June 2026 - Let Us Entertain You: The New Mexico Shakespeare Festival Brings Timeless Stories to Modern Audiences
- Jun 5
- 4 min read
Updated: Jul 19
For more than four centuries, William Shakespeare's plays have explored politics, power, love, betrayal, jealousy, redemption, and the complexities of the human experience. While the language may have been written in another era, the emotions remain remarkably familiar. This summer, the New Mexico Shakespeare Festival invites audiences to experience two of the Bard's most compelling works—Julius Caesar and The Winter's Tale—through fresh interpretations that prove great storytelling never goes out of style.
Presented outdoors at Albuquerque's Veterans Memorial Park, this year's festival pairs two dramatically different productions. Julius Caesar examines political ambition, loyalty, and the consequences of power, while The Winter's Tale journeys through heartbreak, forgiveness, comedy, and hope. Together, they showcase the remarkable range of Shakespeare's writing and the enduring relevance of his work.
Director Mark Comstock believes Julius Caesar continues to resonate because the questions it asks are timeless.
"I think that Julius Caesar has always been a contemporary play, no matter what decade or generation you're living in," Comstock said. "It is politics, and people are very passionate and very opinionated on that."
Rather than presenting the production as a traditional period piece filled with togas and marble columns, Comstock has chosen a visual style inspired by classic film noir. The result creates an atmosphere of suspense that places audiences in the middle of conspiracies, shifting alliances, and moral uncertainty.
"To me, this is just a story about some people in a big position with a lot of responsibility and a lot of pressure," he explained. "They're questioning some of their beliefs, their fear, their ego, and the uncertainty. I think we're all kind of living in that time right now."
The production explores more than political conflict. At its heart are individuals wrestling with impossible choices as they try to determine what is truly right.
"What should I do? What is the ultimate goal here?" Comstock asked, describing the central questions facing the characters. "At the end of the day, we see that they've lost sight of empathy, and they've lost sight of having a healthy dialogue. When we lose sight of those things, we kind of lose an idea of who we are and what we stand for."
Rather than leaving audiences with simple answers, Comstock hopes the play encourages reflection and conversation long after the final curtain.
"I'm hoping that people come away invested in just being active in the world and in our city."
While Julius Caesar explores the darker side of leadership and political ambition, The Winter's Tale, directed by Greg Pavoret, embraces the full emotional spectrum of life itself.
Often described by scholars as one of Shakespeare's romances, the play refuses to fit neatly into any single genre. It moves effortlessly between tragedy and comedy, realism and fantasy, despair and redemption.
"It's one of his late plays," Pavoret explained. "A lot of scholars like to refer to it as a romance."
For Pavoret, that balance is precisely what makes the production so relatable.
"Our lives include tragic moments, absurd moments, romantic moments, fantastical moments—and sometimes all at the same time."
Instead of viewing those tonal shifts as dramatic changes, he sees them as an honest reflection of everyday life.
"It's not that the play has to switch gears so much. It just includes all of those things."
That emotional variety allows audiences to experience a complete journey over the course of an evening.
"It's jealousy, loss, love, redemption—just all this roller coaster of emotions and life experiences," Pavoret said. "Like a good old tale, you kind of follow along and experience them as you're watching."
Rather than prescribing a specific lesson for audiences, Pavoret hopes each person discovers something unique.
"When you walk away, something might stick and you might have a great conversation in the car."
One of the festival's greatest strengths is its accessibility. While many professional Shakespeare productions require costly tickets, the New Mexico Shakespeare Festival remains one of only fourteen free Shakespeare festivals in the United States.
"Not a lot of people know this," Comstock said. "There's only 14 free Shakespeare festivals in the nation, and New Mexico is one of them."
T
he outdoor performances encourage audiences to relax and enjoy theatre in a welcoming community setting.
"You can just show up and it is free," Comstock said. "It's outdoors. Bring a chair, bring a blanket."
The productions rotate throughout the festival, with Julius Caesar opening the season before The Winter's Tale joins the repertory schedule. This allows audiences the opportunity to experience two distinctly different stories while appreciating the incredible versatility of Shakespeare's work.
Whether audiences are longtime Shakespeare enthusiasts or attending their very first production, both directors believe the festival offers something universal.
Shakespeare's characters are never simply heroes or villains. They are flawed individuals navigating impossible situations, making difficult decisions, and living with the consequences—experiences that remain just as relevant today as they were more than 400 years ago.
Against the beautiful backdrop of Veterans Memorial Park, the New Mexico Shakespeare Festival once again demonstrates why these stories continue to endure. They remind us that while history changes, human nature remains remarkably familiar.
For performance schedules and additional information, visit nmshakes.org. Admission is free, making this one of New Mexico's most accessible and treasured summer cultural traditions.
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