Free Shakespeare on the Boston Common

It’s almost time again for the summer series of free Shakespeare plays on the Common, presented by the Commonwealth Shakespeare Company in partnership with the City of Boston and Mayor Menino. The play this year is Othello, directed by Steven Maler.


The free Shakespeare shows will take place Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 7pm from July 28 through August 15, 2010. There will also be a special matinee performance on August 8 at 2pm. In case of heavy rain or lightning storms the show will be cancelled. If the weather is questionable, the Weather Hotline at 617-426-0863 ext.7 (call one to two hours before show) will inform you of that night’s show status.

This event is free and open to the public. Blankets, picnics and (short) lawn or beach chairs are encouraged. Note that those who must watch the performance using a tall beach chair will be required to sit in a special “tall beach chair section”.

An estimated 100,000 people, from Boston and beyond, are predicted to attend 18 performances. It has been the trend in previous years that people begin to arrive up to two hours prior to the start of the show to grab the hot spots on the lawn; it fills up quickly.

The stage will be set up at the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston Common. This location is accessible to the Boylston and Park Street T-Stations on the Green Line, the Chinatown and Downtown Crossing T-Stops on the Orange Line and the Park Street stop on the Red. If you are driving in for the event, you might consider the Boston Common Garage if circling around for a parking spot on the street gets exhausting. The Commonwealth Shakespeare Company offers a $1 off parking coupon you can print out. The regular charge for the parking garage is $11 if you get there after 4pm on a weekday evening and leave prior to 8am the next morning; on Saturdays and Sundays the same rate applies, but you can get there as early as 6am and stay until the next morning at 8am.

For more information on Commonwealth Shakespeare Company or the free Shakespeare on the Common shows click Click here. This website also has a fun little section where you can play games to test or brush up on your overall knowledge of Shakespeare's plays.