For 30 seasons, Shakespeare on the Sound has transformed Pinkney Park into Rowayton’s beloved waterfront theater.
Nestled in picturesque Pinkney Park in Rowayton, with rolling grassy hills that create a natural amphitheater, actors rehearse lines while a builder hammers in the last nail to construct the stage. As locals stroll through and make their way down to the Five Mile River, which laps at the park’s border, they peer curiously as the theater takes shape. Opening night is drawing near for the cast and crew of Much Ado About Nothing by William Shakespeare, marking the 30th year of productions by the local organization Shakespeare on the Sound.
In 1996, Megan Crowley McAllister had the idea to create a local outdoor theater company. With the help of six friends, Crowley McAllister’s vision became a reality and Rowayton’s first open-air Shakespearean play was staged the very next year. In the decades that followed, Shakespeare on the Sound continued to produce a new play each year, featuring everything from Romeo and Juliet to Macbeth to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Thirty years later, productions are still held every Tuesday through Sunday evenings throughout June.
The experience of watching a play while the sun sets behind the stage and boats drift by the park is truly special. Families flock from all over Fairfield County, bringing chairs and blankets to set up on the lawn. Many also bring a picnic dinner from local favorites like Ardens, Palmers Market and Rowayton Seafood. Legs stretch out across the grass, stomachs are satiated and delightful chatter drifts across the park—until 7:30 p.m., when all becomes quiet and the play begins.
Unlike Shakespeare’s acclaimed tragedies, Much Ado About Nothing is joyful, witty and full of humor. It tells the story of two couples whose romances and misunderstandings intertwine in post-war Messina. Executive producer Aaron Simms believes audiences will be captivated by the energy. “There’s a big procession that starts the show singing the Italian national anthem, which is a celebration of life, celebration of victory, celebration of good times—allowing us to set the stage for a brand new romance,” he says. “There’s some villainous, treasonous people that get snuffed out along the way. But that is the beauty: that love and joy conquer all through the show.”
Shakespeare on the Sound is dedicated to making the works of its namesake accessible for everyone, especially young people. To create shows more manageable for young children while still giving them the same experience in the park, the company’s apprentice program puts on abridged performances at 6:00 p.m., before the full show runs. “It’s a great performance as an introduction to young people, but also a great refresher for adults who may not be so familiar with the play we’re doing in the evening,” Simms says. These events are also shorter in length and can even be enjoyed as light entertainment before a sunset stroll through historic Rowayton.
The passion and hard work of the theater company doesn’t stop when June comes to an end. After the set has been broken down for the summer, the lighting rig has been taken apart and the Much Ado lawn posters dotting Rowayton yards have been put away, Shakespeare on the Sound takes its mission indoors—typically, into classrooms around Connecticut and even New York. Art, theater and music departments invite the organization in for demonstrations and clinics. Simms takes great pride in this extension of the summer events. He believes introducing Shakespeare to young audiences is essential. “The youth are the future,” Simms says. “If we get young people to keep enjoying it and it becomes an essential part of their lives, then we do a wonderful thing for humanity by teaching empathy.”
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit https://www.shakespeareonthesound.org.