Hilo Community Players
Shakespeare in the Park: More Than 45 Years of Tradition
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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 Schickler
1982
Hamlet - Directed by Peter Franklin 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
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The Tempest written by Terrence Patrick Hughes - Directed by Alya-Joy Kanehailua
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