Hilo Community Players
Shakespeare in the Park: More Than 45 Years of Tradition
Our History
Hilo Community Players’ Shakespeare in the Park began in 1978 as an idea of Jackie Pualani Johnson. 2022 marked our 45th Shakespeare in the Park in Hilo & our first ever touring Shakespeare in the Park in Honoka’a.
In 2014, we added a tradition of youth programming to our festival, affectionately referred to as “kid-shakes.”
As you can see in our archives below, for many years our Shakespeare tradition was heralded by beautiful posters filled with the artwork of local painter & print maker Tomas Belsky. To see more of his artwork, visit tomasbelskydesigns.com
Past Shakespeare in the Park Festivals
1978
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Directed by Jackie Debus Johnson
1979
The Tempest - Directed by Jackie Debus Johnson
1980
The Taming of the Shrew - Directed by Helie Rock
1981
As You Like It - Directed by Peter Franklin White
1982
Hamlet - Directed by Peter Schickler
1983
Romeo & Juliet - Directed by Julian Canuso
1984
The Comedy of Errors - Directed by Don Moody
1985
Othello - Directed by John Koch
1986
Twelfth Night - Directed by Peter Charlot
1987
Julius Caesar - Directed by Paul Mark Clark
1988
The Merry Wives of Windsor - Directed by Margaret Harshberger
1989
Antony & Cleopatra - Directed by Pru Sillito
1990
The Merchant of Venice - Directed by Julian Canuso
1991
The Tragedy of Richard II - Directed by Don Moody
1992
King Henry IV-Part 1 - Directed by Paul Mark Clark
1993
King Henry IV-Part 2 - Directed by Beth Kucharczyk
1994
King Henry V - Directed by Robin Hilliard
1995
Two Gentlemen of Verona - Directed by Laura Andres
1996
The Tragedy of Richard III - Directed by Jackie Seaquist
1997
Measure for Measure - Directed by Don Moody
1998
Macbeth - Directed by Jackie Pualani Johnson
1999
The Winter's Tale - Directed by Cathy Punch
2000
Titus Andronicus - Directed by Catherine McPherson & Sharon Furstenworth
2001
King Lear - Directed by Paul Mark Clark
2002
One Uddah Mid'Summah - Directed by Jackie Pualani Johnson
2003
Much Ado About Nothing - Directed by Justina Mattos
2004
Romeo & Juliet - Directed by Cathy Punch
2005
Twelfth Night - Directed by Laura Andres
2006
The Tempest - Directed by Randy Raphael
2007
The Best of the Bard - Multiple Directors
2008
Hamlet - Directed by Laura Andres
2009
The Taming of the Shrew - Directed by Randy Raphael
2010
Love's Labour Lost - Directed by Amy Jackson
2011
The Merchant of Venice - Directed by Catherine McPherson
2012
Richard III - Directed by Jackie Pualani Johnson
2013
As You Like It - Directed by Laura Caswell
2014
Antony & Cleopatra - Directed by Jake McPherson & Dr. Justina T. Mattos
2015
Measure for Measure - Directed by Rob Hunt
2016
A Midsummer Night’s Dream - Directed by Justine Thompson
2017
The Best of the Bard Too - Multiple Directors
This is Hamlet written by Tim Brownell - Directed by Jackie Pualani Johnson
I Hate Shakespeare written by Steph DeFerie - Directed by Alston Albarado
Romeo To Go written by Jonathan Rand - Directed by Leah Wilson
MmmBeth written by Allison Williams - Directed by Mimi Tincher
2018
The Merry Wives of Windsor - Directed by Catherine McPherson-Tampos
2019
Hamlet - Directed by Catherine Williams
2020
Othello (Shakespeare in the Park...ing Lot) - Directed by Sarah Elliott
2021
The Most Excellent and Lamentable Tragedy of ROMEO & JULIET - Directed by Theon Weber
Lions In Ilyria written by Robert Kauzlaric - Directed by Alston Albarado
Hamajang Hamlet, written by Jackie Pualani Johnson - Directed by Angie Nakamura
Oh, Hello! (Virtual Production) written by Dr. Justina T. Mattos - Directed by Alston Albarado
The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet written by Peter Bloedel - Directed by James Pono O'Connor
2022
The Tempest - Directed by Theon Weber & featuring original music by Rachel Edwards
2023
Much Ado About Nothing - Directed by Jennifer Brahms Gardham
The Tempest written by Terrence Patrick Hughes - Directed by Alya-Joy Kanehailua
Ho ka Hū (an adaptation of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing) written by Dr. Justina T. Mattos - Directed by Kate Curtis
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