a 2015 Wheaton College graduate who is taking part in this year’s production, says the partnership gives each student a unique opportunity to grow in his or her craft.

“In terms of the educational opportunity for students, it is truly unparalleled,” Holmen says. “While our acting training that happens during the school year is wonderful, Shakespeare in the Park provides an environment for education that is completely unlike anything else we experience.”

Felicia Bertch, a 2002 graduate who will play Helena in the production, says the collaborative production allows students and alumni to reach out to the community on behalf of the arts.

“With so many different generations attending Shakespeare in the Park, we know that we are reaching individuals who may one day turn around and support the art form, either as a professional theater artist or as a patron of the arts,” Bertch says. “For us theater artists, this is a huge win!”

Performances are free and open to the public. Memorial Park is located at 208 W Union Ave. in Wheaton. For more information about Shakespeare in the Park, visit wheatonparkdistrict.com/Shakespeare.