Shakespeare Festival makes permanent move to Ijams

Jay FitzOur Town Arts, South Knox

The Tennessee Stage Company presents its 32nd Shakespeare Festival, now renamed Knoxville Shakespeare. This season will feature Shakespeare’s renowned comedy, As You Like It, and is being produced in cooperation with Ijams Nature Center – the new permanent home for Knoxville Shakespeare. The audience will have room to spread out and observe proper social distancing while enjoying the outdoor performances.

The performances will be held in the open field in front of the Visitors Center of Ijams Nature Center, located at 2915 Island Home Avenue, 37920. There is an indoor space at Ijams where performances will move in case of rain and where the matinees will be performed. This season there will be one play in July and one in October. As You Like It opens the festival on Thursday, July 21. It continues through August 7. The next show, Measure For Measure, will open with a special Saturday opening night on October 8.

Another new aspect this season will be special preview performances. On Wednesday, July 20, As You Like It will offer a preview open to the public as a “Pay What You Can” performance. The preview will start at the regular performance time for each show.

Tickets are $15. Showtimes are Thursday – Sunday, July 21 – Aug. 7 at 7:30 p.m. House opens at 7 p.m. The July 31 indoor matinee is at 2 p.m., house opens at 1:30 p.m. Special pricing for groups of four or more and kids under 15 are free with Penny for the Arts. Ticket assistance is available. For more information, go here.

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