by William Shakespeare directed by Patrick Dooley

Last summer we began what we thought would become a long-standing Berkeley tradition: Free Shakespeare in the Parking Lot. Well, a shortage of bathrooms, freezing late night temperatures in unprotected wind tunnels, and random attacks by neighborhood teenagers forced us to reconsider this summer's "Second Annual Tour".

After careful consideration, and despite the fear that people will start to say we are going soft, we present this summer's production here, at the theatre-friendly former home of the Berkeley Shakespeare Company. The production features our trademark Spartan simplicity in production values (just the facts ma'am) and careful attention to language and performance.

If all goes according to plan, you're in for an exciting and even touching night at the park.

Enjoy.


Magic follows this play. We had an amazing run at John Hinkel Park nearly every Saturday and Sunday of the run. 300 kids, dogs and others would file into the eucalyptus grove and watch our play. Moments to remember: the sun catching Juliet's hair at the balcony, Romeo teased by his dearest friends Mercutio and Benvolio, Gendell Hernandez's fight choreography, Cousin and Lord Capulet yucking it up at the party scene...the Nurse's guilt in her betrayal of Juliet. It was a wonderful summer. We'll be back.

Reid Davis as Gregory, Friar Laurence & Capulet's Cousin
Ryan Gowland as Lord Capulet
Gendell Hernandez as Peter, Friar John, Sampson & Watchman
Howard Johnson as Abram & Paris
Kevin Karrick as Mercutio & Lord Montague
Trish Mulholland as Lady Montague, Nurse & Watchman
Kathryn Seabron as Lady Capulet
Tommy Shepworth as Benvolio & Page
Marin Van Young as Juliet
Bella Warda as Prince of Verona, Apothecary & Chorus
Michael Wiles as Tybalt & Balthasar
Dan Wolf as Romeo


Patrick Dooley, director
Rebecca Salzer, choreography
Gendell Hernandez, fight choreography
Tommy Shepworth, fight assistant
Michael Frassinelli, set design
Morgan Forsey, Bella Warda & Kitty, costume design
Benjamin Lovejoy, graphic design
Barry Horwitz, dramaturg
Mark Swetz, stage manager
Patrick Dooley, artistic director

Opened: Saturday, August 29, 1999
Performed: Saturday & Sunday at 5:00 pm
Performed At: John Hinkel Park, Berkeley
Closed: September 26, 1999

Michael Scott Moore for SF Weekly
Kerry Reid for East Bay Express
Chad Jones for The Oakland Tribune
John Angell Grant for the Berkeley Daily Planet
Ben Watson Lamprey for Berkeley High Jacket
Christine Panus for the Los Medanos College Experience