Seth Walsh and Erin Hinson have been asking people, “What’s your favorite thing to do in Cincinnati?” Whatever the answer is, they do. This is one of their adventures.
Nearly everyone has read some Shakespeare. However, William Shakespeare's works should not only be read in high school classrooms; they also should be brought to life on stage.
The beauty of Cincinnati Shakespeare Company is that you can watch their work not only on stage at their theater throughout the year but also in parks during the summer! Our trip to #UnlockCincinnati at Cincinnati Shakespeare Company made for a fun evening with countless laughs.
Erin: Our mutual friend Patricia loves Cincinnati Shakespeare and has season tickets. We could barely finish asking what’s her favorite thing to do in Cincinnati before she practically told Seth when we were going and which show we would see. Honestly, it made the scheduling easier -- thanks, Patricia!
Seth: We parked in the garage at the corner of 7th and Elm streets because it was cheap. It also was only a couple blocks away from our destination. From there, we walked through the always beautiful Platt Park before turning left on Race Street, where Cincinnati Shakespeare is located just steps from the park.
Tickets to Cincinnati Shakespeare range from $22-$39 if you go to see them on their stage on Race Street. Throughout the summer, though, they perform free Shakespeare in the Park shows throughout Greater Cincinnati.
Erin: Cincinnati Shakespeare was founded in 1993, originally as the Fahrenheit Theatre Company. Focusing on, but not exclusively producing, Shakespeare plays from the start, the company has earned critical acclaim and a consistently growing audience. The company boasts 21 seasons of success, performing a variety of shows for people of all ages across the Tri-State.
We went to “The Complete History of the United States: Abridged.” It’s no longer showing, but it was a fabulous play. There are plenty of other shows with tickets available to purchase online, including the famous play “Death of a Salesman,” which is playing now until Nov. 7.
You might have realized it by now, but we didn’t see a Shakespeare play, despite it being the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company. Shakespeare didn't write “Death of a Salesman” either. The company performs a wonderful mix of classical and modern shows through the theater.
In 2015, the Cincinnati Shakespeare Company hosted its annual free Shakespeare in the Park summer series. More than 9,000 people came to performances in 26 venues throughout the Greater Cincinnati region. The massive support from the community speaks to the talent of the company.
Seth: I’ve mentioned before how I love American history. I didn’t have to see the play to know that I would love “The Complete History of the United States: Abridged.” The show’s three actors beautifully played off each other. I found myself laughing throughout more than half of the show.
Be warned, at least in “The Complete History of the United States: Abridged,” the actors interacted with the audience. When we arrived at World War I, the actors serving in the trenches fired their water guns over the audience. It’s not like watching the Blue Man Group, where only a few rows get soaked; we were halfway back in the theater and my shirt was drenched. (OK, that might be too dramatic. We definitely got hit with a good amount of water, though!)
Why go: In case high school literature didn’t fully explain the works of Shakespeare, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company does a great job of bringing the plays to life with incredibly talented actors and well-constructed sets. It’s a great way to get out and enjoy a date night in Cincinnati and another way to experience the countless incredible parks throughout our region.
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
719 Race St., Downtown
Price: $22-$39
Parking: Surrounding garages
Time commitment: Two hours
Pair it with: Via Vite
We invite you to follow this journey in real time online at www.unlockcincinnati.org, on Twitter (@UnlockThe513, @SethTWalsh and @erinhinson2), Instagram (@sethtwalsh and @erinhinson2) and Facebook, or by following #UnlockCincinnati. Or you can email us at favorite@unlockcincinnati.org.
