Curtain closes on Shakespeare in the Park

American Stage is ending the annual outdoor tradition because of declining attendance. The Shakespeare productions will live on - indoors.

By STAFF WRITER
Published November 30, 2005

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ST. PETERSBURG - A 20-year local tradition of Shakespeare under the stars has come to an end. American Stage announced Wednesday that due to years of declining attendance, it no longer will put on the springtime Shakespeare in the Park production along the St. Petersburg waterfront.

Since the peak paid attendance of almost 20,000 achieved in 1997 by Joe Popp's punk rock version of Macbeth, interest has gradually waned until fewer than 12,000 attended last spring's two shows, The Bomb-itty of Errors and The Taming of the Shrew.

But there still will be outdoor theater at Demens Landing - Crowns, Regina Taylor's musical about the church hat tradition among African-American women will be staged this spring, said Todd Olsen, American Stage's artistic director. It will run April 5 through May 7.

And there also will be Shakespeare - but it will be stayed indoors at American Stage's downtown theater. Olson said he expects to include Othello in the 2006-2007 mainstage season.

The American Stage board had commissioned a study on what audiences wanted to see at Demens Landing. Olson has noted that the same Shakespeare plays had been recycled repeatedly. In fact, Taming of the Shrew was the first production in 1986.

"The study found that people come to the park for the experience of being in the park, not necessarily the Shakespeare," said Marshall Craig, president of the board.