KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Toting coolers, Shakespeare fans descended on Southmoreland Park in Kansas City, Missouri, on Tuesday evening for a special opening night.
"We've been in this spot for 14 years, and so we come early so we can get our spot," Bridget Stewart, a patron said.
Stewart and her friends were the first to walk through the gates of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival that's making a comeback after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic.
"It’s actually beautiful, it’s hot, but welcome to Kansas City," Tony Lewis, another patron said.
They brought plenty of ways to stay hydrated to enjoy the Bard's work.
"We've got a cooler with lots of waters and tea and things to keep us refreshed, and some little wet rags with some lavender oil," Cindi Marten, another patron said. "So, we'll be fine. We've been out in the heat before."
At Ragusa's Italian Cafe food truck, when chef Bobby Panos wasn't making Italian crepes, he and his staff were doling out sweet treats to patrons.
"We’re known for our imported Italian cannoli, and they are of course served cold, so that's a nice little snack if you want something to keep you like cool for a moment," Panos said.
He remembers coming to the Shakespeare Festival as a boy.
As it celebrates its 30th anniversary, the festival is performing "Romeo and Juliet."
"Once we get rolling, we get caught up in telling this story moment to moment, beat to beat and action to action. The language of Shakespeare," Evan Cleaver, the actor playing Romeo, told KSHB 41 News. "There's no time for me to think about heat."
Jess Andrews, the actress playing Juliet, also weighed in on dealing with the heat.
"But you know what, we push through, and luckily, the audience is far enough away so they can't see my glistening skin," Andrews said.
Additionally, because the stage sits low, once the sun sets it cools down quick so the audience can seep in the message of this popular play.
"This story about families who can't get along. But at the end, do you see what the end result can be, we might all be reminded how great it would be if we could just get along better," Sidonie Garrett, the executive artistic director of the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, said.
The Shakespeare festival goes on every Tuesday through Sunday evening at Southmoreland Park.
Gates open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m.
Their last performance is set for July 3.
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