Arena Players' Romeo & Juliet opens summer theatrical season at Vanderbilt Mansion

The arrival of summer brings means it’s time to enjoy the outdoor theatrical season. Arena Players opens Long Island’s version of Shakespeare in the Park, with the Bard’s great tale of violent passion and sublime love, beginning July 1. The scenic cobblestone courtyard of the Vanderbilt Mansion, with its ornate staircase and soaring balcony, provides the glorious setting for the passionate tale of the Capulets and the Montagues.

In Romeo and Juliet, “two houses, both alike in dignity…” are, nevertheless, embroiled in civil strife. Out of these warring factions emerge a beautiful young girl and a handsome young boy (Alexander Larkin as Romeo and Dana Jesberger as Juliet) with the capacity and innocence to love so deeply that they will defy their families and sacrifice their lives for each other.

Performances are Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m., through from July 31. Theatergoers are encouraged to picnic on the majestic lawns overlooking Long Island Sound before the performances.

Tickets are $15; available at (516) 293-0674 or www.arenaplayers.org.

Suffolk Vanderbilt Museum,180 Little Neck Rd., Centerport. For further information, contact the Vanderbilt Museum at (631) 854-5550.