Ops Fest Tours Portland Neighborhood Parks

Original Practice Shakespeare Festival (Ops Fest) announced the dates for its summer tour of shows in Portland neighborhoods.

Guest artists from New York, Atlanta and LA will combine with local performers to present A Midsommer Night's Dreame in a way that Portland neighbors have likely never seen before.

Ops Fest is dedicated to bringing a new style of Shakespearean performance to Portland neighborhoods by reviving the old. When Shakespeare originally penned and performed his plays, theatrical practices were very different than modern audiences are accustomed to.

First Folio editions of Shakespeare's plays include all the cues an actor needs to perform his or her role without rehearsal. This allows the truest reaction to the story as it progresses. The Ops Fest performs using the same performance techniques as they did in Shakespeare's own time, which means limited rehearsal, an onstage prompter, and changing roles each performance. This lends a much more immediate, organic, improvisational feel to the performances.

All performances are free but donations are happily accepted.

Ops Fest Schedule

• Saturday, June 13, 2:00 pm - Cathedral Park, Portland

• Sunday, June 14, 2:00 pm - Peninsula Park, Portland

• Saturday, June 20, 2:00 pm - Laurelhurst Park, Portland

• Sunday, June 21, 2:00 pm - Washington Park, Portland

• Saturday, July 18, 2:00 pm - Gabriel Park, Portland