- Time now for another community spotlight.

This time we're joined by the founder and producer of Shakespeare Under the Stars, Kathryn Bogley.

Kathryn, thank you so much for being here today.

- Tracci, thanks so much for having me.

- So, Shakespeare Under the Stars, an incredible brand new organization in the Walla Walla area.

Tell me about it.

- Yeah.

So, I studied Shakespeare in school, and I grew up doing theater in Walla Walla.

I'm from Walla Walla and I studied theater at Whitman and then at LAMDA in London, where my love for Shakespeare really grew.

And Shakespeare Under the Stars is really inspired by a theater I worked with on San Juan Island in Friday Harbor, Washington, that provides these pay what you will performances.

And we did A Midsummer Night's Dream last summer and I thought, I want to take this to Walla Walla.

I know how much this community loves the arts, and that we have so much great talent here.

So, yeah, really excited for our first summer with a Midsummer Night's Dream at Echolands Winery.

Shakespeare, under the stars, outdoors, it's kind of a meant to be kind of thing.

- Certainly.

And that's really what drew me to you guys initially, is your mission statement is cultural enrichment, obvious, accessibility and community collaboration, and your first production encompasses all of those things.

With accessibility...

So this upcoming show this weekend, it's pay as you will, as you said, whatever you can.

- Exactly.

So when people arrive, again, the dates are August 28th through 31st, September 4th through 7th at 7 p.m. at Echolands.

And when you arrive, there's no need for tickets.

It's first come, first served, and it truly is pay what you will, pay what you can.

So you know, if you have a $20 bill, that's great.

If you don't, that's fine too.

But we really appreciate those donations that people can make just because, you know, we are paying our actors.

This is a professional production, really.

And we want that professional quality theater to be accessible to all.

So, you know, a family of five, a family of ten could come, you know, for all eight performances.

And we want that financial barrier to be removed because that's how Shakespeare was intended from the beginning.

It's for everyone.

You know, in Shakespeare's time, you had royalty and you had, you know, the Groundlings who'd pay a penny to be there.

And, I don't want, you know, the cost of a ticket to prohibit anyone from coming.

It's a real celebration of community.

And, yeah, it's going to be a lot of fun.

- This is such a great thing for the community.

Another thing that you've told me, chairs are provided.

That's been a question.

- Yes, that's a question we get a lot.

There's no need to bring your own folding chairs.

Chairs are provided by us.

And then if you have, if you want to do, like, a picnic and bring a blanket, we'll have a spot for that as well.

So that you're not blocked by other chairs.

But yes, chairs are provided.

- That's wonderful.

And there is a whole range of folks who are involved in this production.

Youre Helena and there are actors from WAHI, DeSales... - Yeah.

So, I am Helena, one of the lovers who gets mixed up when a fairy, a sort of fairy intern, doesn't go with the plan and accidentally gives the wrong person a love potion.

But yeah, the cast is a really neat mix of people, including, you know, regulars from Walla Walla stages, a couple of actors from Portland, an opera singer, my cousin who's joining us.

She just came from an opera in Italy, straight here to do the show.

And then a few local students as well, which is really exciting.

And they're doing so well.

But a couple of students from WAHI and a student from DeSales, and they've said how great it is to work with these actors so they can say, ‘What was what was it like working in, you know, Italy?

Or, ‘What what does a professional audition look like outside of Walla Walla?

So I know it's been an enriching experience for them, and I also feel lucky to have them there, theyre so fabulous.

But yeah, a mix of local and visiting folks.

And we just all get along so well.

And it I think it's a good part of the magic.

- That's wonderful.

Well, congratulations to you, Kathryn, and to the whole community.

This is a huge benefit to the region.

- Thank you.

- For folks who want to learn more.

Where would they go about doing that?

- They can look at WWShakespeareUnderTheStars.com.

And that's not WWW dot.

It's WW as in Walla Walla.

So WWShakespeareUnderTheStars.com.

- Perfect.

Well break a leg.

- Thank you so much.

- Thank you.