The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival Postpones Summer Production

The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival announced today that will postpone the summer production of The Tempest (originally scheduled for June 16 - July 5 in Southmoreland Park) until the summer of 2021.

According to Sidonie Garrett, executive artistic director for the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, "We did not make this decision lightly, but as Kansas City deals with issues related to the COVID-19 virus, we were faced with immediate challenges like uncertainty about the availability of space to create the production, guidelines regarding safe public gatherings this summer, and other logistical issues involved in successfully producing a performance."

Garrett noted that the Festival is only postponing the annual summer production. Virtual Summer Camps and other programs and events will continue in 2020. The Festival is planning to produce The Tempest in the summer 2021.

The Heart of America Shakespeare Festival was founded in 1991 by Tony-Award-winning Broadway producer Marilyn Strauss, and it launched its first season in 1993 in Southmoreland Park. Since then, more than 750,000 theatergoers from 42 states and 11 countries have enjoyed the Festival's professional productions.

Support for the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival is provided by the Neighborhood Tourist Development Fund, Missouri Arts Council, Kansas City Missouri Parks and Recreation, the ArtsKC Fund, a host of leading foundations and corporations, and hundreds of generous individuals. Information on donating to the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival and details about programs can be found at www.kcshakes.org or by calling 816.531.7728.