Shakespeare in Kadish Park

One of many plays by William Shakespeare to be staged in Wisconsin this summer, the Optimist Theatre’s As You Like It has the distinction of being perhaps the only one presented for free. Optimist has been doing a free outdoor Shakespeare play every summer since 2010. The difference from years past is the location: at Kadish Park, seating is not limited and reservations are not required.

The show features an interesting mix of talent, including Clayton Hamburg as the love-struck Orlando. Hamburg is great in Shakespeare and well trained for any outdoor performance after logging what was probably entirely too many hours at the Bristol Renaissance Faire—a workout for any professional actor. Playing Rosalind will be Midwest regional actress Kristin Hammargren. She may have been born in Minnesota, but she’s done a lot of work in Wisconsin, earning her BFA at Appleton’s Lawrence University and her MFA at Madison. Optimist Theatre’s Todd Denning plays the wise jester Touchstone. With a cast also including Youngblood co-founder Tess Cinpinski, Alison Mary Forbes, Christopher Elst, Megan Kaminsky and Evan Koepnick, the show has much to distinguish it aside from the ticket price.

Optimist Theatre’s production of As You Like It runs July 12-21 at Kadish Park near the COA Youth and Family Center at 909 E. North Ave. For more information, visit optimisttheatre.org.

Theatre Happenings

Acacia Theatre Company presents a musical about women on the American frontier, Quilters, July 12-21 at Concordia University Wisconsin’s Todd Wehr Auditorium, 12800 N. Lake Shore Drive, Mequon. For tickets, call 414-744-5995.

The Sunset Playhouse in Elm Grove stages its entertaining summer musical, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, July 18-Aug. 11. For tickets, call 262-782-4430.