Free Shakespeare on the Common 2021: The Tempest

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Venue:	Boston Common
Dates:	Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sun from 7/22/21 - 8/9/21
Hours:	Hours Vary see below
In/Outdoor:	Outdoor
Cost:	Free see below
Category:	Theater & Shows

free shakespeare on the common 2021 the tempest photo

Please note: Due to COVID-19 restrictions, most large gatherings, including annual festivals, parades and concerts are cancelled or will be held virtually through Labor Day 2020. Stay tuned for more details on next year's Shakespeare on the Common performances.

One of Greater Boston's most beloved traditions, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company's “Free Shakespeare On The Common” continues it's seasonal tradition for the 25th year with William Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'.

About Shakespeare's 'The Tempest'
The Tempest is a play about magic, betrayal, love and forgiveness. It is set on an island somewhere near Italy where Prospero, the one-time Duke of Milan, and his beautiful daughter, Miranda, live with a sprite called Ariel and a strange wildman called Caliban.

2020 Schedule
Tuesday–Saturday at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm (off Mondays)
*3pm matinee on Saturday, August 1

To reserve “Friends Section” chairs ($60-$75 donation per chair) or for more information visit www.commshakes.org or call (617) 426-0863.

For Weather updates on performance nights, call the CSC weather hotline, (781) 239-5972.

Find lots more ideas on fun things to do in Boston.

Looking for more fun Boston Events in August? Check out our guide to summer fun for lots more ideas.

HOURS

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Tuesday–Saturday at 8pm, Sundays at 7pm (off Mondays)
*3pm matinee on Saturday, August 3

COST

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Free and open to the public. Reserving a chair in the newly renamed “Friends Section” is now a benefit of supporting the CSC Fund, which with grants and sponsorships makes Free Shakespeare on the Common possible. For a donation of $60-$70, the donor will receive one reserved chair in the CSC Friends Section for a performance this summer on the Boston Common and other benefits, including a discount on additional chairs.

WEBSITE

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commshakes.org/free-shakespeare-on-the-common/

LOCATION

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Boston Common, Boston, MA, 02116 map

Performances take place at the Parkman Bandstand on the Boston Common, across from the AMC Loews Boston Common Movie Theater on Tremont Street. If you are traveling via the MBTA, there are several stations located within steps of the Boston Common: Green Line (Boylston or Park Street T stops), Orange Line (Downtown Crossing or Chinatown T stops) or the Red Line (Park Street or Downtown Crossing T stops).

Parking is available in the Boston Common Garage. Be sure to pick up a discount coupon from one of the tents or from one of the ushers. These coupons, provided by the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority, extend a discount to our patrons and also direct funds to CSC. For more information visit the MCCA's website (http://massconvention.com/about-us/boston-common-garage).

TIPS

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can be easily viewed by several thousand people, but the closest seats are often taken early in the evening, so we recommend arriving early if you wish to be very close to the stage.
Shows are cancelled in cases of heavy rain or lightning storms, so audiences can check-in with the Weather Hotline (617-426-0863 ext. 7) 1 or 2 hours before the show for cancellation announcements.
If you have accessibility questions, check out the Accessibility page