Unfortunately too difficult to hear the words in a brewery atmosphere. Huge fan was running and the acoustics with a 40 foot ceiling were challenging. It's really too bad. The actors were putting alot of energy into the scenes. Could have been fun read more

Richard III was outstanding. We have consistently enjoyed attending plays adapted and performed by this engaging local company.

Enjoyed a free Shakespeare in the Park play at Willow Street Park. Different productions are presented at different locations, so this review is specific to the Willow Glen location. The play was excellent, with professional acting, lighting, and sound. All actors wore microphones, very helpful. As for the location logistics, the play began at 7pm and most of the crowd arrived around 6:30pm. I arrived at 5:15pm to picnic and get good seats, but really would have had comparable seating if I had arrived at 6:30pm. Free parking in the area is on residence streets, but seemed to work ok if you are willing to walk a block or two. The stage is on a flat at the bottom of a grassy hill. Unless you sit in the front row, you will be on an incline. No chairs are allowed on that flat front row area (blankets only), but as you go up the hill you can use chairs. For seats in the center, you can only use low lounge chairs, with taller chairs allowed on the sides and at the top of the hillside. Since the hill is quite steep, I recommend bringing low beach loungers with an adjustable back. By lounging it into a laying back position, this will adjust with the hillside to make it straight up. My chair didn't recline, so I was pitched forward too much. It gets cold even on a summer night, so bring jackets (not just sweaters) and blankets. Coolers and food are all allowed. They only sell water and candy, so don't count on buying dinner there. Many people brought full meals and wine (I'm sure wine wasn't allowed in the park, but no one was patrolling for compliance). People brought dogs ON LEASH and many children were rolling happily down the sides of the hill. Overall a great community event! read more

Silicon Valley Shakespeare - Willow Glen Free Shakespeare in the Park - June 2018 - Performing Arts Near Me - San Jose, California

BIG THANKS to Dan B who turned me onto Shady Shakespeare's "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)" . We were lucky enough to catch this on closing night For an evening of amateur theater, there was definitely room for improvement but there were also a good number of laugh out loud moments. 3 actors took their best stab at covering the "entire works of Shakespeare" - lots of costume changes & funny character-interpretations. Much of the humor was of the silly-elementary school variety but it was just up our alley & made for good belly-laughs The setting was absolutely gorgeous - a hidden park of Redwoods w/ a small clearing that housed a small stage & foldout chairs - meaning, if someone's sitting in front of you, there will be NO view. Luckily, we sat in the back & chose an area w/ empty seats in front of us For the Play itself, I thought they spent too much time on Romeo & Juliet as well as Hamlet - in fact the entire 2nd Act was dedicated to Hamlet but ended on a hysterical "Backwards Hamlet" interpretation which literally brought tears it was so funny, so all was forgiven. I really liked the parts when they took certain Plays & brought them into modern days like taking Titus Andronicus & making it into a cooking show & combining bits from Shakespeare's Romantic period all into 1 puppet performance was noteworthy-funny. Didn't much care for the whole "personal" bit around 1 of the actors leaving & the other not knowing what to do about getting him to come back to finish the performance.....had they cut out the "personal" bits & made a more streamlined, Shakespeare-focused performance - it would not have needed an Intermission & I'd have come out of there thinking it was super-fantastic. But everyone's a critic right, & as the Bard says: "All The World's A Stage". As it was in its current form, I'd say it was really, really good & I'm a fan of this company read more

Silicon Valley Shakespeare - Complete Shakespeare stage - Performing Arts Near Me - San Jose, California

Free quality Shakespeare in the park with terrific actors and awesome directors. Come for a great show, drink a little wine, have a little food and enjoy some of the most talented actors in the Bay Area. Don't forget to throw a little something into the hat if you appreciate all their hard work. If you put a lot into the hat, the next time around they'll give you the special seats - King and Queen chairs at the back of the house. Thanks Dinna Meyer for giving your heart, soul, blood, sweat, tears, creativity, and so much more to this wonderful theatre group. Summer wouldn't be the same without you! read more

Shady Shakespeare is top notch 4 stars! My first experience was two summers ago, and I cannot wait to go back! $6 for parking Free admission (what's not to love??) Seats provided (we sat one row in front of the back and we could see fine!) Concession stand for snacks, drinks and goodies Gorgeous wooded clearing in Sanborn Park in the Santa Cruz Mountains! All shows start at 7:00 pm but arrive early to enjoy a picnic dinner and grab seats! read more

Silicon Valley Shakespeare - Performing Arts Near Me - San Jose, California

Great local theatre company that provides free Shakespeare in the Park every summer. We have attended their performances at Willow Street Park for the past few years. Bring dinner and have a picnic! At intermission they have a fun raffle to win a gift card to a local restaurant and after the show they pass a hat to collect donations because although the show is free - it does cost them $ to put these shows on each year. Costumes, fantastic set design and the actors are great and so is the weather- although it can get warm. Dress in layers and bring mosquito repellent! read more

Silicon Valley Shakespeare - Performing Arts Near Me - San Jose, California

Not Shakespeare in the Park, but a non-stop laugh fest by the same company at the Historic Hoover Theatre across from the Rosicrucian Museum on Park in San Jose. This talented troup put their own spin on Moliere's "The Imaginary Invalid," and created a farce-within-a farce. While staying pretty close to the original plot line (I remember it from college French), they added rock music, broadly drawn characters, and costumes that would put a drag-queen to shame. Tickets through Artsopolis, and shows on Thursdays and weekends through July2nd. I loved it! read more

Silicon Valley Shakespeare - Performing Arts Near Me - San Jose, California

Last weekend we saw Shady Shakespeare's "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)" at Sanborn County Park, and it was a total blast. Absolutely hilarious, totally surprising and performed in a unique setting. The play was extremely well-written and amazingly well done by a cast of only three actors (each uniquely funny in their own way). Even the kids loved it (I'm hoping some of the raunchy bits went over their heads). Beautiful, intimate setting, in a grove of redwoods, across a wooden bridge: Check Picnicking beforehand in the park: Check Being able to bring in our own bottle of wine or beers to sip during the show: Check I'm almost tempted to invite friends and go see it again for a couples' night out (preceded by an early dinner in nearby Saratoga?). Summer's almost over! (this play runs until Sept 1). read more

A real date night kind of experience. The Bard in the park, with the stars over head by the latter part of the show, a picnic dinner of wine, meat and cheese... Really great. And of course, the shows are fantastic. Kudos to the artistic team here for inventive concepts that are still true to the text. A great way to see Shakespeare. And free admission? Score! Just $6 for parking. Bring a bottle of vino, sit and enjoy! read more

OK, this was a very nice evening. Very enjoyable show, the actors were obviously having a lot of fun. Especially in tough economic times like these it is really a pleasure to have something classy to do that is also free. The outdoor setting is very romantic and it has that wonderful forest smell. But can I just say one thing? That cute little New York Times font you are using is NOT appropriate for a road sign. SERIOUSLY. A small white sign with teeny black, serif lettering that says "Shakespeare" is not something people notice at twilight on a winding mountain road, especially when their GPS is leading them in the wrong direction. Impact, Arial Black, hell, use Comic Sans for all I care. Just use COLOR and BIGGER LETTERING. How about a gigantic friggin arrow? I guarantee that 90% of the people sneaking into Act 1 Scene 2 were all people who missed your completely useless old thymey road sign. read more

I am not a huge fan of Shakespeare but I am a huge fan of local theater companies many of which are a labor of love. . We enjoyed the setting and the play (Henry V). Granted this is not the Royal Shakespeare Company, but I think they did a great job with the resources they have, the set was impressive and the players were enthusiastic. Agree with previous reviewer that accents were not the best, but that is no reason to slam the production. It was not perfect but it was an enjoyable evening, in a beautiful setting at a very reasonable price. Sanborn Park is a lovely setting for a pre-show picnic. . Tickets are ridiculously inexpensive and kids under 17 are free but would only take older kids who can sit still for a couple of hours. Also, bring warm clothing it got quite chilly when the sun went down. Support live theater...yeah!! read more

Nice picnic and an outdoor theater. What a great combination!! It's only a few miles drive from where I am too. Both plays this summer (Much Ado About Nothing and The Merchant of Venice) were very enjoyable. They have blanket rental if you get too cold in the evening, free hot drinks, clean bathrooms. They let you take pictures too as long as you use no flash. This will be my "must go" events every summer from now on!! read more

My review is more for actors looking for a Shakespeare company to audition for: Shady Shakes is an amazing company run by professional and fun people! They have their regular group of people who act every season, but they love seeing new blood! I was a first timer last summer and they made me feel very welcomed. I loved my directors, Angie Higgins and Doll Piccotto, and their concepts. They rehearse in San Jose and perform in this beautiful park in Saratoga. A stage is built every season, so its not like other Shakespeare in the Park gigs where you pick a tree and say "Let's perform here!" It gets really cold at night, even in the summer, and sometimes even rains! That comes with performing outdoors. If that doesn't scare you, then I say go for it! SSTC people know their Shakespeare and are a blast to work with! I totally recommend them for your Shakespeare fix! :) read more

Silicon Valley Shakespeare - Ross Harkness as King Lear with Lucinda Dobinson as Goneril in King Lear, 2012 - Performing Arts Near Me - San Jose, California

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GO SEE A PLAY IN THE REDWOODS AT NIGHT! PRIDE & PREJUDICE This was one heck of a good play, such a professional performance, great acting, great location at Sanborn Park out in the redwoods in the Saratoga hills, beyond Mountain Winery and just past Saratoga Springs resort.. Bring your own picnic, eat it before the play, and enjoy your own wine or buy your own beverages during the show. I just can't believe the quality of the production for such a small handful of cash. Like others say, the temperature is just right at 7pm, but will be cool in the 60s by 9, so bring a jacket. The mosquitos are out, but a hand waving fan will do the trick, and they are much more scarce and less bothersome in August than in June or July, so you shouldn't need bug spray. The place was tricky to find, but not really. They have great bold signage leading up to the Sanborn Park Entrance. But once you enter the park (pay $6 to park), turn right immediately after the yield sign. Park in the lot, then look for the stage walkway at the end of the lot by the handicapped parking area. This is a play for all ages. Even kids as young as 10 were enjoying it. THIS IS A MUST SEE, and I'm sure Othello is too. read more

Went to see Shakespeare in Hollywood last Thursday night. It was a fab production - the group I went with especially enjoyed the performances of the actors who played Oberon and Puck-- though the entire cast was really terrific. Comedy among the redwoods and under the stars - what more could a body ask for. Wine, you say? It's available at the concession stand. :-) read more

The Shady Shakespeare Company (SSC) is known to be a fun family night out .But I'd pass this botched version of Henry V featuring un-miked actors speaking Shakespearean English and Shakespearean English with really awful French accents. Fortunately it will be followed by a peppy "Mid-Summer Night's Dream" soon. In this Dream, you can watch people in animal costumes making fools of themselves (in the name of love) live instead of on TV. Look for tickets to these venues and many others on Artsopolis.com, a website for half-price tickets to local arts and entertainment. read more

We had really high hopes for this play. We've been to tons of Shakespeare plays by FTEShakes (http://www.fteshakes.org) both in Sunnyvale and Los Gatos and have always came away impressed by the quality of acting, production, direction and overall awesomeness that has come to signify Shakespeare plays and the passion for drama and acting from every ensemble in the Bay Area. When I first heard about Silicon Valley Shakespeare performing "Antony and Cleopatra" in Sanborn County Park in Saratoga, under the stars amidst a grove of redwood trees, I was thrilled. We got to the venue and were even more impressed by the setup. Nicely appointed concession stands, friendly volunteers, red colorful flags leading the way to the stage, cushy chairs arranged nicely in the middle of the grove, beautiful stage props designed to look like real-life Egypt and Rome. We settled down for a performance that we were hoping would blow our minds. Unfortunately, it was not to be. 1. Due to unfortunate circumstances, the actor playing the main part of Antony could not perform. It's great that another actor was able to take up the role at such short notice. We really appreciated that. We were told he had only 1 day to practice his lines. But we did not anticipate having to watch the entire 3-hour play with Marc Antony reading ALL his lines from a book. ON STAGE. It was a jarring experience to say the least. We're not sure why there wasn't an understudy for one of the two main characters in the play. In such cases, it would have been better to cancel the performance than to have the audience sit through a script reading. 2. Several times, roaring planes flew overhead and the actors continued to speak their lines. We could not hear a word of what was being said. We've been to numerous plays before where the actors all freeze in place until the planes and any other unexpected loud noisy vehicles have passed. 3. There was a lot of running around towards the end, with just a 30 second or 1 min dialogue / monologue on stage. This could have been directed better to be more coherent. The reasons we stayed to watch till the end: 1. Cleopatra was excellent. She brought beauty, passion, conviction, love, humor, tragedy and great acting chops to her performance. She was the main reason we stayed till the end. 2. The music, set design, props and costumes were well done and brought the play to life. read more

Bravo! The performance of Othello offered passionate, thoroughly enjoyable performances by all of the main characters. Some of the minor characters might have been less impressive, but I found them charming, nonetheless. Side note - look for a creative use of ties... Their snack bar was pretty good, too, even selling wine to the delight of many. Picnicking in your seats was welcomed as well. The only annoyance was the mosquitoes, effectively managed with a fan. Thoroughly Enjoyable !!!! read more

I watched Shady Shakespeare's Othello and it's a lovely performance! The acting is engaging, heartfelt, and, in certain scenes, comedic. The costumes and stage are beautiful and creative. The outdoor theater is cool (remember to wear bug spray though). And there are of course yummy concessions. Shady Shakespeare's performances are a great summertime experience! read more

You may not think you'd enjoy a Shakespearean play because you fear you would not be able to understand what the actors are saying and what is going on.....but Shady Shakespeare's productions destroy that theory. The actors are phenominal - they speak their lines with such skill and expression, that you can't help but understand exactly what is going on. The venue is magnificent -- an outdoor theatre in Saratoga's Sanborn Park. Their latest production, "Pericles", is a masterpiece. Shady Shakepeare got extremely creative and interwove a space theme into the play. Throughout the play were references to almost all of the major space movies of our time....Jedi knights fighting with light sabres; actors dressed in outfits from Star Wars and Star Trek; and......well, I do not want to ruin any more of the surprises. Get your tickets now! Don't miss this one. read more

Fabulous performance of Othello! Loved to hate Iago, charmed and drawn in by Desdemona, and riveted by the passionate portrayal of general Othello. Enjoyed impeccably delivered scene by Emilia about the roles of husbands and wives that shows how forward-thinking Shakespeare really was. We laughed, we gasped, and we ached for the characters. Sanborn Park was the perfect outdoor venue for our pre-show picnic and a beautiful backdrop for this performance. So happy to have discovered Shady Shakespeare so close to home! We'll be back! read more

Fun event. Saw Pride and Prejudice. Very lovely evening in the woods with minimal bugs. The cast did well and worked well together (kudos to the substitute Mr. Collins). Elizabeth Bennett did not deliver the breadth of feeling necessary to make the play work and, as someone who loves the story of P&P, I was disappointed in her performance. Maybe it was an off night. We loved the use of modern music though it jolts you at first when you hear it. Go and have a good time! read more

Saw the performance of Pericles tonight. What an unbelievable surprise! Nothing stodgy about this performance. The company paired the somewhat tawdry story with my favorite SciFi TV characters from days gone by. Laugh out loud funny. Modern sensibility.... this must have been the way the Bard did it the first time around! read more

This is a review of opening performance of Shady Shakespeare's "12th Night" in the grassy amphitheater of San Jose/Willow Glen's Bramhall Park on July 5, 2013. First - note this is a facility that has been completely un/under-used for the 15+ years we've lived nearby. Big kudos for the City of San Jose & Councilman Oliverio for getting the re-electrification and irrigation of this valuable area funded and completed. It should host many, many great community events for years to come. I'd give the venue 4.5 stars. The first night attendance was excellent, perhaps 200 plus or minus. The grassy slope was well populated by audience, but not over-packed. Several times, I looked at the beautiful starry night and redwood tree backdrop and was just amazed that I was in a big city. The occasional police helicopter flyby, buses, and even fireworks did not interfere with the performance. A few well-mannered dogs even attended with their families. Atmosphere was excellent - very welcoming Shakespeare Company, concessions, etc. Nothing was unreasonably priced and they only sought donations for the Company at the conclusion of the performance. Bravo! I've attended some indoor Shakespeare in England and US, but never an outdoor production, so have to adapt my judgment to this far more minimal & challenging setting. The performance of "12th Night" had it's bright spots and show-casing of developing talent, but overall seemed spotty to me. Some fun contemporary adaptations, yet overall stayed true to the original script. Still, the overall spectacle of passionate young actors working their craft with minimal staging, sets, and props was delightful. Impressive projection of voices with no electronic assistance. Can't say the overall theatrical result was more than slightly above average. This will run through July 21, so I bet there will be improvements. I hope to give it a second viewing. Recommend to all attendees to read up a bit on the plot line and characters as it helps to follow the performance. Fun to see so many attendees bring their appetizers, salads, and wine to enhance the overall experience. Understand there will be food trucks starting with this week's performances (Thurs - Sun), should be very nice addition to the experience. Last comment, I do not recommend this performance for young children unless they are the most ardent theater fans or can use the lovely environment to just take a nice snooze next to their parents. Surely there will be better entertainment for the young-uns in the future. 4 Stars for the overall experience. 4.5 for the venue, 3.5 for the performance. read more

We have been members of Silicon Valley Shakespeare (and their predecessor Shady Shakespeare) for about 4 years now after attending based on a mailed flyer. Wow, these guys are fun. First, the people in the organization are great. From the actors to the directors, dramaturg, various staff members and patrons within the cities of Saratoga and San Jose, We have spent time with them at various events put on by the organization. But, of course, the play's the thing, and these plays are very well done. They don't have Broadway budgets for sets and costumes...and they don't need that. They use creativity and ingenuity to have sets that can work, with a few sleights of hand, for two simultaneous shows. The acting is anywhere from good to fabulous. We have yet to be disappointed with any performance we've seen, whether at Sanborn Park, Willow Glen or one of the indoor theatres. So, this is not about any one performance, but a comment on the troop as a whole. We'll be back again next year. Cheers. read more

Thoroughly enjoyed the Shady Shakespeare Theater COmpany's production of A Midsummr Night's Dream. 1. Sanborn Skyline is a beautiful park with babbling brooks, extremely tall redwoods, open meadows, picnic area - very serene. 2. Enjoying Shakespeare in a casual outdoor environment was great fun. The kids in the audience got most of the jokes and laughed along with the adults. 3. The scenery was very creative. 4, The troupe had great energy, great rapport with each other and the audience. 5.It was nice to support local theater. Bring a jacket + maybe even a blanket; wear sneakers to walk the short distance on uneven terrain; bring a picnic dinner with hot chocolate in a thermos. read more

This review is for the Shakespeare in the park play at willow street park. My family and I were enjoying the shade in the hill at the park, like we've been doing for the past 20 years, due to the very hot weather, the kids were playing soccer and throwing the football around, when we saw people setting up for the play. And to be honest they didn't seem very nice or welcoming, they never approached us, or even looked at us. We had no idea what it was. Would of loved to stay and watch, but we didn't feel comfortable. There was an old guy wearing a hat and green shirt with a big woman, I'm guessing his daughter, who was wearing a purple shirt. They looked at our kids and we're whispering things. The kids (3, 9, 11 years old )felt harassed. They even stopped playing soccer and said they wanted to go to the playground. I was very disappointed I couldn't believe those people were being so rude to a 3 year old. Come on! I've never felt more uncomfortable! Weather they know it or not we felt their hate towards us. So unless your skin is light don't bother, you're obviously not welcomed there. Again this is for the play June 23rd, 2018 at the willow street park. I hate that our kids have to witness and go through traumatic events like this in the year 2018. We've always known the willow glen community to be nondiscriminatory, but today was disturbing. read more

What a wonderful production of Pride and Prejudice! It's one of my favorite books, and I was curious how it would be staged. My daughters 13 and 10 are less familiar with the story, but enjoyed it very much. My elder felt the musical selections were exceptionally witty (she recognized the Lady Gaga and Coldplay songs I missed). My younger felt it was well-cast and all the actors did a great job. She especially enjoyed Kitty. Wonderful theater in a beautiful venue. We will certainly be back. read more

I loved the show. "Shakespeare in Hollywood" was funny, well cast and it moved fast. The location was wonderful - outside in a wooded area. The tickets are reasonably priced ($15 a seat). A glass of wine (souvenir glass included is only $10). So why not five stars? One reason; the 10-12 year old kid who sat (actually stood) in front of our seats for the majority of the show. We couldn't see. His parents were both there and they never once asked/told him to sit down or even consider the people behind him. How is the the shows fault? Because that kid, who took up a full seat (even though he stood and obstructed our view) was not even paying for his seat. I can groove with the idea of making Shakespeare free for kids and all, but he shouldn't have the right to block our (paid for) view when simple manners would have easily remedied the situation. The theater company needs to charge kids, so that maybe their parents will value the seats and space their kids take up. read more

What a gem this show is. We caught Sherlock Holmes in the grove at Sanborn County Park. The actors were wonderful. We did not know what to expect with so many Sherlock Holmes adventures, but loved the story. We really enjoyed the evening, with a picnic before and a great play on a summer evening in the trees. read more

We thoroughly enjoyed the public performance of Cybershakes, the third annual 48-hour theatre festival produced by Silicon Valley Shakespeare in collaboration with the Foothill College Theatre Arts Department last night. From the quality to the accessibility, creativity and laughter, the evening was not to be missed. It certainly inspired the latent actor and director in me. I can't wait for next year's festival, be it from the audience or on stage! Bravo, SV Shakes, bravo! For more information, visit https://www.svshakespeare.org/cybershakes/ read more

We saw A Midsummer Night's Dream last night. All my kids were laughing. Great introduction to Shakespeare. Great entertainment. Great value. read more

My sister and I went to the production of Pride & Prejudice last night and we loved it! Being a fan of the book and BBC version I knew it would be good but wasn't sure how they would adapt it to a play. It was an amazing show and even though I love the original music played in that time period, the use of the strings only versions of popular songs was very cute and were placed according to the storyline (Christina Perri's song A Thousand Years, was my favorite!) The bugs were few and I am glad I upgraded to the padded seats. Next time I will get there early so I get the front row and middle so as to get the best view. The restrooms were clean and newly renovated and the confession stand very cute. The drive to the park was not bad but there was a part where they are doing construction and one side is closed and you may get stuck at a light on the hill for up to 5 minutes because only one set of cars can use the one lane road at a time. Kinda scary, so be patient and wait for it. I had a problem with my original date I had tickets for and Ambera was great with helping me out with that! All in all, it was a great night and at a great price! I would love to come back for more productions in the future :). read more

I've been to ~5 performance of theirs now and have loved every single one. They put on great shows at a great price (sometimes, even free!). It's a fabulous cast/staff that puts on their unique spin, while staying true to the classics. Highly, highly, highly recommended. Their shows are free for kids/teens with an adult, so it's a great way to introduce your younger ones to theatre without a big investment. read more

We've been attending Shady Shakespeare's performances for several years. This year we were privileged to attend "The Taming of the Shrew" in San Jose and last night's performance of "Pride and Prejudice" at Sanborn Park. Our family party of six women had a wonderfully enjoyable evening. HIGHLY recommended!! read more

Watched Othello last night. We were most impressed by the strong closing scenes. We also agree on the creative use of ties :-)