Imagine spending an evening under the stars with William Shakespeare. In September each year, the Amphitheater at McKelligon Canyon presents Shakespeare on the Rock and offers several plays including Macbeth, Julius Caesar and A Mid-Summers Night Dream. The event is produced by the El Paso Association for the Performing Arts, and supported by the City of El Paso Arts Resources and the Parks & Recreations Department This is their eighth season of presenting this unique venue.
BACKSTAGE TOUR: Beginning at 7:00 p.m. you can participate in the Amphitheater backstage tour. Guests can tour the dressing rooms, scene shop, costume room and the stage’s hidden underground tunnels. Tours are limited to 25 guests and costs $2.00.
PRE-SHOW DISCUSSIONS At 7:30 p.m. the night of each performance, faculty enthusiasts from the English department at El Paso Community College preview the Shakespeare play that will follow. The audience is encouraged to participate in this lively discussion that explores the play’s plot and characters.
PERFORMANCE: The main production begins at 8:00 p.m. Because of the design and simplicity of this outdoor theater, there are no bad seats in the house. Prices range from $5.00 to $11.00. On Friday and Saturday evenings you can enjoy an Elizabethan-style Renaissance dinner from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for an additional $8.00. Dinner reservations are required. Combination Dinner/Play tickets are available.
Although we have never been lucky enough to be in El Paso at the right time to attend a performance, we toured the Amphitheater and visited with the staff there; we were shown pictures, props and costumes.
www.viva-ep.org
Shakespeare on the Rocks
McKelligon Canyon Road
El Paso, Texas
800-915-VIVA (8482)