Enjoy Outdoor Summer Theater

Even though some schools are back in session, Summer is definitely not over in my books! We’re still making our way through 80 and 90 degree weather in New York, and hey, I will take it! If you’re looking for more ways to enjoy the summer and fall seasons, consider outdoor theater! It often is inexpensive to produce, builds community-bonding, introduces a new audience to theater, and is a great way to publicly show the talent and value you bring to your area! Check into using a parking lot, a public park, a lavendar or animal farm, a town garden, a library yard, a school or sports field, a spacious barn, beach or a back yard. I’ve seen quite a bit of theater outside (including several of my own plays which I’ve been fortunate enough to see locally), and I always find a wonderful, endearing, exciting, lively quality. I feel audiences are more apt to talk with each other and performances are appreciated in a new way.

You can produce many plays outside with a stage and set, but I think it’s especially cool when you can let your natural setting be part of your play—and this way, there is no stage and minimal (or no) set required. Here are over fifteen (15) SHORT PLAYS EASILY PERFORMED OUTDOORS, as their natural settings are all outside already (think: parking lot, riverbed, backyard campfire, forest…).

And if you’re looking for a solo piece that fits into the outdoors or summer-into-fall theme, check out these SUMMER MONOLOGUES. These either take place outside or have a bit of summer built into them and span ages and genres (ice cream, beach, the woods at night).