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

2024

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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