This spring, Kentucky Shakespeare is bringing The Tempest to a park near you. Or should that be an island?
Set on an enchanted island, the bard’s final play has a tropical feel, complete in this production with toe-tapping Puerto Rican bomba music. Watch it, and you may feel you’ve finally left behind the winter of our discontent (to quote another Shakespeare play).
The 2026 Shakespeare in the Parks tour runs through most of April and May. It will visit 44 parks across the metro area and venues as far away as Berea, Ky., and Richmond, Ind., as well as 20+ area schools. Thanks to presenting sponsors, each park performance is 100% free, although donations are welcome. CLICK HERE for the complete schedule—including rain locations.
Kentucky Shakespeare, the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth, announced the 66th annual free Kentucky Shakespeare Festival May 27-August 9, 2026, at the C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater in Old Louisville’s Central Park.
“We are delighted to share another exciting season of free performances in Central Park, the 66th anniversary season of your Kentucky Shakespeare Festival!” said Matt Wallace, Producing Artistic Director.
Kentucky Shakespeare, the Official Shakespeare Festival of the Commonwealth, is ready for a summer of exciting performances to celebrate their 65th annual season that will take place from May 28-August 10, 2025, at the C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater in Old Louisville’s Central Park.
Louisville’s vibrant arts scene thrives on the vision and passion of its leaders, each shaping the city’s creative landscape in unique ways. To celebrate the kick off of Audience Magazine in print, we caught up with seven trailblazing leaders of local arts organizations to explore their inspirations, challenges, and hopes for the future. From fostering community engagement to pushing the boundaries of artistic expression, these visionaries reveal what it takes to keep the arts alive and flourishing in Louisville.
Each interview is available to read or listen to in its entirety below. Enjoy and see you at a show soon!
Matt Wallace – Producing Artistic Director Kentucky Shakespeare
By G. Douglas Dreisbach
Kentucky Shakespeare may be most known for its world-class Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park, but there is so much more to the organization. The group also provides education programs for schools, public performances, and community outreach programs. In fact, it’s the most comprehensive in-school arts education provider in the commonwealth. The group serves schools throughout the region with interactive educational programming directly tied to academic standards, helping to impact student achievement. Many of the programs explore conflict resolution, empathy building, and communication in a range of settings from preschools to senior centers.
We caught up with Producing Artistic Director, Matt Wallace, to hear more about what it takes to maintain excellence in the Shakespeare space, the programs they offer, and the importance and results of how said programs benefit students in the schools they visit.
Be sure to visit KYShakespeare.com for an updated schedule of events and more information.
