Shakespeare in the parks returns to Montreal with Black-led Winter's Tale through mid-August

Théâtre Répercussion returns this summer with Shakespeare-in-the-Park, the annual tradition running since 1988 where the troupe stages a reimagined Shakespeare play in Montreal parks. This year, in partnership with Théâtre UnCanon, they present The Winter's Tale, Shakespeare's tragicomedy of jealousy and forgiveness, running July 21 through August 16 at parks across the city.

Director Lydie Dubuisson has assembled an ensemble and creative team that is entirely racisé — a deliberate choice reflecting the company's commitment to representation. The production adopts an afrofuturist aesthetic, using that visual and conceptual language to examine tyranny and its consequences, recasting Shakespeare's themes through a contemporary lens.

The production is free and performed in English with French supertitles accessible via a phone app. Performances run throughout the summer at various Montreal park locations. For those seeking more Shakespeare, Évangéline also takes the stage at Place des Arts' Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier from July 30 to August 9. Inspired by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's 1847 epic poem about the deportation of Acadians, this work was created by Caroline Cloutier and Frédérick Baron (libretto), Steve Marin (composition), and Jean-Jacques Pillet (direction). The production stars Nathalie Simard in a standout performance of the song Au nom de toutes les femmes.