Shakespeare & Company has unveiled its new beer garden, which will remain open throughout its mainstage production of Romeo and Juliet, playing now through August 10 outdoors at the Arthur S. Waldstein Amphitheatre.
Featuring a hand-crafted bar built by Company Artist Marcus Kearns and located under the Roman Garden Theatre Tent, The Beer Garden will remain open Friday – Monday throughout Romeo and Juliet’s run, and host events on select Mondays.
Shakespeare & Company has partnered with Antimony Brewing to offer four different local brews: Coastal Fusion IPA, Coldhead Oatmeal Stout, No Rules Hibiscus Plum Sour Ale, and the Catalyst Blonde Ale. Rob Trask, Antimony’s owner and founder, said he’s excited to see this new development take shape.
“Shakespeare & Company holds a special place in our hearts, as we have long admired their artistic work and vision for the campus,” he said. “We are very excited to be partnering with them on their inaugural beer garden as we share our vision of bringing joy to the community.”
Artistic Director Allyn Burrows added that he is thrilled to expand on an existing, positive relationship with the brewery. “Rob Trask has been a long-time friend of the Company, and we’ve been looking for some form of collaboration for a while,” he said. “Serving his fine craft brews on our property helps to celebrate that friendship.”
Scheduled events, each hosted by Shakespeare & Company Artists, and curated by Beer Garden Producer Anthony Feola and Production Manager Erika Johnson, began with a trivia night hosted by Education Artist Abigail St. John and will be followed weekly with a diverse line-up:
Monday, July 28 – Open Mic Night hosted by Greg Boover, most recently seen in Shake It Up: A Shakespeare Cabaret in early July
Monday, August 4 – Comedy Night with “ranney”, currently appearing in August Wilson’s The Piano Lesson, July 25 – August 24
Monday, August 11 – Play Reading Night hosted by Erika Johnson, Shakespeare & Company’s production manager
Friday through Sunday, the garden will be open at 5 p.m., closing at the show’s intermission. On Mondays, the garden opens at 6 p.m. with events beginning at 7 p.m. For more information, call the Box Office at 413.637.3353 or email news@shakespeare.org.
Photos are available here; credit Anthony Feola
About Shakespeare & Company
Shakespeare & Company, recently named one of the Top 10 Outdoor Theater Performance venues in the U.S. by Newsweek, was founded in 1978 by Tina Packer. Located in the Berkshires of Massachusetts, the Company offers performance, education, and actor-training opportunities year-round, attracting more than 40,000 patrons annually with a core of over 150 artists.
