Pictured: Allison Strickland as Cleopatra and Lyam White as Antony. Photo by Melizabethe Photography.

Romance! Drama! Shakespeare! It’s ‘Antony and Cleopatra’ performed in Burien’s Dottie Harper Park this Saturday night, July 30th, starting at 7 p.m.!

Come enjoy Shakespeare’s beautiful telling of one of history’s greatest and most ill-fated romances in one of B-Town’s best parks (located at SW 146th and 4th Ave SW). It’ll be performed in the wooded area next to the Burien Community Center parking lot.

Here’s the synopsis:

It is two years after the death of Julius Caesar and a new Caesar, Octavius, is coming into his own. Aging Mark Antony, one of the three rulers of Rome, lives a lavish life of passion and indulgence with Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. As Octavius and Rome pressure him to return to his duties, Antony and Cleopatra struggle to keep their own power while sharing a passion that tests their allegiances and begs the question, “What is life without love?”

Produced by Greenstage and Directed by Patrick Bentley, this performance will feature:

• Wilson Carpenter
• Matthew Gilbert
• Jalyn Green
• Kyle McAuley
• Geoff Ramler
• Caleb Slavens
• Allison Strickland
• Daniel Stoltenberg
• Bryan Sullivan
• Kate Sumpter
• Mckenna Turner
• Lyam White
• Amy Williams

A ‘Summer Preview Party, Fundraiser and Performance’ will be held at Burien’s The Production Shop this Saturday, May 21st from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., featuring GreenStage’s Shakespeare in the Park.

“Fine dining and theater experience in Burien! This Saturday! For a great cause,” said Jeff Taylor on our Facebook Page. “GreenStage brings Shakespeare in the Park to our own Dottie Harper Park each summer. Please join us for a great night in supporting this non-profit organization that Burien benefits from each year!”

Here are the details:

WHAT: SUMMER PREVIEW PARTY, FUNDRAISER and PERFORMANCE!

WHEN: This Saturday, May 21, 2011 from 6 to 9pm.

WHERE: The Production Shop, located at 14634 9th Ave SW in Burien.

INFO: From GreenStage’s website:

Join us for a special evening celebrating the start of our 23rd season!

• Catered meal created by chef Brandon LaVielle
• Cash bar (one drink included in admission) provided by Hattie’s Hat.
• $10 “Mystery Wall of Wine” – Every bagged bottle worth at least $10 and some much more.
• Complete 2011 Season announcement from Artistic Director Erin Day, including the title of our 2011 HARD BARD Halloween show!
• Learn about our summer shows from directors Patrick Bentley and Michael D. Blum.
• Tiny Twelfth Night – a performance of our new 4 person touring show!

TICKETS: $50 each – order online here:

Here’s more info on GreenStage from their website:

GreenStage’s mission is to inspire our audiences to engage in live theatre as part of their recreation. We wish to instill and foster in our community an appreciation for live theater, with a strong belief that theater can be enjoyed in the same spirit as a picnic or a ballgame. We make high-quality theatrical productions of Shakespeare’s plays freely accessible to all residents and visitors to Seattle and King County.

For the third year in a row, Burien Arts is sponsoring two free Shakespeare in the Park performances at Dottie Harper Park – “King John” on Saturday, July 25th and “The Comedy of Errors” on Saturday, August 1st.

Both performances will begin at 7pm.

GreenStage, the Puget Sound’s premier outdoor Shakespeare company, will be performing the plays at Dottie Harper Parks’ “bowl,” and all are welcome to bring a blanket, picnic dinner and enjoy the shows for no charge! GreenStage has been performing in regional parks for 21 years, and Burien Arts says they’re “thrilled to be able to bring such a notable theatre company to our local audience!”

The July 25th performance of “King John” offers the opportunity to see this rarely produced play in an intimate, exciting atmosphere.  In “King John,” the 13th Century has just begun and the English crown is being contested – both France and Austria are threatening war. Disagreement is at the core of a story filled with political intrigue, assassination plots, unfortunate accidents and the never-ending conflict between England and France. Combining the ruthlessness of Richard III, the antics and moral uncertainty of Hamlet and the raw familial relationships of King Lear, you may find yourself in the world of a play that seems strangely familiar.

On August 1, GreenStage returns to give Burien residents the opportunity to relish in the distressing events of a life that is not yours with “The Comedy of Errors.” Forget what you know and delight in what you see! With two pairs of identical twins wandering around the same town, misunderstandings and confusion are the order of the day. Antipholus of Syracuse travels to a foreign land to find himself well known, while Antipholus of Ephesus becomes a stranger in his own home. Shakespeare’s idealized adaptation of a farce by Plautus is a dizzying comedy classic that anyone can lose themselves within. With a gender swapped cast, this production invites you to go with what you know, trust in what you see, and believe in whatever you wish!

Burien Arts is a local non-profit with a more than forty-year history and a commitment to bring innovative and creative arts programming to local residents. In addition to sponsoring the Shakespeare in the Park performances, Burien Arts also runs the Burien Art Gallery, produces the Highline Vintage Jazz Festival and partners with other civic and non-profit organizations to ensure the arts thrive in our community.

Dottie Harper Park is located at SW 146th and 4th Ave, and all performances will take place in the park’s “bowl.” Parking is readily available in the old Burien Library parking lot.

For more information about these performances, or about Burien Arts, please contact Erin Williamson at Burien Arts, or visit their website at www.burienarts.org.