Shakespeare in the Park

Thanks to a friend of mine I got to experience "Shakespeare in the Park" for the first time sans standing in line for a ticket! :)

The show was "The Twelfth Night". Rain threatened but since it was the weekend where critics were coming to review it seemed likely that the show would go on...

No umbrellas are allowed to be opened during the performance in the theater so after a failed search for a poncho @ Duane Reade and other places (they only had kid sizes) and not really wanting to buy it from the guy wandering the park yelling "Ponchos!", I decided to shell out $10 to get an official "Shakespeare in the Park" poncho w/ last year's logo on it. (Pics taken outside the Delacorte Theater. The statue is of Romeo & Juliet.)

Since it had been raining off & on all day we arrived at our seats to find them wet. Thank goodness for ponchos! Right before the show started a guy and his friend settled down behind us. He was a loud, opinionated talker and later we found he was a guy that not only chose not to shut off his cell phone but had convos w/ more than one person during the performance. Why come to a performance if you're just going to talk on the phone the whole time? - not only are you missing the performance but you are ruining it for others, too!!! Sigh. Kept hoping an usher would nab him but I think they were all preoccupied w/ how to deal w/ the rain.

Kudos to the actors & actresses that did not let a wet set deter them from carrying out their stage directions. Wet butts be damned! ;)

During intermission we were allowed to raise our umbrellas. Then about 1 scene into the 2nd Act Anne Hathaway slipped. She finished the scene but then the play was paused momentarily while they hoped the rain would slow down a bit. Once again, our umbrellas were raised. Finally the rain did become manageable again and the show went on!

The show was great overall. Audra McDonald owned her role and seemed to have a lot of fun w/ it. Not sure I totally bought the chemistry w/ Anne Hathaway & Raul Esparza though. David Pittu was fantastic - although I've only seen him in one other show (What's that Smell?) plus an appearance on "Rescue Me" I'm beginning to think I can expect nothing less from him.

At the curtain call, Julie White cursed the skies shaking her fists but they all had smiles on their faces. At least no raccoons made an appearance. ;)

Note: This pic was taken a few weeks later from the Belvedre Castle. It is a view from the back of the stage/set/seating area.