COMING SOON

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)
by Adam Long, Daniel Singer
     and Jess Winfield

Performances at Mundy Park

(Next to The Venue)

July 13-July 28

Every Tuesday and Wednesday at 7pm

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) may not be for everyone.  In fact, it may not be for ANYONE.  The idea that a trio of classically trained Shakespearean actors – and a spooky sock puppet -- can actually manage to capture, in just over 60 minutes, the essence of everything ever written by the greatest playwright of all time, is just little nuts.  Particularly when you realize that the only one who is classically trained is the sock puppet.  

But amazingly, this send-up of all things Bard has been wowing audiences for over 30 years.  Indeed, it has been a success for so long that the Riverfront Playhouse is doing the REVISED script by Adam Long, Daniel Singer, and Jess Winfield .  Which means that even if you HAVE seen it, perhaps you HAVEN’T.  Yet.  And maybe…not even then!  

Anyway (moving right along)…our cast will be performing this play OUTSIDE, in Mundy Park, next to The Venue and just across the Water St. Mall from City Hall in Aurora.  Performances will be at 7pm on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (because all the good days were taken), July 13 to July 28 and NO TICKETS are required.  But please be WARNED: if you don’t donate something after the show, we will hunt you down and put a sign on your lawn reading “HERE RESIDES ONE CHEAP SO-AND-SO.”  

EVEN FREE, OUTDOOR THEATRE COSTS MONEY, PEOPLE!!!

(We’re kidding.  You can stiff us to your heart’s content.)  

So, if you like beautiful sonnets, tasteful soliloquies and great psychological insights – well, GOOD for you!  On the other hand, if you have ever daydreamed about the Three Stooges performing Hamlet, or Snoop Dog rapping with Romeo and Juliet, this might be your cup of tea.  

But if you pronounce it TAAAY, please STAAAY AWAAAY.   

The Riverfront Playhouse

Est. 1978

The Riverfront Playhouse has doubled it's size since its inception, and we're constantly looking for ways to make it even bigger. Through the un-flagging loyalty of our personnel and patrons, we've made it to well over 200 mainstage shows, countless children's theatre presentations, and

The Riverfront Playhouse is a 501c3 not-for-profit store front theater founded in 1978 and established under the direction of David Morris as a creative outlet for actors of all walks of life and all levels of experience to learn and hone their craft. With the very first show, UNDER THE YUM YUM TREE, which featured the talents of Gary Puckett, Christiane Morris, Dick Hawks, and Barbara Alexander, the playhouse was off and running.
 

While performing in the backroom of Max's All-American Bar, which sat on the corner of The Water Street Mall and Galena Boulevard, the actors were all crammed into a coffin-like backstage area, and were forced to do their costume changes out on the Mall behind bedspreads held up by their fellow actors and technical personnel.
 

we have remained a venue for diverse and exciting entertainment in the Western Suburbs, as well as a sort of blue-collar clubhouse for the artistic types of the Chicagoland area. Our longevity is a tribute, not only to the folks that handle the day to day grind of business, but to the audiences that have kept our doors open since 1978. A debt of gratitude is owed to all.

News & Updates

A message from the Riverfront Board of Directors:

​

Since our unexpected temporary closure in March 2020, we’ve worked hard to stay engaged with our patrons and the community we’ve been a part of for more than 40 years. We’ve experimented with outdoor productions, broadcasts of fan favorites, and even a new show performed on our stage for you to watch from the comfort of your own homes. 

Obviously nothing can replicate the experience of a live performance in a packed theatre, but we are so grateful for our fans, both longtime and new, for sticking with us while we’ve prioritized safety for our patrons and performers. Like everyone, we are looking forward to returning to normalcy and spending time doing the things we love to do. We truly could not have made it through this past year without your continued support and understanding, and we hope we’ve provided you with some of that Riverfront charm this past year, even if it wasn’t quite the same.

That being said, we are excited to announce that plans are in motion for our reopening soon! Tentatively scheduled for September, we invite everyone to join us for a new mainstage production in our freshly cleaned and painted theatre. Be on the lookout for more details on our website and social media. We look forward to seeing you again soon! Thank you for sticking with us during these crazy times, and until then, stay safe! 

Thank you.