A Loaf, the Bard and Thou

Whether you’re lounging outside a Santa Barbara County vineyard, or looking around for a newspaper to tuck under you at Pershing Square in the heart of downtown Los Angeles, there’s a plein-air Shakespeare for nearly everyone. And every budget. Some shows are free; others cost up to $50. Here’s a guide to 10 productions in the coming months, from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

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The Globe Theatres

Lowell Davies Festival Theater, Balboa Park, San Diego

(619) 239-2255 www.theglobetheaters.org

Long Tradition

San Diego’s Globe Theater hasn’t been around quite as long as London’s, which opened in 1599 with “As You Like It” (and you can bet at least one Elizabethan critic pulled out his quill and wrote: “I didn’t.”). Still, with a Shakespeare tradition dating back to 1935, the Globe is a good bet for solidly professional Shakespeare.

This year’s offerings in the open-air Lowell Davies Festival Theater are “The Taming of the Shrew” directed by John Rando (Tony winner for Broadway’s “Urinetown” and director of Neil Simon’s “The Dinner Party”) and the romantic adventure “Pericles: Prince of Tyre,” directed by Globe newcomer Darko Presnjac. An Internet search turns up no information about Presnjac (O what a tangled Web) but a Globe spokeswoman calls him a bright young talent. If not, let us pray that the audience does not carry on the tradition of Shakespeare’s original Globe Playhouse and communicate its displeasure by throwing rotten tomatoes.

Food

No nibbles allowed in the theater, but pub grub--soups, light sandwiches, desserts--and a full bar are available within easy reach at Lady Carolyn’s. Order a picnic in advance, (619) 239-2255.

Amenities

Metal seats in a three-tier amphitheater formation. Rent you a blanket to ward off the evening chill for $3. Indoor restrooms with disabled access. Parking is free in Balboa Park lots; trams shuttle passengers to the Globe complex.

Tickets

“The Taming of the Shrew,” Tuesdays through Sundays, 8 p.m. Ends Aug. 4. “Pericles,” Tuesdays through Sundays, 8 p.m., Aug. 25 through Oct. 6. $15 to $50. Discounts for students, seniors and active military personnel.

Shakespeare Santa Barbara

Fess Parker Winery, 6200 Foxen Canyon Road, Los Olivos

(805) 231-5088

www.shakes-sb.com

New Vintage

Another “Midsummer Night’s Dream”--well, what were you expecting in August, “The Winter’s Tale”? But you couldn’t ask for a more appropriate setting than a winery near bucolic Santa Barbara for this oft-performed story of young lovers drunk with passion. Company artistic director Jennifer Johnson, a native of Northern California wine country, decided to plant her professional roots in a similarly intoxicating locale. Check out the Web site; it offers both a cast list and a wine list.

According to the latter, the 1999 Syrah is savory and flavorful, with an “open-knit style” and broad appeal. It’s less easy to rate the appeal of this “Dream”--set in a fictional neoclassical Greece--since the Shakespeare Santa Barbara company has not had time to age properly; this summer marks the company’s first festival. But with a cast of professional actors and a backdrop of the Santa Ynez Mountains, 2002 could be a very good year.

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Food

Bring your own eats (but not your own wine) or pre-order a $21 “Midsummer’s Night”-themed dinner at the Web site. Choose among the Lysander, a grilled sandwich with rosemary-roasted chicken; Titania’s Delight, pan-seared Pacific salmon and grilled asparagus; and Puck’s Garden Supper, a spring vegetable salad with yellow lentils. Wine is available for purchase, and tours and tastings are available before 5 p.m.

Amenities

Seating is on the lawn, with accommodations for elderly and disabled patrons. Bring blankets, low chairs and hats to deflect the late afternoon sun. Indoor restrooms. Free on-site parking.

Tickets

“A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Fridays through Sundays, 6 p.m., Aug. 9 through Sept. 1. $20; students and seniors, $15; under 12, $11.

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Troubadour Theater Company

Miles Memorial Playhouse,

Reed Park, 1130 Lincoln Blvd.,

Santa Monica, (213) 303-0096

www.troubie.com

Quick and Easy

It ends kool, and it ends fast: Director Matt Walker crashes through “All’s Kool That Ends Kool,” a takeoff on the comedy “All’s Well That Ends Well,” in a breathtaking 75 minutes--stoking the disco inferno with classics by Kool and the Gang (“Jungle Boogie,” “Celebration.”) “All’s Kool” continues this professional troupe’s tradition of desecrating Shakespeare to contemporary pop music; previous titles include “Twelfth Dog Night” and “A Midsummer Saturday Night’s Fever Dream.” This season’s production features big dance numbers, a big chorus, a five-piece band and wacky eye-candy costumes. But, says one enthusiastic company member, “Anybody who honestly wants to hear the real Shakespeare text will not want to see this show.”

Food

No food on site, but within a few blocks are Montana Avenue and the Third Street Promenade. Restaurants also dot Lincoln and Wilshire boulevards.

Amenities

Reed Park has grounds for picnicking under trees, plus recreational equipment for kids. Theater has restrooms available. Street parking.

Tickets

“All’s Kool That Ends Kool,” Fridays and Saturdays, 8 p.m., Aug. 2 through 31. $15; $10 for age 14 and younger. Also at the Ojai Shakespeare Festival, Aug. 3 and 4 at 10 a.m.

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The Will Geer Theatricum

Botanicum

1419 N. Topanga Canyon Blvd., Topanga Canyon, (310) 455-3723

www.theatricum.com

Faerie Land in Topanga

Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your earmuffs. That is to say, bring a sweater to the Theatricum Botanicum--which wins the prize for the most obscure way of saying “outdoor theater”--where evenings can verychillybecum during five acts of Shakespearicum (and bring a cushion for your bottomicum). However, for those who are properly attired, this amphitheater tucked into a rustic glen becomes a magical, mystical faerie land, especially at night. This summer’s plays are a fast-paced, conversational “The Merchant of Venice,” directed by Ellen Geer (Will’s daughter) and, you guessed it, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

Food

Have an alfresco feast before or after the show at the picnic tables on the Theatricum property or grab a light snack--salads, sandwiches, chips--from the Botanicum Cafe. Munching during performances is verboten, so as not to stir local bees, which have been known to buzz their way into plays.

Amenities

Wood benches in the bottom half of the amphitheater and concrete seats in the upper half, shielded from the sun by a fine mesh canopy. Dress warmly for evening performances. Indoor restrooms. Parking is $3 on the grounds, free for seniors and disabled patrons. Ample free parking on Topanga Canyon Boulevard.

Tickets

“The Merchant of Venice,” Sundays, 4 p.m., now through Sept. 29. “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” opens Sept. 2 at 6 p.m.; Sept. 6, 7, 13, 14, 21 and 28 at 8 p.m. Also Oct. 6, 13 and 20 at 3 p.m. $11-$22. Age 7 to 13, $8; under 6, free.

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Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival

Kingsmen Park, Cal Lutheran

60 W. Olsen Road, Thousand Oaks

(805) 493-3455 www.kingsmenshakespeare.org

Deal of the Century

How can you not get your money’s worth when the performance is free? And given its positive track record with the critics, the Kingsmen Shakespeare Festival is the deal of the 17th century. Started in 1997 and co-produced by the Kingsmen Shakespeare Company and Cal Lutheran, the festival sets this year’s “The Tempest” (circa 1611) in the Industrial Age and its “Much Ado About Nothing” in the flapper era. Artistic director Michael Arndt has always been fond of Shakespearean time travel and received positive reviews for such experiments as 2000’s “Romeo and Juliet,” set in strife-torn Ireland in the early 19th century. Actor Lane Davies--former soap opera star (“Santa Barbara”) and a company co-founder--will portray Prospero in “Tempest,” reconceived as a reclusive scholar rather than the usual grandiose magician. Arndt notes, however, that magic will still pervade this “Tempest” through numerous special effects. Resident composer Rick Rhodes provides an original score.

Food

Come as early as 5:30 p.m. to feast on Renaissance specialties like broths, corn on the cob and turkey leg (as well as pizza and kettle corn. Salads, nonalcoholic beverages and desserts are available too. If you pack a picnic, remember that alcohol is prohibited on campus.

Amenities

Seating is on the lawn of the campus, so bring low-profile lawn chairs and blankets. Indoor restrooms. Ample free parking.

Tickets

“The Tempest” runs Friday through Sunday, and July 19 through 21. “Much Ado About Nothing” runs July 12 through 14, 26 through 28 and Aug. 2 through 4. All performances at 8 p.m. $5; under age 18, free. Seats in regular chairs for $10; reserved 8-foot-square “boxes,” $35 to $50.

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Shakespeare by the Sea

Fermin Park, 807 Paseo del Mar

San Pedro, (310) 548-7705

www.shakespearebythesea.org

Shakespeare Tour ’02

Founded in 1998, Shakespeare by the Sea, which begins its repertory season with five weeks at San Pedro’s Point Fermin Park, takes its productions to beachside parks all over the Southland. The professional company contains both experienced Shakespearean actors and those just breaking into the Bard business. Because of the park locations, expect plenty of families, children and even the occasional dog (out, damned Spot!).

Despite the little ones, this professional troupe doesn’t tinker with Shakespeare, consistently presenting traditional productions, set in the original time period. And, in selecting the murderous “Macbeth” for the repertory, Shakespeare by the Sea has definitely gone PG-13.

Food

Pack a picnic to enjoy alfresco, or hot dogs, nachos, hot chocolate or coffee at the concession stand.

Amenities

A 220-degree view of the ocean and the Point Fermin Lighthouse serves a backdrop, so wear warm clothing to ward off the nippy ocean breeze. Bench seating around the open-air band shell is available on a first-come basis, or bring beach chairs and blankets to lay out on the surrounding lawn. Indoor restrooms and port-a-potty facilities. Street parking or lot on Paseo del Mar at Gaffey Street.

Tickets

“Much Ado About Nothing” runs Friday, July 12, 18, 20 and Aug. 17 at 8 p.m. “Macbeth” runs Saturday, July 11, 13, 19 and Aug.16 at 8 p.m. Shakespeare by the Sea also tours regional parks July 21 through Aug. 15, performing in Rancho Palos Verdes, Hermosa Beach, Torrance, Wilmington, Signal Hill, Manhattan Beach and Newport Beach. Free.

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Culver City Public Theatre

Dr. Paul Carlson Memorial Park, Motor Avenue at Braddock Drive, Culver City, (310) 712-5482

www.ccpt.org

Grassroots Comedy

This Shakespeare in the park is really Shakespeare in the park--performed on boards placed directly on the grass, not on a traditional stage. “We are really channeling the spirit of Mother Nature,” observes Stephen Moore, director of the 4-year-old theatrical entity peopled with volunteer professionals. The company concentrates on traditional classical theater--usually. But this season, among its offerings is the West Coast premiere of “Shakespeare’s Skums,” fractured versions of Shakespeare’s greatest hits: “Tag-Team Romeo and Juliet,” “Leave It to Hamlet” and “Macbeth in 20 Minutes or Less.” Moore is a member of the original Shakespeare Scum, an East Coast troupe founded in 1986. Scum artistic director Carolyn Spedden, who wrote the mini-plays, finally allowed Moore to license the scripts after years of pleading.

Food

A good location to spread your picnic wares on the lawn, as the site has only a minimal concessions stand offering baked goods, soda and water.

Amenities

Lawn seating only, in a shaded patch under two Chinese elms. Bring blankets, lounge chairs and jackets. Outdoor restrooms. Street parking.

Tickets

“Shakespeare’s Skums,” July 20, 21, 27 and 28, at 2 p.m. Free.

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Shakespeare Festival/LA

Pershing Square, 532 S. Olive St., downtown L.A.

South Coast Botanic Garden, 26300 Crenshaw Blvd.,

Palos Verdes

(213) 481-2273

www.shakespearefestivalla.org

Love Among the Skyscrapers

(and Succulents)

For this highly regarded professional company, which visits hard-edged urban settings as often as woodsy idylls, a more apt descriptive phrase might be “Shakespeare in the parking lot.” Site-specific performances include a 1997 “Julius Caesar” on the steps of Los Angeles City Hall and last summer’s “The Comedy of Errors” at Pershing Square. And this year, wherefore art Romeo and Juliet? Back at Pershing Square. In Shakespeare Festival/LA’s take on the tragic love story, the scene is a modern city, with references to rival record labels in the competitive music industry. The underground rock band Lava Diva surfaces to provide an original music score.

Food

Bring your own picnic nibbles to both locations. Candy, soda and popcorn are sold in Pershing Square; for the Botanic Garden shows, three dinner specials from Marie Callender’s featuring roasted turkey breast or vegetarian sandwiches, pasta salad, a fruit and a slice of pie, can be pre-ordered online.

Amenities

Lawn seating at both locations, so bring chairs, blankets and jackets. For the Pershing Square performances, reserved seating is available for patrons who join the Shakespeare Festival/LA Guild in advance, by logging on to the troupe’s Web site. Outdoor restrooms are available in both locations. Parking beneath Pershing Square, $6. Free parking at the Botanic Garden.

Tickets

“Romeo and Juliet” runs Friday through July 20 (except Mondays) at 8 p.m. in Pershing Square. Free with donation of canned food. Also July 25 through Aug. 4 (except July 29, 30), at 8:15 p.m., at the South Coast Botanic Garden. $15 in advance; $18 at the door.

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Ojai Shakespeare Festival

Libbey Bowl, Ojai Avenue at Signal Street, Ojai, (805) 646-9455

www.ojaishakespeare.org

Magic Moments

Watch for the Ojai “pink moment.” Locals say that each evening, 10 minutes after the sun sets behind the Topa Topa Mountains, the sky flashes a heavenly pink glow. Nights are warm in this charming town of shops and cafes, perfect for strolling before Shakespeare at the Libbey Bowl, a picturesque amphitheater beneath a spreading canopy of old oak trees ... heck, who cares if the performance is good?

But this , family-oriented festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary, so it must be doing something right. This year’s plays are “Twelfth Night” and “The Tempest,” paired, in part, because both stories involve shipwrecks, so no sea change is required of the set.

Food

Renaissance-style grub--with a choice of vegetarian fare (hail, Caesar salad), meats and the requisite turkey legs--are available on weekend afternoons, Aug. 3 through 18.

Amenities

Wood benches stacked under a canopy of ancient oaks. Bring jackets and blankets. Seat cushions can be rented at the box office. Indoor restrooms. Free street parking.

Tickets

“Twelfth Night” opens July 27 at 8 p.m. and runs July 28, Aug. 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17 and 18. “The Tempest,” performed by the troupe’s high school interns, opens Aug. 1 at 8 p.m., and runs Aug. 3, 4, 10, 11 and 17 at 4 p.m. and Aug. 8 and 15 at 8 p.m. $8 to $18. Discounts available for seniors, students. Age 12 and younger, free.

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Long Beach Shakespeare Festival

Stearns Park, Argonne Avenue at 23rd Street, Long Beach

(562) 997-1494 www.bardintheyard.com

Mixing It Up

Long Beach Shakespeare Company (formerly Bard in the Yard) rolls into Stearns Park on Friday to set up a two-story stage; after Sunday in the Park With Will, the company tears it all down again. A lot of work goes into these free performances by a mix of professional and nonprofessional actors. The 4-year-old Long Beach group offers one comedy and one tragedy or history each season. This time around the tragedy is “Othello,” with Jonathan Scott in the title role, and the comedy is “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” featuring Rod Weber, a member of the national touring company of “The Full Monty.” For those who want to brush up on their Shakespeare prior to the performances, company members will provide a workshop at Border’s Books (2110 Bellflower Blvd., Long Beach) at 7 p.m. on July 11.

Food

If you fancy more than candy and soda from Costco, which is what the minimal concessions stand offers, bring a picnic.

Amenities

Lawn seating or bring your own chairs and blankets. Port-a-potties in the park. Free street parking.

Tickets

“Othello,” Saturdays and Sundays, 5 p.m., through July 14; “Love’s Labour’s Lost,” Saturdays and Sundays, 5 p.m., July 20 through Aug. 4. Free.