At the edge of Aldrich Park sits a colorful, circular structure that this summer will become a locus for Shakespeare enthusiasts.

Built in 2012, the New Swan Theater fulfilled the drama department’s dream of having an outdoor venue for William Shakespeare’s plays and an Anteater company. Perennially sold out, it will commence its 12^th season next month, with performances at 8 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays from July 2 to Aug. 30.

The only one of its kind in the University of California system, New Swan Shakespeare Festival presents two plays each year. A single acting ensemble of students, alumni and guest artists is featured in both productions.

For 2025, the offerings include “Much Ado About Nothing,” directed by Eli Simon. Set in the Wild West, this Shakespearean masterpiece features dazzling wordplay, a posse of memorable characters and a live bluegrass band.

The other play is “All’s Well That Ends Well,” directed by Rob Salas. This singular tale of true love and courage brims with a timeless spirit of adventure, told in the vibrant setting of the Romantic era.

The New Swan Theater is a portable, mini-Elizabethan playhouse modeled after the Globe Theatre in London. The open-air structure weighs 15 tons and provides tiered seating for 135 patrons. Its idyllic location at the edge of Aldrich Park makes it the centerpiece of the festival, and its intimacy helps forge a dynamic bond between the actors and the audience.

New Swan Shakespeare Festival is partnered with the New Swan Shakespeare Center, which offers ongoing educational and outreach events such as Educators Day, when teachers learn effective strategies for teaching Shakespeare; First Folio Friday, when experts explain the importance of Shakespeare’s First Folio; and the UC Shakespeare Trial, where Shakespearean characters are tried by famous lawyers and the audience acts as the jury.​​

The goal of the festival and the center is to celebrate the works of Shakespeare and share the brilliance of the Bard with the community.

“We aim to bring Shakespeare’s stories to life in a way that’s meaningful to folks of all walks of life,” says Simon, New Swan’s founding artistic director. “While it’s been 400 years since these plays were written, their themes are still incredibly relevant, and they still touch people’s souls.”

For tickets and more information, go to https://newswanshakespeare.com.

About UCI’s Brilliant Future campaign: Publicly launched on Oct. 4, 2019, the Brilliant Future campaign aims to raise awareness and support for UCI. By engaging 75,000 alumni and garnering $2 billion in philanthropic investment, UCI seeks to reach new heights of excellence in student success, health and wellness, research and more. The Claire Trevor School of Arts plays a vital role in the success of the campaign. Learn more by visiting https://brilliantfuture.uci.edu/claire-trevor-school-of-the-arts/.