Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s King Lear opens Wednesday. A look at this rite of Boston summer, by the numbers.
Today there are 139 outdoor Shakespeare theaters in the country. Commonwealth Shakespeare Company’s free performances on the Common began in 1997 with Romeo and Juliet.
King Lear runs July 22 to August 9 at the Common’s Parkman Bandstand, with performances Tuesdays through Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 7 p.m., and a Saturday matinee August 8 at 3 p.m.
85,000 — number of audience members expected over the run
15% — percentage of the Boston Common audience expected to be seeing Shakespeare for the first time
Advertisement
$29.99 — cost of a folding camp chair at Home Depot
93-98 — people required to put on a performance, including 3 park rangers and 10 to 15 volunteers
80 — number of costume changes throughout a performance (one actor plays five characters in six costumes)
248 — number of lighting instruments on the set
35 — number of people who help clean up after the show
20 — time needed to pick up all the trash after a show
“All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” —Jaques in Shakespeare’s As You Like It
Sources: Commonwealth Shakespeare Company; celebrateboston.com; cityofboston.gov; Home Depot