by Lori Kaye

Created on: August 10, 2009   Last Updated: December 20, 2009

As summer lengthens into lazy days, people in Buffalo, New York start watching for signs of Shakespeare coming to Delaware Park. Like traveling troupes of olde, the players arrive to perform before a spellbound audience. Among the perennial blooms in this garden park, the festival has been a summer tradition, since 1976.

Behind the rose garden, a striking Tudor-style stage blossoms where nothing but grass, by nature, grows. Overnight, it seems, a warm wind touches the earth, fresh from springtime's thaw, to bring forth the stage at the base of Shakespeare Hill. Soon happy throngs will lay blankets across the lawn, and open picnic baskets brimming with cheese and bread, and other tasty treats.

Children gather close to their parents and gaze, awestruck, at the beauty of Elizabethan costumes clothing the actors on the stage below. The audience quiets, in hushed anticipation. And at 7:30 PM, the magic words, so near to song, the special cadence unique to Shakespeare, begins.

The 2009 season began with The Tempest, and ends with Julius Caesar. A comedy is paired with a tragedy, to make a balanced bouquet in the garden. Each summer, the perennial event draws 50,000 patrons, second only to New York City's own outdoor Shakespeare festival.

Shakespeare in the Park celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2010. The season will open with "Much Ado About Nothing" . . . in a 20th century setting, and close with "Macbeth" . . . and an all-female cast.

The festival began as the brain-child of Saul Elkin, from the University of Buffalo theatre department. Mayor Stanley Makowski gave permission for the use of Delaware Park, and even funded electricity costs. The City has continued that tradition.

Like all perennial flowers, Shakespeare in the park emerges from winter's chill, and the bard's tales of love and passion, tragedy and despair, and laughter and life echoes in Frederick Law Olmstead's Delaware Park. Designed in 1871, the historic park is a fitting venue. Olmstead, the father of landscape architecture poured his soul into his park creations, as Shakespeare poured his into his words.

The grand stage, which seems to grow overnight in the park, was originally constructed at the University by Gary Casarella (the Theatre Department's technical director). It was then disassembled and rebuilt at the base of Shakespeare Hill. At the end of each season, it's removed once again, and winter's snow blankets the empty garden.

During those few short, summer months, the troupe also holds workshops for high school students. An apprenticeship program, "Shakespearience" provides classes in voice, period dance, stage combat, makeup and costumes, and the technical aspects of theater production. Workshops are five weeks long, at $350 per session. Some scholarships are available. In addition, students have their own day on stage. 2009's is Antony and Cleopatra, suitably positioned just before Julius Caesar - Aug. 14 at 6:15 PM.

All performances are Tuesday through Sunday evenings, beginning at 7:30 PM, weather permitting. The stage is located just off Elmwood Avenue and Lincoln Parkway. Attendance is free, but donations are accepted as actors pass through the audience. For more information, you can call the troupe's main number: (716)856-4533.

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