Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival

There is only have one more weekend to see this years Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival at Sand Harbor! This year’s production is the romantic comedy: As You Like It.

History
This unique festival began in 1972 at Sugar Pine Point State Park, which is located on the west shore of Lake Tahoe. During this first season, the New Shakespeare Company put on eight performances. After conflicts due to location, the festival was moved to Skylandia Park in Tahoe City. The venue did wonderfully, so much so that they had to find a larger location to keep up with the demand.

The festival then found its home at Sand Harbor State Park. A small stage was erected cheaply, and the park hosted twelve performances that summer. Management of the festival switched hands between 1976 and 1994. It wasn’t until 1995 that the festival became is own non-profit and dubbed the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. The old stage was turned into a new state of the art facility costing nearly two million dollars.

The festival has grown since then, and is now more than just a Shakespeare Festival. In addition to a different Shakespeare play featured each summer, there are Midsummer Theater Camps, three educational outreach programs reaching over 7,000 people each year and so much more.

The Show
This year’s production features As You Like It. In this romantic comedy, we follow Rosalind after she flees persecution from her uncle’s court. She ends up in the Forest of Arden, where she encounters a variety of memorable characters. Full of unrequited and ill-timed love, jesters and famous soliloquies this show will be sure to entertain the entire family.
The show only runs through this Saturday, so be sure to purchase your tickets in advance. There is food and drinks for purchase, but we recommend bringing your own picnic to enjoy while you watch the show. It does get chilly at night, so be sure to bring extra layers and a blanket.

Venue
We are fortunate in Tahoe, especially South Lake Tahoe to have access to so many beautiful sandy beaches. Sand Harbor is one of these gems. Located on the east shore of Lake Tahoe, this beach is governed by the Nevada State Parks. Due to this, there are fees to enter the park, and/or launch your boat on the ramp. Other amenities of the area include a visitor center with gift shop and information, pick-nick sites equipped with barbecue pits and tables, a Nature Trail with interpretive signs and breathtaking Lake Tahoe views, a group area, boat launch, and of course the Tahoe Shakespeare Festival. Over 1 million locals and tourists alike visit this location each year.

Theater Details
The stage and seating are separate from the beach area, set on the sand dune at one side of the park. There are different seating tiers depending on how much money you want to spend, and the comfort level you are wanting.

The cheapest “seats” are in the Upper & Side Gallery (where the photo to the last was taken from). This is at the top of the sand dune, and you can either sit in one of the provided beach chairs, bring your own low-backed chair or simply spread out a blank on the sand! This is a first come, first serve seating area. Tickets range from $15 – $20 per adult.

The Lower Gallery is for reserved and assigned seats. You get to enjoy the show from a pre-set fabric sling chair. Moving closer to the stage, the next tier is the Café Table Seating. In this section, you are not allowed to bring your own cooler, however you have personal wait service attending to your food and beverage needs. The tables fit two or four people and must be reserved in advance. Tickets range from $44 – $49 per adult. Or you can reserve a table: four seats for $340, and 2 seats for $170.

The Premium Seating puts you right in action. You get to watch the performance from an Adirondack chair while the wait service attends to your needs. These seats are located in the first seven rows of the theater. Tickets are $85 per adult.

The great thing is, the venue is small enough that no matter where you sit you have a good view of the stage! Click Here for more information and to purchase tickets! And if you had to miss the show this year, don’t worry because it will be back again summer 2015!