In 1994, Rochester Community Players started a Shakespeare Program at the New Life Presbyterian Church on Monroe Avenue with a production of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night as part of its regular season of plays. (Twelfth Night was also the first play by Shakespeare produced by RCP in 1936.) Since July 1997, RCP has presented a free Shakespeare in the Park summer production co-sponsored by the Monroe County Parks Department at the Highland Park Bowl. Plays by Shakespeare have also been performed as part of the Rochester Community Players seasons at the Multi-use Community Cultural Center (MuCCC) on Atlantic Avenue in Rochester, N.Y., since 2010.
Previous Productions
Winter 2024
MuCCC
February 2-10, 2024
Directed by David Kensek
Summer 2023
Highland Park Bowl
July 13 – 29, 2023
Directed by Jonathan Lowery
Winter 2023
Twelfth Night
MuCCC
February 3 – 12, 2022
Directed by John Jaeger
Summer 2022
Antony & Cleopatra
Highland Bowl
July 2022
Directed by Carl del Buono
Fall 2021
Much Ado About Nothing
MuCCC
October 2021
Directed by Carl del Buono
Summer 2021
The Tempest
Highland Bowl
July 2021
Directed by Luane Davis Haggerty
Fall 2019
The Comedy of Errors at MuCCC
November 2019
Directed by John Gaehring
Summer 2019
Macbeth at Highland Bowl
July 2019
Directed by Jean Gordon Ryon
Summer 2018
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
July 2018 at Highland Bowl
Directed by Virginia Monte
The Two Gentlemen of Verona @ the Highland Bowl was nominated for “Best Local Theater Production of 2018 (at a Community Space)” in the Best of Rochester Awards.
Fall 2017
Coriolanus
November 10–18, 2017 at MuCCC
Directed by John Jaeger
Summer 2017
July 14–29, 2017 at Highland Bowl
Directed by Maria Scipione
As You Like It @ the Highland Bowl was named “Best Local Theater Production of 2017 (at a Community Space)” in the Best of Rochester Awards.
Fall 2016
Hamlet (directed by Peter Scribner) in repertory with
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard (directed by Jean Gordon Ryon)
October 28–November 19, 2016 at MuCCC
Review in Rochester City Newspaper.
Summer 2016
Romeo & Juliet
July 15–30, 2016 at Highland Bowl
Directed by Virginia Monte
Co-produced with WallByrd Theatre Co
Romeo & Juliet @ the Highland Bowl was named “Best Local Theater Production of 2016 (at a Community Space)” in the Best of Rochester Awards.
Spring 2016
All’s Well That Ends Well
April 8–23, 2016 at MuCCC
Directed by Dr. Cece McFarland
Fall 2015
Henry V
November 2015 at MuCCC
Directed by Ken Dauer
Summer 2015
Henry IV, Part 1 and Henry IV, Part 2
July 2015 at Highland Bowl
Directed by Brad Craddock and Stephanie Roosa
Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2 @ the Highland Park Bowl was named “Best Local Theater Production of 2015 (Non-Musical at a community space)” in the Best of Rochester Awards.
Spring 2015
Richard II
April 2015 at MuCCC
Directed by Peter Scribner
Fall 2014
King Lear
November 2015 at MuCCC
Directed by John Jaeger
Summer 2014
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
July 2014 at Highland Bowl
Directed by Luane Davis Haggerty
Read the preview from Rochester City Newspaper.
Read the review from playshakespeare.com.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream @ the Highland Bowl was named “Best Local Theatrical Production of 2014” in the Best of Rochester Awards.
Spring 2014
The Winter’s Tale
April 2014 at MuCCC
Directed by Virginia Monte
Read the review from Rochester City Newspaper.
Fall 2013
Julius Caesar
November 2013 at MuCCC
Directed by Peter Scribner
Read the review from Rochester City Newspaper.
Summer 2013
Twelfth Night
July 2013 at MuCCC
Directed by Brad Craddock
Read the review from Rochester City Newspaper.