Stone Soup Shakespeare Performs “Julius Caesar” In Nashville

“Et Tu, Brute?” Intrigue and murder in ancient Rome were the bread and butter (or perhaps, bread and circuses) of the actors of Stone Soup Shakespeare, when they performed “Julius Caesar” at Memorial Park in Nashville on Thursday, May 11.

By Alex Haglund

Stone Soup Shakespeare, a touring acting company that brings “Shakespeare in the Park” performances to communities around the Midwest came to Nashville for the seventh year, this time bringing their rendition of “Julius Caesar” to the pavilion across the creek at Nashville Memorial Park on the evening of Thursday, May 11.

Prior to the performance, the troupe put on a Shakespeare workshop for English classes at NCHS, on Wednesday, May 10, as they have done in previous years. Many NCHS students attended the Thursday night performance, which was put on by the Washington County Arts Council in cooperation with the Nashville Public Library.

The cast included Justin Broom, Miquela Cruz, Josh Pennington, Julia Stemper and Theo Zucker, and the play was directed by Eric Mercado. A special addition to the cast for the evening was graduating NCHS Senior Josie Campbell, who will be majoring in Drama in college next year, and who played a member of Caesar’s entourage (who was tragically murdered by the conspirators).

More information on Stone Soup Shakespeare can be found on their website at www.stonesoupshakespeare.com, their Facebook page, or on Snapchat where they are @stonesoupshakes

Shakespeare in the park was just the first event put on by the Washington County Arts Council for this summer. The summer “Concerts in the Park” will begin soon – the first one, featuring the NCHS Music Department, at the same spot in the park (the pavilion stage across the creek), on Thursday, June 1.

The other musical performances on tap for the summer concert series are below. All times are from 6 to 8 p.m., on Thursday evening, unless otherwise noted.

• June 8 – Restoration Band and 33AD

• June 15 – George Portz and Bluegrass Friends

• June 22 – County Road Cruizers

• June 29 – Kaskaskia River Brass

• TUESDAY, July 4 – Beaucoup Bottom Band, Performance by the Memorial Park Tennis Courts, from 7 p.m. until time of fireworks

• July 6 – DC Cusanelli (One Man Band)

• July 13 – 144th Army IL National Guard Band

• July 20 – Threshermen