Melissa Chalsma News

On April 30, Independent Shakespeare Co. artistic director Melissa Chalsma released the following statement to supporters, audience members, donors and the community of Los Angeles:

The 2020 Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival has been cancelled due to the health crisis. 

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), presenter of the annual Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, presents Art Break, a series of new podcasts, original short videos and music from the ISC archives. New content will be released each week in an effort to brighten everyone's days as we all navigate through this unprecedented time of staying safer at home due to COVID-19.

Independent Shakespeare Co. launches Art Break podcast:

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), producers of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, presents for A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens. This holiday season ISC recreates (with a little artistic license) the experience of a reading of A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens, given by Charles Dickens himself. Expect a performance full of the acting pyrotechnics Dickens was famous for, holiday music, wry humor, and redemption. for A Christmas Carol with Charles Dickens will perform at the ISC Studio from Wednesday, December 4 a?" Sunday, December 22 at the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, 3191 Casitas Ave., #130 in Atwater Village.

Love is lost and found again in PERICLES, one of Shakespeare's most spellbinding plays. The young Pericles sets out for adventure, but gets more than he bargains for. Twenty-five years later, it's his daughter's turn to sail the high seas as she seeks to unravel the mystery of her birth. 

Summer is the best time of year to get out and see a Shakespeare play, especially in Southern California. Whether it's under the stars, staged in a unique performance space, or revived in a traditional theater, you can't go wrong when it comes to the world's greatest writer. Here's what we've currently got on our radar. Go see a show!

This summer Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC) presents the rarely-performed epic Pericles at the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, directed by ISC Co-Founder and Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma. Pericles will begin previews on Saturday, July 27 at 7pm, will open on Saturday, August 3 at 7pm and perform through Friday, August 30 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public! Pericles is the second of two productions being presented at this year's Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival. Twelfth Night is currently playing and will run in repertory through September 1.

This summer Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC) presents the romantic comedy Twelfth Night at the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, directed by ISC Co-Founder and Managing Director, David Melville. Twelfth Night will begin previews on Saturday, June 29 at 7pm, will open on Saturday, July 6 at 7pm and perform through Sunday, September 1 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public!  Twelfth Night is the first of two productions being presented at this year's Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival. Pericles begins Saturday, July 27 and will run in repertory with Twelfth Night.

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC) returns to the Old Zoo at Griffith Park for the 2019 season of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival with two plays by William Shakespeare performed in repertory: Twelfth Night directed by David Melville and Pericles directed by Melissa Chalsma. ISC is thrilled to return to the Old Zoo for the 16th season of presenting free Shakespeare in Los Angeles Parks! The Old Zoo is located in Griffith Park near the intersection of Crystal Springs Drive and Griffith Park Drive.

Taking its cue from Orson Welles' 1937 Mercury Theatre production of JULIUS CAESAR, Independent Shakespeare Co. exercises its exceptional ability to adapt one of Shakespeare's massive works for an intimate indoor setting without giving up any of the play's scope or impact. 

Independent Shakespeare Co. (ISC), presenters of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival and recipients of the 2018 Paul Robeson Award by Actors' Equity Foundation and Actors' Equity Association, announce the annual festival celebrating theater, iambic lab, beginning Saturday, February 2 and running through Sunday, February 17 at the ISC Studio in the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, 3191 Casitas Ave., #130 in Atwater Village.

INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. (ISC), producers of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, presents A CHRISTMAS CAROL WITH CHARLES DICKENS. This holiday season ISC recreates (with a little artistic license) the experience of a reading of A CHRISTMAS CAROL WITH CHARLES DICKENS, given by Charles Dickens himself.

INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. has been named the 2018 recipient of the PAUL ROBESON AWARD by Actors' Equity Foundation and Actors' Equity Association. The award was presented at the Association's National Membership Meeting in Los Angeles on October 15, 2018.

Independent Shakespeare Co.(ISC), presenters of the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival announce the world premiere of interdisciplinary artist Kalean Ung's original solo work, LETTERS FROM HOME, directed by Marina McClure, with music by Chinary Ung. LETTERS FROM HOME will play October 26 - November 18 at Independent Studio in the Atwater Crossing Arts + Innovation Complex, 3191 Casitas Ave., #130 in Atwater Village.

TITUS ANDRONICUS is one of Shakespeare's bloodiest tragedies. Characters are stabbed, beheaded, mutilated, raped, baked in a pie, and one is even buried up to his neck and left to die. At first glance it may not sound like an obvious choice for families who attend the Griffith Park Free Shakespeare Festival, and it definitely isn't one for 'the youngest audience members' as the website says. But the play's extreme violence does present a unique opportunity for parents to talk to their teens about revenge and the futility of starting down its destructive path.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents the dark spectacle, TITUS ANDRONICUS as the second show of its GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, featuring David Melville as Titus and directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma. Celebrating the 15th anniversary season of free Shakespeare in Los Angeles City Parks, TITUS ANDRONICUS will begin previews at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, July 28 at 7pm and will open on Saturday, August 4 at 7:00pm and perform through Sunday, September 1 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  All ISC Summer Shakespeare productions are FREE to the public!  TITUS ANDRONICUS is the second of two productions being presented at this year's GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL. A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM is currently playing and will run in repertory through September 2. 

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents the dark spectacle, TITUS ANDRONICUS at the GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL featuring David Melville as Titus and directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma. Celebrating the 15th anniversary season of free Shakespeare in Los Angeles City Parks, TITUS ANDRONICUS opened at THE GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL on Saturday, August 4 at 7:00pm and will perform through Sunday, September 1 at the Old Zoo in Griffith Park.  

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents the dark spectacle, TITUS ANDRONICUS at the GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL featuring David Melville as Titus and directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma.

This summer INDEPENDENT SHAKESPEARE CO. presents the dark spectacle, TITUS ANDRONICUS at the second show of its GRIFFITH PARK FREE SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, featuring David Melville as Titus and directed by Independent Shakespeare Co.'s Artistic Director, Melissa Chalsma.