Chesapeake Shakespeare Company Takes Revolutionary War-Set Romeo and Juliet on Free Statewide Tour

This summer, Chesapeake Shakespeare Company (CSC) will bring Romeo and Juliet into parks and outdoor gathering spaces across Maryland through Shakespeare Beyond, the company’s touring program that pairs free professional theater with community-based arts programming. Now in its fourth year, the tour begins July 21 at Towson University and is currently scheduled to continue at ten locations through August 13.

Set in Baltimore during the Revolutionary War, this new production reimagines Shakespeare’s most famous tragedy through a distinctly historic and local lens. The Montagues become Patriots, the Capulets are Loyalists, and two young people caught between family, politics, and an increasingly divided world struggle to imagine a future together. With original music woven into the production, Romeo and Juliet becomes both a story of secret love and a reflection on Baltimore’s place in America’s larger fight for freedom and self-determination.

The production arrives as the United States commemorates its 250th anniversary, offering a message of peace and hope during a time of national and international conflict. Designed to be welcoming for audiences of all ages and levels of familiarity with Shakespeare, Beyond’s Romeo and Juliet is a diverse and delightful production that is easy to love.

Shakespeare Beyond brings CSC’s core values directly to communities by offering performances, workshops, and partnerships free of charge. The program was created to remove common barriers to professional theater, including ticket costs, transportation, and distance from traditional arts venues.

Since its launch, Shakespeare Beyond has expanded throughout the region, reaching over 7,800 residents in Baltimore City and surrounding counties in Maryland.

At each stop, artists perform on the Shakespeare Wagon, CSC’s custom mobile performance unit built for outdoor touring. The Wagon allows CSC to transform parks, parking lots, and neighborhoods into temporary open-air theaters, deepening CSC’s connection to the everyday community life that already happens in these spaces.

“We’re so very happy to take the Shakespeare Wagon on the road for the fourth year of Shakespeare Beyond. We love visiting our neighbors around the State of Maryland with performances and educational experiences. creating unique summertime activities through art and theater,” shares Ian Gallanar, CSC’s Founding Artistic Director, whose vision set the program in motion in 2022.

Alongside the performances, Shakespeare Beyond offers arts workshops and learning experiences led by professional teaching artists. These programs create additional ways for residents, students, families, and community partners to engage with Shakespeare through creativity, play, and shared exploration.

The full touring schedule with dates and locations are now available with more updates to come.

PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Romeo and Juliet
By William Shakespeare
Directed by Séamus Miller

UPCOMING PERFORMANCES

Towson University | July 21, 7:30 PM
250 University Ave, Towson 21204 (Towsontown Garage)

Carroll Park | July 23, 7:30 PM
1500 Washington Blvd, Baltimore, MD

Baltimore Peninsula | July 25, 7:30 PM
2424 Distillery St, Baltimore, MD

Dundalk Heritage Park | July 28, 7:30 PM
2717 Playfield St, Dundalk, MD 21222

Wyman Park Dell | July 30, 7:30 PM
2929 N Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218

Federal Hill | August 1, 7:30 PM
300 Warren Ave, Baltimore, MD 21230

Potomac Branch Library | August 4, 7:30 PM
3225 Ruth B Swann Dr, Indian Head, MD 20640

Rockburn | August 6, 7:30 PM
6105 Rockburn Branch Park Rd, Elkridge, MD 21075

Patterson Park | August 8, 7:30 PM
27 S Patterson Park Ave, Baltimore, MD 21231 (Observatory Entrance)

Druid Hill | August 11, 7:30 PM
2100 Liberty Heights Ave, Baltimore, MD 21217

Middletown Park | August 13, 7:30 PM
7628 Coblentz Rd, Middletown, MD