Free Shakespeare in the Park

September 4

Penny pinchers with refined taste in theater will be delighted to learn about Free Shakespeare in the Park, where seasoned professionals offer Shakespeare to the masses during nine performances in San Francisco's historic Presidio.

This year's play is Two Gentlemen of Verona, directed by Kenneth Kelleher, known for his "arresting visual style and use of music and dance." Saturdays, the show is at 7:30 p.m.; Sundays it's at 2:30 p.m.

Free Shakespeare in the Park was the first program created by the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival, a nonprofit organization based in the city. Since debuting in 1983 in Golden Gate Park, the program has expanded to various Bay Area locations with performances over the course of two months every summer.

The backdrop of this year's San Francisco performances is the Presidio, one of the largest parks in San Francisco, and one of the very oldest, dating back to the Spanish missionaries of the 1700s. Park visitors will notice the historic cannons and old military buildings, along with beautiful views of the city and Golden Gate Bridge from nearby viewpoints.