It’s the most wonderful time of summer: Shakespeare season.
Not only does South Bend Civic Theater open the Shakespeare-inspired comedy “Something Rotten” this weekend, Premier Arts does too. But the Shakespeare doesn’t stop there: the Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival kicks off with multiple performances by its community and touring companies.
The South Bend Lyric Opera is also performing “Don Giovanni” and two longtime local favorites are returning for concerts: Southside bluesman Denny Snyder and maestro Robin Fountain for his pandemic-delayed farewell concert with the Southwest. Michigan Symphony.
For outdoor activities, check out these suggestions from Joseph Dits’ Outdoor Adventures column, and don’t forget The Tribune’s online calendar for more things to do.
Notre Dame Shakespeare opens the season with community and touring companies
SOUTH BEND – The Notre Dame Shakespeare Festival is back with a bang with productions from professional, touring and community companies starting July 15.
• Shakespeare after hours the festival kicks off at 7 and 9 p.m. on July 15 at Howard Park, 219 S. St. Louis Blvd.
This rowdy, boundless night of Shakespearian shenanigans takes adult audiences on a whirlwind tour through the outrageous side of the great playwright. Reserved for 18 years and over.
Tickets are $20.
This evening:Bergamot screens “State of the Unity” at The Acorn
• ShakeScenes will be held on July 16 at 2 p.m. in Washington Hall on the campus of the University of Notre Dame. This summertime tradition features dozens of elementary school students performing Shakespeare-inspired scenes.
Free entry.
• The tour company returns to parks and theaters in the region for the first time since 2018, with a new production of “All is well that ends well”. Directed by NDSF veteran Scotty Arnold and featuring live music performed by the cast, “All’s Well That Ends Well” travels to multiple locations in the area:
- 5:30 p.m. July 16: Main Quad, Notre Dame
- 6:00 p.m. CDT July 17: Gabis Arboretum at Purdue Northwest, 450 W. 100 N., Valparaiso
- 7:00 p.m. July 21: Goshen Theater, 216 S. Main St., Goshen
- 7:00 p.m. July 22: Central Park, 200 E. Mishawaka Ave., Mishawaka
- 7:00 p.m. July 23: Elkhart Public Library, 300 S. 2nd St., Elkhart
- 7pm July 28: Fernwood Botanical Gardens, 13988 Range Line Road, Niles
- 7:00 p.m. July 29: Krasl Art Center, 707 Lake Blvd., St. Joseph
- 7:30 p.m. July: Potawatomi Park, 500 S. Greenlawn Ave., South Bend
- 7:00 p.m. Aug. 5: Wellfield Botanical Gardens, 1011 N. Main St., Elkhart
- 6:30 p.m. Aug. 6: Dewey Cannon Park, Downtown Three Oaks
- 6:30 p.m. Monday, August 22: Main Quad, Notre Dame
Free entry.
• The professional society presents “Romeo and Juliet” August 16-28 at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center in Notre Dame. Tickets cost between $75 and $10.
For more information, visit shakespeare.nd.edu or email [email protected]
South Bend Lyric Opera Stages ‘Don Giovanni’
SOUTH BEND — The South Bend Lyric Opera presents “Don Giovanni” at 7 p.m. July 15-16 at Indiana University’s Northside Hall in South Bend.
With music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and an Italian libretto by Lorenzo Da Ponte, the 1787 opera tells the story of a womanizer, Don Giovanni, who obtains his eventual reward.
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ick Gisonde conducts and Jameson Cooper conducts the SBLO orchestra. The cast includes baritone Oscar Martinez as Don Giovanni, soprano Mary Martin as Donna Anna and soprano Anne Fuchs as Dona Elvira.
Tickets cost between $40 and $20.
For more information, call 574-904-2918, visit southbendlyricopera.org, or email [email protected]
Premier Arts stages “Something Rotten” inspired by Shakespeare at Lerner in Elkhart
ELKHART — Premier Arts presents “Something Rotten” July 15-17 at the Lerner Theatre, 410 S. Main St.
With a book by John O’Farrell and Karey Kirkpatrick and music and lyrics by Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick, the 2015 musical is set in 1595 England, where brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom are desperate to write a play to success but are stuck in the shadow of that Renaissance rockstar known as “The Bard”.
When a local diviner predicts that the future of theater lies in singing, dancing and acting all at once, Nick and Nigel set about writing the world’s first ever musical.
Amid the outrageous excitement of opening night, the Bottom Brothers realize that reaching the top means being true to themselves and all that jazz.
Performances are at 7:30 p.m. on July 15 and 16 and at 3 p.m. on July 17.
First in the Midwest:‘Lewiston/Clarkson’ opens at GhostLight Theater
Tickets cost between $25 and $12.
For more information, call 574-293-4469 or visit premierarts.org.
‘Southside’ Denny begins first of two weekends of shows in the area
“Southside” Denny Snyder returns to the area for four shows with the Southside Denny Band over the next two weekends:
• Goshen Brewery, 315 W. Washington St., Goshen: 7:30 p.m. July 15; 574-971-5324
• Firefighter Blues Festival, Kamm Island Park, 600 W. Front St., Mishawaka, 3 p.m. July 16. The rest of the lineup is Ivy Ford at 5 p.m.; Howard and the White Boys, 7 p.m.; and Bernard Allison, 9 p.m. Tickets are $15; free for ages 12 and under and for all past and present firefighters and their families with proof of service. For more information, call 574-258-1664 or visit firefightersblues.org
• Fridays at the fountain, Jon R. Hunt Plaza, 211 N. Michigan St., South Bend: 11:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. July 22; 574-235-9190; morriscenter.org. Free.
• JT’s Tavern, 13261 Chippewa Blvd., Mishawaka: 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. July 23; 574-222-2989
The band consists of Snyder on guitar and vocals; Louis Poulos, double bass; and Josh Wakeman, drums.
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Born and raised in South Bend and based in Montreal, Quebec, since 2007, Snyder plays Chicago-style blues-rock and is known for his fast melodic, soulful playing, as well as his use of open-chord slide guitar.
In 2000, he represented Indiana at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis and won third place at the Montreal Guitar Grand Prix.
Since 1986, Snyder has released 11 albums, including two with his first band, Southside Denny and the Skintones, and three with his family band, The Snyders, featuring his daughter, Lorrie, and son, Philip.
For more information, visit southsidedenny.com.
Fountain returns for pandemic-delayed final concert with Southwest Michigan Symphony
ST. JOSEPH — The Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra presents “My Favorite Things: Celebrating the Music of Julie Andrews” at 6:30 p.m. July 16 at Shadowland Pavilion at Silver Beach County Park.
Maestro Robin Fountain returns to conduct the orchestra after retiring after 14 years as SMSO Music Director in 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, he was unable to conduct his last concert scheduled for 2020, so this concert allows him to conclude his tenure with SMSO and offer the community a chance to recognize him for the time he has worked with SMSO.
He remains Professor of Conducting at Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music and has recorded for Parma/Naxos, Novona and Blue Griffin records, most recently Michael Kurek’s Symphony No. 2 with the Recording Orchestra European, Sofia, Bulgaria.
Maestro Matthew Aubin was named Fountain’s successor in June and conducted his first concert as musical director on July 3.
The concert features guest artists Diane Penning and Paul Langford, with a special appearance by the Opera Grand Rapids Children’s Choir.
The program features songs sung by Julie Andrews and her castmates in movies and on Broadway and includes medleys of songs from ‘My Fair Lady’, ‘Mary Poppins’, ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Camelot’ and the TV performance from 1957’s “Cinderella.”
Tickets are $30 to $20; add $5 for all tickets on the day of the concert.
For more information, call 269-982-4030 or visit smso.org.
