Celebrate Queer Joy: 'A Bottom's Dream' Reimagines Shakespeare in West Philly's Clark Park
July 14, 2025
The upcoming event is a vibrant, modern take on Shakespeare's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' titled 'A Bottom’s Dream,' set to run from July 23-27, 2025, at Clark Park in West Philadelphia.
This production is distinguished by its creative reinterpretation, leveraging the public domain status of Shakespeare's work and its lack of stage directions to offer a fresh, innovative experience.
Visitors can explore nearby attractions such as markets and zoos in the Allentown and Wilmington areas, making it a great outing for families and tourists.
For additional Shakespearean entertainment, the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival at DeSales University will feature performances of 'Hamlet' and 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead' throughout July.
Produced by Shamus McCarty, the outdoor performance will feature a diverse cast, including a drag queen as the fairy queen, celebrating queer joy and gender diversity without focusing on trauma.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Shakespeare in Clark Park, which has a long-standing tradition of presenting Shakespeare's works in innovative and engaging ways.
The production of 'A Bottom’s Dream' will include a seven-member cast and a community chorus, with audiences encouraged to bring blankets and picnics to enjoy the outdoor setting.
In Wilmington, Delaware Shakespeare is presenting a bilingual, musical version of 'Twelfth Night,' titled 'Twelfth Night, O Lo Que Quieras,' running from July 17 to August 3, 2025, at Rockwood Park.
Summary based on 1 source
Get a daily email with more Theatre stories
Source

Billy Penn at WHYY • Jul 14, 2025
Summer silliness with Shakespeare is on tap at Clark Park, and across region